Working for the Wrong Boss is a practical, intelligent guide for professionals who feel trapped in difficult, unclear, or destabilising workplace dynamics. Whether you are dealing with inconsistent expectations, poor communication, blame-shifting, quiet reputational risk, or a leader who creates more confusion than clarity, this book gives you a calm, strategic way forward. Drawing on decades of leadership experience across education, industrial relations, human resources, organisational strategy, and high-stakes workplace negotiation, Jacques Retief offers clear, practical guidance to help you: - recognise when a difficult boss has become a genuine professional risk - stabilise yourself before reacting emotionally - create a paper trail that protects your position - communicate clearly without escalating conflict - manage upwards without losing your boundaries - protect your reputation and professional identity - respond effectively to blame and misrepresentation - stay steady in toxic environments without absorbing the chaos - build strategic visibility so your work is understood - know when to stay, adapt, or leave
This is not a book about office politics, revenge, or winning arguments, but rather a book about protecting your integrity, your confidence, and your long-term career. If you have ever found yourself overthinking emails, replaying conversations, or working harder just to feel safe, this book will help you regain clarity, control, and professional steadiness. A flagship guide in The Professional Self-Defense at Work series, this book offers grounded insight, practical frameworks, and clear language you can use immediately - wherever you work in the world.
