A few years ago I worked for a privately owned company in a fairly high level position. Seemed like a good job - decent salary, benefits, in an industry I enjoyed. But my second week on the job, the owner walked into my office and yelled at me, to the point veins were standing up on his forehead, about an improperly put together order that had gone out to one of his clients. I don't mind covering for the fact that you're a lazy, inept, idiot but I have to know that it's expected of me, and I didn't. But rather than saying, "Hey, this shouldn't happen, we need to do something to prevent it. Amy, fix this please," he yelled at me. I was so stunned I honestly didn't know how to react. I stood there looking at him until he stomped out of my office. Within minutes half a dozen people popped in to tell me to suck it up and keep going because that's just how things were. Really? You can walk into my office and totally *expletive deleted*ck up my day over something I had no hand in and that's just how it is?
The second time it happened I looked him in the eye and told him to get out of my office until he could speak civilly. He was so stunned he actually did it. The third time it happened, I had a pencil in my hand and held it up as if I were gesturing and as I walked toward him slightly jabbing it toward his face, I said, "You. Will. Not. Speak. To. Me. Like. That." By the time I got to "me" he was gone. He never yelled at me again, but instead switched to passive aggressive tactics which were worse because I couldn't really call him on anything specific, I could only avoid being in situations where he could use his tactics. Like rearranging my office so there was no way he could get between me and the door and always finding a reason someone else had to be present during meetings.
I couldn't leave - I had three kids and a husband so support. But when I was finally able to give notice, I had a ball with it. When he'd stage one of his little displays or attack a co-worker, I'd make very direct comments, like, "If you have a stroke, can we go home early?" Or, "When you're finished screaming, do you suppose we could discuss this rationally and actually solve the problem?" The look on his face, that I would DARE to stand up to him, was priceless.