I started a new job this summer. I've got my qualms about the job itself, but I'll save you those gripes. Bottom line is it would be a decent job, not a dream-gig but adequate, if my supervisor wasn't batshit nuts!

She seemed nice enough during the interview, and for the first several weeks of employment I didn't notice anything odd. She had mentioned these seminars that she went to, but not in any great detail. She had also dropped some phrases that sounded pretty stupid to my ears, but hey, she's my boss, so I kept a straight face when I was told about what I know, don't know, and don't know I don't know. From the mentions she made of thse self-help seminars and stuff, I assumed it was some kind of harmless new-age crap. Later, she told me that she coached these seminars.

I did notice early on that my input on just about anything was NOT welcome, she was happier if I just did what I was told. She became very defensive and angry if I questioned any of her decisions or offered suggestions of different ways to do things. Also, she DID NOT like me questioning anything she did. I'm a James Randi fan, and I question everything and often play devil's advocate even when I agree with someone, so I found I really had to bite my tounge a lot! I am, in Landmark-speak, "uncoachable".

About 3 months into the job, there was a brief period where I couldn't seem to do anything right. I seriously thought I was going to get fired any day, even though I had been cruising along doing well (or at least, not any worse than I had been the second month on the job). I had to have "meetings" with her every afternoon for a week about my job performance, which were basically her spouting this wierd jargon at me and telling me what a bad employee I was. But then the next day I'd be doing fine. One afternoon I would think I was about to get fired, the next morning she would tell me our conversation the day before was "no big deal" and that I was doing a great job.

Her wild emotional swings were really getting to me, but there is a 6 month "probationary period" at this job during which I can be fired at any time. Normally I would stand up for myself more, but since 1). I was halfway through to getting my vacation time which kicks in at 6 months, and 2.) I decided to already look for another job anyway (since I decided the job itself wasn't all that great, crazy boss or no), and 3) the pay was good - I thought I'd just keep my head down and concentrate on my job search. So, I've tried to not cause a stir with her and lay low, while spending most of my time at work surfing employment sites for new jobs. Later and just as quickly her attitude changed again, and again I was a fine employee.

Well, she's been in a "good mood" the past several weeks, and apparently I'm a good employee again. Then, I noticed her starting to get snippy with me and I thought "Oh, boy, here we go..." She also mentioned one of the meetings she had talked about before was about to happen, and said I should think about coming. Again, she's my boss, so I just very mildly answered that I'd think about it, but to myself I'm thinking "No way I'm getting involved in whatever crazy shit you're into!" Well, she left a flyer for the seminar on my desk. "Landmark Education" - sounds innocuous, right? Well, I googled it and thankfully THIS website came up as well.

Well, now her seemingly bizarre actions have some sort of explanation. After reading what goes on in a Landmark seminar, I can see how she's used to nobody questioning all the crazy things she says!

So now I know what I'm up against. I'm even more convinced than ever that I want to leave this job! I've had three interviews in the past several weeks, but I have yet to hear back from any of them. It looks like I might be stuck in this gig for a mite longer. Does anyone have any advice on how to deal with these people in an employer/employee situation? Now that I know what sort of organization this is, I'm going to find it VERY hard not to call bullshit on her the next time she throws some of this stuff in my face. But, I've just got to hold on until I hear back about one of these jobs...

Anybody? Just some positive feedback or helpful hints would be of great benefit to me!

The only way you will be able to deal with her is to leave. My boss was an LE fanatic and it got worse and worse. Soon she'll ask you to go and if you don't, there will be a standstill.

You don't have to take the abuse, you don't have to work like this. There are better jobs out there with sane people.

I used to toss and turn at night, cry, wonder what I was doing wrong and where it went wrong. I loved my job. But as soon as Boss went to LE the whole environment went bad.. the corporate culture was corrupt.

Good luck and get out!

Is your employer registered with the BBB or accountable to your local labor department(s)...if so, you will have a great place to go and file a complaint if the boss fires you! Check into it, it might mean justice for your 'resistance' to the attempts at getting 'programmed'. LE converts are too accustomed to those that go down easy, make it hard!

Shrimpboat, I understand what your're going thru - under no circumstances take any Landmark seminars, your mental and emotional health are more important than your job! That said, what you should do in the meantime is contact the local office of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (federal or state) in your area. Explain that your boss is attempting to recruit you into Landmark, using your continued employment to leverage you.....that is illegal, no matter how long you've been on the job!!

It might be a good idea for you to make copies of some of the info. from this site for the benefit of making your case with the EEOC and show them the brochure your boss left you as well.

Your boss is deliberately trying to "break down" your sense of self esteem where your job performance is concerned and generate enough self - doubt in you so you will be that much more manipulateable and "willing" to take the Landmark seminar. Classic LGAT methodology, don't buy into it! This is textbook "mindf--king" that she's engaging in.

Worst case, stand up to her and tell her that you will not be manipulated into taking a Landmark course and if she makes it necessary, you will go to the EEOC about it and make a complaint. The worst she can do is fire you, qualifying you for unemployment insurance (probably), and giving you cause for seeking a "wrongful termination" lawsuit. Good Luck!

I agree with Maggie. Your boss sounds like a hopelessly brainwashed Landmark loonie and there's no future with someone like that unless you want to join up and become like her. And I wouldn't recommend that under any circumstances! If you stay you'll end up a nervous wreck. It would be like working for a religious fanatic who won't lay off trying to proselytize you.

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Shrimpboat
Also, she DID NOT like me questioning anything she did. I'm a James Randi fan, and I question everything and often play devil's advocate even when I agree with someone,

Landmark aside, that's not a good way to conduct yourself in the workplace, especially when you're new. Put yourself in your boss's shoes and see how you would feel. Your boss may feel you're trying to show everyone up, including her, or she may even feel you have your eye on her job. Or she may feel you're argumentative by nature. Some people love to argue but others hate it. I know I wouldn't want somebody automatically questioning everything I do or as you say, being a "devil's advocate". Unless of course there's reason to question something. I can see the recipients of your questions eventually getting annoyed. I'm not saying never to question - just pick and choose them wisely. Keep in mind that people are sensitive about their abilities and competencies and you're not going to make many friends by being an automatic critic.

Everyone, and I mean everyone has insecurities. Automatically questioning everything people do serves to exasperate those insensitivities and makes for a frictional workplace.

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Shrimpboat, I understand what your're going thru - under no circumstances take any Landmark seminars, your mental and emotional health are more important than your job! That said, what you should do in the meantime is contact the local office of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (federal or state) in your area. Explain that your boss is attempting to recruit you into Landmark, using your continued employment to leverage you.....that is illegal, no matter how long you've been on the job!!

It might be a good idea for you to make copies of some of the info. from this site for the benefit of making your case with the EEOC and show them the brochure your boss left you as well.

When you go to the Federal and State Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Better Business Bureau, you might want to mention that Landmark was investigated by the [b:5b88580011]Federal Department of Labor[/b:5b88580011] of the governments of the [b:5b88580011]United States[/b:5b88580011] and [b:5b88580011]France[/b:5b88580011], and has been declared a "cult" in Austria and France, and a "new religion" in Germany.

Excalibur, your points are well taken, and I hope I didn't sound too contrarian in my original post. I didn't want to make it sound like I'm a royal pain in the ass as an employee, because really I don't think that's the case. My previous job was at a rather laid back, free-wheeling place and this office is much more conservative in atmosphere so if anything I've treaded very lightly since taking this job, tried to be very concientious, to the point where I feel like I've kept a large part of my personality under wraps just to make sure I didn't say anything innappropriate. Since the environment at my old job was so different, I've really made an effort to be professionally beyond reproach.

One of the things that makes this difficult for me is that I'm the only person my boss supervises. There are some other departments across the cubicle divider from me, but nobody who has to interact directly with me or my boss, or is there to witness our conversations. So, I've bounced some of my problems with my boss off of my friends/co-workers just to ask "Is it just me, or does this seem odd to you?" So rest assured I've been questioning my own actions as well. My email might not indicate it, but I'm a pretty mild-mannered guy generally and I was at my previous job for 6 years with no compliants.

In finding this website, I had a bit of an "ah-hah!" moment because many of the complaints that some of the posters have had regarding their friends and loved ones after attending LE seminars are the same ones I'm experiencing with my boss. Being told that I'm "negative" when I express any opinion that differs from hers, for instance.

shrimpboat if you're questioning yourself and your actions, the boss has instilled some doubt where you know there was none before. That is how they operate, create doubt where there is none, then move in for the systematic teardown and reconstruction...stay alert!

Thanks for your input. So, my question is: aside from just quitting, how do I best handle this situation?

I'm already looking for a new job, I've had some interviews but it might be awhile before I get an offer. It's about two weeks before I'm over my "probation" and then I won't have to worry so much, because it's much harder to get canned here once you get past this point (it's a state job, btw, one of those "once your in it's almost impossible to get rid of you" kinda things...of course, that would apply to my boss as well!). Up until now my plan was that I wouldn't really call bullshit on anything b/c I feared for my job security. Once I'm "in" however, it's going to be much safer for me to speak my mind. It may make for an uncomfortable work environment, but I won't be constantly worried about getting axed. I'm perfectly willing to live and let live, and my boss doesn't hassle me when I just shut up and do what I'm told. But if things get worse and I have to stand up for myself a bit, I think it's going to get ugly...

So, anyway, since you folks here have dealt with LE types before, how do you reccomend I proceed? She hasn't really come on with a hard sales pitch with me yet, or told me it's something I have to do for my job. If that happens, I'll just tell her I've researched LE and I've determined it's nothing I'm interested in. But, if she keeps bringing up my "rackets" and such BS, should I insist that she not use LE jargon during work conversations?

Any rules of thumb to follow when talking to these people?

When my landmarkian friend starts talking to me in LE lingo, I demand that she not address me like I'm in landmark and speak to me in the language that a non-landmarkians speak. I remind her also that it is a waste of time of process interactions with me through the landmarkian filters because I have not been subjected to their teachings or been conformed to their ways of thinking and believing, therefore, the jargon and the filter is out of place and doesn't apply to me. This usually shuts down the entire conversation and causes her to begin to find other words to use that I might be able to 'relate' to.
It only works to temporaily distract from the intentions of the landmarkian speaker but it gets you out of a spot where you would otherwise just have to tell her off. The refusal to respond to their jargon sends a clear message but it does piss them off. For two weeks you'll just have to patronize her and don't for a single minute let her convince you of anything! If she says its a nice day outside...check for yourself to see that it is....
when the two weeks is up, you can begin to demand 'work related only' conversations and if she slams you for anything, demand that she back up what she is accusing you of. Landmarkians hate having to justify or clarify what they say because its all regurgitated, unproven werner bullshit.