I survived being an EA to a toxic executive

I almost quit after working with a toxic executive, but it turned out to be one of my biggest life lessons.

I had built a reputation as the EA who could step in anywhere, adapting quickly whenever leaders needed temporary admin coverage.

Most of the executives I’d worked were kind and collaborative… until I met one who was the opposite.

She micromanaged every detail, followed up on non-urgent tasks within hours (yet claimed I was unresponsive), and refused to communicate with me directly.

I made the mistake of keeping my head down and telling myself to “just adapt.”

But at her team offsite, after nitpicking the room setup and catering, I hit my breaking point. I called out sick. I was done chasing the approval from someone who would never trust me.

The fallout was rough. I faced backlash from cross-functional leads and was almost put on a PIP, but my manager stepped in and defended me.

The lesson? Not every executive deserves your energy. Involve your manager before taking on new assignments, and never sacrifice your mental health for a job.

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