My boss has placed me in a second tier although I have done the company's marketing for almost 3 years, he has profited, and we have thrived despite the recession. I have edited every word he publishes on our blog and web site, done clever, creative ads, increased our brand recognition to the point of getting us on HGTV, and in a separate role for business development, I have already exceeded this year's goals for bringing on board new dealers.
I am extremely effective, and I'm also our top individual salesperson! I give him ridiculously high value for my wee salary and he knows it. I am also the only woman here (except for a new hire--very young one with no similar experience yet). I am our exact demographic and have a great deal of understanding of our consumers. (That's why he had me rewrite the whole web site.) We're high in Google rankings, we've inspired competitors.
He asks my opinion (one on one) and makes many changes and decisions based on my advice.
Yet, when he formed the company's board, he lied to me...said it was really meaningless, just to give the young production manager a good thing to state on his resume. Meanwhile, he made the Accounting Dir. a VP, and when I specifically asked to be included on the Board, he said No. He treats the young men worshipfully, constantly making remarks as though they ARE the company...and devalues my contributions repeatedly. And the Board has turned into the power center.
The other day, all the men made plans to go tubing on the river together, right in front of me and my young female colleague. They didn't even invite us. It is beyond hurtful.
There is a top-down sexism. He (boss) acts out a lot of his psychosexual confusion by constantly, constantly making gender-related remarks, stereotype comments about women (and even men). Most, to me, because we are the same age and I've listened to him and know him (way too) well. The other day I was explaining to him in a completely professional way that a graphic designer I work with has been late with deadlines and so I'm needing to remind him more than usual. It was just a not-particularly-important work remark. He comes right to my desk and says to me in a low voice: He just needs to be well oiled up. If you stroke him, he'll respond.
I felt sick. Not shocked by the remark (I'm not a prude, it's the power play of it)--recognizing that helpless feeling of having someone in power act out their sexual stuff and play games with your mind...because they can. He has hurt me badly before, manipulated me, kicked me when I'm down. He is a classic, classic, somatic N.
So...that's most of it.
Hops