Because sometimes the only performance that needs improvement… is your manager’s.

Written By Cari Borden

Dear Manager,

I know you’re busy delegating your job and scheduling recurring “check-ins” that feel more like parole meetings. But I figured I’d take a moment to write you a letter. Not a resignation (sorry to disappoint), but a little something in the spirit of clarity and documentation, two things I know you adore.

You see, after countless hours of overachievement, quiet resilience, and re-wording my emails to make sure your ego felt safe… I’ve learned a lot. Mostly about what not to do as a leader.

You’ve shown me that:

• Saying “we value transparency” doesn’t mean being transparent.
• “Coaching” is just your corporate-speak for reading off my metrics in bold.
• “I have an open door” means “unless it’s feedback about me—then schedule a meeting I’ll mysteriously cancel.”

And wow, the PIP. That was a performance in itself. A well-crafted piece of fiction where “areas of opportunity” somehow looked a lot like retaliation. But hey, you always said I needed to work on documentation, so I took it to heart. Screenshots, receipts, timestamps. Improvement unlocked.

So no, I’m not resigning (yet). But I am reclaiming my narrative.
I’m choosing peace over pretense, growth over gaslighting, and emotional intelligence over executive indifference.

And before you go looking through the distro to see who I cc’d, don’t worry. I kept it clean. Just HR.
Thought you’d appreciate the irony.

After all, I heard you loud and clear during my last “development session.”
So I figured, why not demonstrate my progress with a little… written communication.

Sincerely,
Your favorite documentation case study in the making

📝 If this felt a little too real, it might be time for a career pivot, or a power move. Let’s talk about coaching that helps you lead yourself out of corporate chaos. Check out my Fiverr gigs or take the leadership style quiz to see what your next move could be.