I used to flinch when my boss said my name too loudly in a meeting, expecting to be called out for something I hadn't even done yet. The sound of a Slack notification still makes my chest tighten, even though I haven't worked there in two years. The damage a workplace can do...it lingers, doesn't it? The performance review cycle...it was never about performance. It was about control. About reminding you who held the power, even when you were exceeding expectations.