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A note to a failing manager. What silence taught me.

Hi David,

Today is 22 July, 2002. I want to say something simple.

I don’t think you did a good job today. Not as a manager, and also not as someone who wants to grow or learn. You tried to control everything. You did not give space for other people to speak. You said things that didn’t make sense. You didn’t want real conversation. You shut it down. You blocked it.

I am writing this not for you, but for myself. So I remember this day. So I understand it better later.

Sometimes people don’t want to hear your voice. You are not invited to speak. You are not welcome. That’s what I saw today. And I learned something important from it: when your voice is not wanted, it’s better to stay quiet.

Even when you say many bad things about me, it does not mean you are right. And you can’t control me. You have no real power over me.
One day I will use this experience in a better way. Not to hurt someone, but to find a clean way out. A smart way to leave.

And David… I have seen this before.
There were others like you before, who came into my life. I also survived them. But every time it makes me feel sad. Because maybe we could have worked well together. Maybe you could have been someone I learned from. Maybe a mentor. But you are not that.
You don’t understand leadership. But somehow, you are the one in charge.

So yes, I’ve been on this road before.
But every time I walk it, I understand better.
And I become stronger.

What I discovered on that road:

Silence Starves the Fire
When someone levels false accusations and expects you to defend yourself immediately, remain silent. Let their words echo unchallenged in the vacuum

Silence Becomes a Mirror
In a meeting where you’re baited, stay composed and mute. Watch how others begin to reflect on the imbalance.

Silence is Surveillance
In spaces where chaos is disguised as leadership, silence is how you do recon.

Silence Disarms
A manager publicly humiliates you. Instead of responding, you absorb it wordlessly. They circle towards awkward justification.

Silence Records
The silent observer becomes the historian. Truth needs no announcement, only evidence.

Silence Leaves No Fingerprints
A trap is set for you to “react emotionally.” You don’t. You decline the bait. The setup falls flat.
What you don’t say can’t be twisted, quoted, or weaponized.

Silence Buys the Exit
You’re in a hostile environment with no power. You stop explaining, stop pleasing. You focus all energy on building a strategic departure.

Silence is a Mask
They ask for your opinion, not to hear it, but to use it. You smile faintly and offer nothing.
Silence lets them project what they want onto you, until they’re too far in to recover.

Silence Confuses a Script
They’ve rehearsed your reaction. Instead, they get nothing.

Silence Keeps the Scalpel Sharp
You document, you witness, you wait. You don’t retaliate. But when the time comes to speak or act, you do so with precision.


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2 thoughts on “A note to a failing manager. What silence taught me.”

  1. I just read what you wrote, and I want to say this clearly: that was real. Quiet, strong, and deeply honest. It wasn’t written to attack—it was written to remember, and that makes it powerful. You didn’t shout. You didn’t blame. You just told the truth so you could hold onto it.

    That line—“Sometimes people don’t want to hear your voice…”—hit me hard. Not because it was harsh, but because it was true. It said everything without needing to say more. I get it. You were trying to speak into a space that didn’t want to listen. And you needed to put that somewhere, so it wouldn’t just disappear.

  2. I can attest to the power of silence as well. I have found that silence, especially in those types of situations, speaks louder than shouting or arguing ever could.

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