Does having a tyrannical boss leave any kind of lasting imprint on the employee - or are employees just fond of complaining? A posting on JobSchmob.com suggests that that the mental fallout can have lasting effects.
The post, Still Wounded, recounts a job where management underwent a significant change. This lead to a concerted effort to oust older and more-experienced workers - a trend that seems to be growing in popularity, especially among American corporations.
The poster says he was subjected to "malicious outright lies, ethical questions lobbied, pubic demeanings," and "abusive behavior." Finally he left and found another job.
That would seem to be a happy ending, but he says he now feels "scarred" by the experience. He finds himself "questioning motives of others" and "being cautious with every word." In short, he still lives in fear.
The lesson here is that words and actions do have an impact. While new managers may wish to establish leadership and dominance at a new place, they may end up inhibiting work. The actions supervisors take against employees may have farther-reaching effects than they realize.