THREAD: Lately, I’ve been approached by a number of writers with questions about their managers. The circumstances are different but the question is always the same: is what their manager doing normal? Is this just how things go? And the answer is almost always No. 1/

In work, and in life generally, if you feel like you’re not being treated properly, you’re probably right. You aren’t. And I’ve found giving advice in those situations is usually just confirming what the person already knows. But may not want to acknowledge yet. 2/

Some writers are so happy to have a manager that they’ll excuse their poor behavior or find reasons to justify it. Until it gets so bad that they ask people they know: is this normal? Is this just how it goes? 3/

When I talk to those writers, I confirm that No, that isn’t normal. No, that’s not professional. And then I ask them what they want to do about it. And often they’re still not sure. 4/

And I understand that, I do. They worked so hard to get a manager, that not having one feels like a step backward. It’s oddly scarier to have no manager than one who isn’t responsive or whom you don’t trust. It’s the devil they know. 5/

But I always say - right now, you essentially don’t have a manager. If they’re not adding anything, then what do you have to lose? What would really change in your life for the worse? 6/

So many conversations about professional relationships end up sounding like dating advice and this one is no different. The bad manager they have is standing in the way of them having a good one. 7/

Until they take the brave but sometimes terrifying step of letting them go, they’ll never be able to see if there’s a better one out there. Or if they even needed a manager in the first place. Might sound like heresy coming from me, but they very well may not need one at all. 8/

Doing the right thing can be terrifying. But the truth is, you probably already know what you need to do. And you’ll never know how good things could be if you’re stuck with the bad you know. Trust yourself and you’ll rarely go wrong. END