AboutDoug Staneart Expertise Doug Staneart can answer questions about gaining cooperation from, motivating, and influencing coworkers and employers. He is also an expert on how to avoid and resolve conflicts as well as other issues dealing with long term business relationships.
Experience
Doug Staneart has been a speaker and trainer for over ten years specializing in public speaking, leadership training, and team building. Doug is CEO of The Leader?s Institute® (Leadership Training) based in Dallas and author of the books 40 Ways to Influence People and Fearless Presentations. He has accumulated over 2700 hours of classroom coaching and training and began his career with Dale Carnegie Training® where he was recognized on numerous occasions for superior instruction.
Expert: Doug Staneart Date: 3/14/2008 Subject: Former Boss
Question Hello -
I left a company about 6 months ago, for a competitor, do do the same position. It was not for a better deal, but I was trying to get away from a harrassing, unethical and inappropriate boss. Since I was going to a competitor, he asked me to leave immediately. I left. I have found out that he was able to get into old email box and went thru my deleted emails. None of the emails name him specifically, but it is obvious who I am talking about. A former coworker (she left as well a few months before me) and I would talk about how bad of a boss he was and how we both wanted to leave. We both left, quietly. From an employee who is still there, I found out that the exboss has printed out some of the emails and has shown everyone in the office.
Now, he has sent an email to my new boss questioning my professionalism. My current boss knows my former boss and knows he is not well respected, but does not know how bad he is and how difficult of an environment it was to work in.
My new boss copied me on her response back to him, indicating that any issues he might have need to be dealt with directly thru me. I have responded and copied my exboss' supervisor as well as the Director of HR for my former company.
Can my former boss do anything to sabotage my future career goals, other than verbal defamation of my character without any evidence? Do I have any legal rights to stop this?
Answer LW,
I'm not sure about the legal issues, as that is not what I do, but I can tell you that any legal suit that you file will just cost you a lot of money without any return.
It sounds like your new boss has handled this as well as could be expected. Just let it go and show your new boss, through your actions, that your old boss was a liar and a jerk.
