How to demotivate your senior managers

Be:

• rude and insulting
• openly condescending

Don't:

• let them explain or question, cut them off if necessary
• listen or show them any respect

Do:

• come up with a strategy which is based on the obvious

But:

• do not be surprised when they tell HR that they have decided to leave the company specifically because of you

Two weeks ago I went to a startup seminar. One of the speakers co-founded a private company which eventually designed and built a rocket which docked with the ISS.

It rubbed in that I can do better things than work for a company where I am suddenly treated like a fucking idiot.

Fortunately the HR head did listen and treated me with respect. As did a (very senior) manager whose advice I asked beforehand. I think I handled it well: I told them I am going to find another job, why this has happened (using the above bullet points) but assured them that I would be as supportive as ever. There was, of course, the caveat that I wouldn't be able to put in so many hours as usual as I need to spend time job hunting.