Some bosses don't manage performance.

Some bosses don't manage performance. They manage the threat they feel from it. If you've ever left a review more confused than when you walked in, you know what I'm talking about. Because insecure leaders don't coach talent. They contain it. Your work is solid, people trust you. Opportunities start finding you, and instead of developing you, they start documenting you. Have you noticed the feedback gets vaguer? The praise gets quieter? The criticism gets more personal, not more helpful. Because vague feedback isn't a management strategy. It's Protection for them. This was never about what you weren't doing well enough. This was about what you're doing too well. The moment you understand which game you're actually in, you'll stop blaming yourself for rules you never agreed to decode what's actually happening.