A Manager’s Diary

Life Experience

Navigating the New Corporate Maze 🧭

Ever feel like you need a secret decoder ring just to talk to your team? You’re not alone. It seems like a new corporate trend is emerging, and it’s turning simple feedback sessions into high-stakes negotiations. As a manager in the Indian corporate landscape, I’ve been scratching my head lately, wondering if I’ve somehow missed the memo on how to give constructive criticism without causing a full-blown crisis.

It used to be simple, right? You’d pull a team member aside, offer some guidance, and they’d nod, maybe ask a clarifying question, and then get back to work. Now, it feels like I’m tiptoeing through a minefield of passive aggression and triggered emotions. 🤯

I recently had a classic “GPT moment” with a reportee. I was trying to gently explain that their communication style could use a little polish. You know, just a friendly chat about how to frame things better for clients and teammates. My intention was clear: this is about growth, about helping them climb the ladder. But as soon as I started, they switched into this bizarre, almost-robotic defense mode. It was like talking to a chatbot that had been programmed to deflect all criticism.

I politely pointed out that my goal was to help, not criticize. I explained that strong soft skills are a non-negotiable for career progression. But instead of listening, they just got more and more defensive. “Whatever I do, you always make me wrong,” they shot back. 🤦‍♂️

Seriously? I’m trying to hand you a toolkit for success, and you’re treating it like a personal attack. I’m not here to police your every move; I’m here to mentor you. Every suggestion, every piece of advice, gets met with a defensive wall. “Let’s try this process,” I’d suggest, and they’d immediately go into “no, that’s not how we do things” mode, even when their way was clearly inefficient.

It makes you question everything. Am I wrong for wanting my team to be better? Am I being too harsh, even when I’m choosing my words with the care of a surgeon? Are we, as managers, expected to just let things slide to avoid these confrontations?

This new era of hypersensitivity is making managing a tightrope walk. You want to be an effective leader, but you also want to avoid being labeled as “toxic” or “difficult.” There’s a fine line between holding people accountable and being perceived as an aggressor. It feels like the younger generation has been conditioned to see feedback as an attack — not as a tool for improvement.

So, here’s my plea to all the managers out there: Keep pushing for excellence. Don’t let this trend silence your desire to help your team grow. And to the reportees: please, for your own sake, try to see feedback for what it is – a stepping stone, not a stumbling block. Your manager’s goal isn’t to make you feel “wrong,” but to help you become right for the next big opportunity.

Let’s make feedback a conversation, not a courtroom battle. 💬