Introduction

 

I work in a toxic workplace, in an academic setting. It's reached untenable levels of retaliation and all manner of ilk.  I find it harder and harder to not break, not scream, not leave...

As I launch plans to survive and outlast the current regime, I need a way to process and get it out, to get through, to stay whole. I am weighed down with the constant feelings of helplessness for myself and dear colleagues.  In  a past major triggering SA event, I found a creative outlet to allow for dark humor really helped. I again find myself triggered almost daily. I need to go through the dark to get to the light, again.

To cope, this time though, I will write the emails folks deserve, but then, not send them. Lord knows I'd be sent to HR just for holding eyegaze too long at this point!

Cast of characters (so far):

Ms. D. Flex – Middle-Management Coordinator of “Key Services.” Takes everything personally and fixes nothing professionally. A virtuoso of deflection who can redirect blame faster than Wi-Fi. Turns feedback into an attack and minor issues into full-season dramas.

Mr. C.V. Builder – Vice President of Area 1 and Personal Branding. Treats the college like a stepping-stone and the mission like a marketing tagline. Speaks in buzzwords, rebrands failure as “innovation”, genreally hates any outspoken woman because he's afraid of them.

Mr. P. Nokio – Head of Hall Monitors. Enforces tone, not ethics. Loves policy more than people and wields procedure like a stun gun. A puppet who believes his own strings are authority. A true imposter - it's not syndrome.

President Poser – Chief Executive of Performative Leadership. Mistakes visibility for vision and words for work. Obsessed with optics, allergic to substance. Measures success in selfies, slogans and social media commenting.