Our toxic CEO screamed at people: lessons learned
I kept asking myself, "Is this normal?"
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“The first time I heard him screaming in the office, it shocked me…"
"WHY ARE YOU BEHIND IN THE PRODUCT ROADMAP?"
His words were directed at the CTO. But it was in an open office with 5 other startups around, and everyone was listening.
"I looked around the room, searching for eye contact. Hoping to connect with someone who was as shocked as I was, but everyone had their heads down.
Based on their body language, it was clear this wasn’t the first time.”
This story comes from my good friend Ramli John. Ramli has a ton of impressive SaaS / PLG experience. He's hosted several successful podcasts, wrote Product led Onboarding, served as Managing Director at Productled, and was Director of Content at Appcues. Recently, he went full-time on his own business, Delight Path!
I was excited to have Ramli on the show to talk about his professional journey and explore some of the toughest moments that almost derailed his career.
But I wasn't expecting this story.
Ramli was a few weeks into starting a new role (not one that's listed above) when he witnessed this situation.
Something felt very wrong.
It didn’t seem like an acceptable work environment. The CEO was a nightmare - a total micromanager who wouldn't articulate what he wanted.
Ramli tried to make it work.
... until one day, the CEO directed his screams at him:
"WHY ARE YOU BEHIND ON LEADS" he shouted in front of the entire office.
That was the last straw. Ramli gave his notice and left a few months after starting.
I would have never guessed Ramli had encountered something like this in his career. It's a great reminder that we all face tough situations in our journey. What matters most is surviving those moments - and not letting them define us.
It’s easy to blame ourselves and get stuck in a negative thought cycle that follows us from job to job.
Ramli didn’t do that. Much of our conversation explored the mindset that allowed him to keep going.
In addition to sharing his experience with the toxic CEO, Ramli also touched on:
How seeing his dad get laid off influenced his decision to build his own business
How attaching his worth to his achievements made him act like a jerk - and led him to seek therapy for a healthier approach to work
The toughest feedback that he’s received (and what he’s doing about it)
If you've ever been in a situation that just didn't feel right, this episode will resonate.
Watch or listen below
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