Some time ago, my manager gave me glowing feedback in a formal check-in; there were no concerns raised at all. More recently, things have shifted โ they got a lot more hands-on, started overriding decisions and stepping into my work tasks in ways that felt like I was being undermined, rather than supported.
It got to a point where I genuinely questioned whether I was still needed in my own role, and asked my manager directly whether I was being pushed out. They were defensive and said that was just their job as a manager.
At my most recent formal review I got a low rating that cited issues my manager never raised with me directly โ no coaching conversations, no heads-up, nothing.
Is it normal for a rating like this to show up out of nowhere? What am I entitled to ask for in terms of evidence or examples behind the rating? Iโm already worried about now having a target on my back.
I think this is a really odd case, and so does Professor Denise Jepsen, whose opinion I sought after reading your question. Sheโs an organisational psychologist and works in the Macquarie University Department of Management.
โThe golden rule for performance appraisal is โno surprisesโ, so this is not a good sign,โ Jepsen said.
โI read in it that something has shifted for the manager. Perhaps their KPIs have changed. Perhaps they are under threat, or maybe profits have turned to losses. Businesses are doing it tough, and AI is just around every corner. There is a great deal of uncertainty around these days. But in this instance, it sure sounds like the manager is being pressured.โ
She said that at the centre of most managersโ roles is a simple objective: to get work done through other people. If your manager does indeed have pressure coming from above, this essential goal can become distorted. If they feel the work is no longer being done for some reason, they may feel it necessary โ very possibly unfairly โ to take out their frustration on you.
But have your work habits or performance changed? From everything youโve said in our correspondence, it sounds like the answer is no. Could it be, then, that the manager is looking at your work in a different light? That this isnโt just a confection, a performance of action for the higher-ups, but a genuine concern.
To be clear, Iโm not suggesting that youโre a bad worker whoโs been getting away with it for years. But I do wonder whether itโs worth considering that the manager sees something now that, to quote Jepsen, โthey hadnโt previously worried about. Or that did not matter in the past but does nowโ.
โThe golden rule for performance appraisal is โno surprisesโ, so this is not a good sign.โ
Professor Denise Jepsen
The problem is, even if this is the case, it sounds like you have very little idea what exactly about your own performance justifies such a worry. It sounds like youโve received feedback, but you canโt match the criticism with your work or behaviour.
So, should you ask for additional information? Absolutely.
โAs part of the organisation, you are perfectly entitled to ask for more evidence for your low rating; thatโs just simple procedural justice,โ Professor Jepsen said.
โIโd caution about going in too heavy. It sounds like the manager, being defensive, was not comfortable with the recent changes. Things do change in workplaces, and we sometimes have no idea what shape this change took until months or years later.
โSo unless you have a particular reason not to, you could give them the benefit of the doubt and try to find out what is going on for them.โ
Like Jepsen, I think something has shifted at the top of your organisation; whether itโs a new direction, harsher policy or startling set of numbers, it hasnโt filtered down to your level. It makes sense, then, that this dramatic change in attitude seems so out of the blue. And I think you deserve an explanation.
I agree with Jepsen that your manager probably finds themselves in a difficult, possibly even an alarming position. But, to be frank, the abrupt move from sparkling praise to stern disapproval, preceded by no warning, is simply poor management.
I hope you can get some clarification and that this helps to allay your fears. Nobody should feel undermined and targeted in their job.
Send your questions through to Work Therapy by emailing jonathan@theinkbureau.com.au.
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Jonathan Rivett is a writer based in Melbourne. He’s written about workplace culture and careers for more than a decade.From our partners
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