Said It Here

Fired after trying to fix a dysfunctional workplace

Trying to reform broken processes or challenge corrupt vendor relationships often disrupts entrenched political dynamics, leading leadership to push out the incoming manager during probation. This makes it nearly impossible to implement necessary changes without being framed as a failure or getting terminated for not being a "good fit."

What people tried

Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.

  1. 1
    Keeping your head down and doing recon for the first 30 days before making any changes
  2. 2
    Letting dysfunctional elements or corrupt vendor relationships self-destruct rather than intervening
  3. 3
    Leaving the job entirely when leadership resists actual reform

In their words

Unedited, most upvoted first, each linked to the thread it came from.

“Well, here I am. I made it to week #4 in my new role and was let go today. There was a 6-month probation period and they said that they felt I wasn't a good fit.”source ↗

trim_reaper · r/ITManagers · 361 upvotes

“My problems started with a vendor who was ripping us off. When I brought in a new vendor that I trusted, I was accused of showing preferential treatment in spite of saving $15k on a single order. That began my downfall.”source ↗

vrscdx14 · r/ITManagers · 13 upvotes

“My other I’m experiencing the same thing right now in my job so far I’ve survived two years but they have tried so to make me look like a failure on more than one occasion.”source ↗

BIG_SCIENCE · r/ITManagers · 5 upvotes

Where this came up

r/ITManagersbureaucracycareermanagementworkplace culture

People with this problem also raised