Negative feedback for a leader. Can you criticize superiors and if so, how?

13.09.2025

“The liberty of man ends where the liberty of another man begins” (Alexis de Tocqueville).

Work is a relational environment. A place where various interests and views clash. They are as likely to be convergent as they are to be divergent. Especially in vertical structures, between teams and leaders, where all kinds of discrepancies are common. And these, by their nature, provide material for the criticism of management. This often takes the form of daily conversations over morning coffee about a “constant mountain of work” or “the boss pushing the team.”

But what happens when these innocent exchanges of critical views on management begin to intensify? When allegations cease to have a basis in reality and their form becomes simply offensive?

Can an employer interfere in discussions between employees that are critical of the employer itself or of individual managers? How can one avoid the charge of unjustified interference with freedom of speech?

The purpose of expressing one’s opinion is key

First and foremost, the purpose of the words spoken about another person at work is vital. We can assume two such purposes. First, that we want to criticize a superior to change something, e.g., the way the team is managed. In this case, we can suggest that processes could be improved, for instance, by introducing more frequent one-to-one meetings.

We can even express our assessment and state that, due to the high volume of work, the atmosphere in the team has recently been tense and everyone is exhausted. Especially if we also want to request additional time off or to claim overtime. Such criticism of a superior’s actions is entirely permissible. It is not even criticism of the person in that position, but rather a comment on their actions. We are referring more to facts than to an assessment of the person (the superior).

Opinions should be based on facts, not rumors

It is a different matter, however, if the words refer directly to the superior. Their goal, once again, should be to improve the situation in the company rather than to humiliate someone or fuel an existing conflict. One might say that a leader “manages the team poorly,” “is not understanding,” or “pushes too hard.” It is essential, however, that such words are supported by the behavior of the person we are discussing.

While we have a right to our opinion, such a statement must be grounded in facts. It cannot be “concocted out of thin air.” A person against whom someone spreads rumors or lies will also be able to defend themselves. In extreme cases, we may even be dealing with defamation, which is regulated by the provisions of the Penal Code.

How can one defend saying that someone “pushes too hard”? Such an opinion may arise if employees are indeed working overtime, have no time for breaks, or must be available by phone around the clock.

Leaders also have the right to respect for their dignity at work

When expressing an opinion about other employees, the choice of words and the form in which the opinion is expressed also matter. The form cannot be offensive and, obviously, must not be vulgar. Specific examples of prohibited statements can be found in the case law of the Supreme Court:

1. “He stated that ‘the general director is making himself vulnerable,’ ‘that he demanded great power,’ ‘that he was f…ing around in the matters of the energy district […]’” [case ref. III PSKP 62/21]

2. “The president of the management board turned the cooperative into a den of lawlessness” [case ref. I PKN 237/97]

At work, everyone has the right to have their personal rights respected, including leaders. It cannot be the case that a person in a managerial position is a so-called “whipping boy” and everything that goes wrong is his or her fault.

This leads to the third point: criticism cannot be an end in itself and lead to inciting conflict. Such incitement of conflict may include passing on opinions [even permissible ones] to individuals whom the subject does not concern at all. To put it bluntly: gossiping with others about a superior. Without a purpose and, furthermore, in an inappropriate form. We discussed how to handle conflicts at work here.

One of our conclusions was precisely that a leader whose reputation is being tarnished has the option to report such behavior to HR. It is best to do this at an early stage, before the snowball of rumors starts rolling.

The employer, as part of the obligation to counteract mobbing and the duty to ensure compliance with the so-called principles of social coexistence in the company, should react and at least clarify the matter with the person spreading rumors. To be certain whether these are just rumors or if it is indeed worth also speaking with the superior.

The final question is: can an employee be dismissed for criticizing a leader?

If someone goes around gossiping about their superior without any justification and does so in an offensive manner, they may face termination of employment. This is especially true if that person directs opinions about employees to outsiders, e.g., clients, contractors, or acquaintances from the same industry.

The reason for parting ways with such a person may simply be a loss of trust. A superior or the company may not wish to work with someone who fuels rumors and whose behavior incites conflicts. In completely extreme cases, if we are dealing with vulgarities or lies about a superior that border on mobbing, the remedy may be summary dismissal (the so-called disciplinary dismissal).