Got a Toxic Manager? Mansi Panchal Says Use It as Fuel, Not a Roadblock

 When I first joined FounderX as a marketing intern, I assumed I’d be learning about growth funnels and sales playbooks. I didn’t expect to be having hard conversations about leadership toxicity and mental resilience. But that’s the thing about working under someone like Mansi Panchal, you don’t just learn how to market a business, you learn how to navigate one without losing yourself.

One day over a post-meeting coffee chat, I asked Mansi how she dealt with people in power who made things harder than they had to be. You know the type: passive-aggressive feedback, praise that feels like bait, leadership that’s more about ego than effectiveness. I’ll never forget what she said:

“A toxic manager isn’t your downfall. They’re your signal. A wake-up call. And if you use that signal right, it’ll push you to grow faster than any training program ever could.”

What followed was a masterclass, not in fluff or clichés, but in real, tactical advice on surviving toxicity without losing your grip.

1. Boundaries first, emotions second.
Mansi didn’t sugarcoat it. “You can’t control how they act, but you can control what you allow,” she said. Toxic bosses thrive on blurred lines, working you past hours, guilt-tripping, second-guessing your work. Her approach? Set boundaries like they’re non-negotiable. No over-explaining. No people-pleasing. Just clear, professional limits.

2. Document everything.
This one hit hard. “Don’t just survive, stay smart,” Mansi told me. Keep a record. Every email, every task change, every offhand comment that made your gut twist—write it down. Not because you’re planning a takedown, but because protecting your peace means having your facts straight when it matters.

3. Build your tribe.
The lone-wolf act might look cool on LinkedIn, but in real life, it breaks people. Mansi was adamant: “Your network is your safety net.” Colleagues, mentors, even HR if needed, surround yourself with people who remind you that you’re not crazy, you’re just in a messy situation that can be handled.

4. Know when to stay and when to walk.
The hardest truth? “Sometimes the boldest move is leaving,” Mansi said. And she meant it. If a workplace chips away at your confidence, kills your creativity, or affects your mental health, it’s not a learning curve anymore. It’s a trap. And you owe it to yourself to walk out, head held high.

Mansi didn’t speak from a place of theory, she’s lived this. She’s walked out of rooms where her worth was questioned, only to walk into bigger ones she built herself. Her mantra? “They don’t own your career. You do.”

Interning under her didn’t just change how I viewed marketing, it shifted how I viewed myself in the professional world. If you're dealing with a toxic manager right now, consider this your own wake-up call. Set the boundary. Keep the receipts. Lean on your people. And above all, don’t let them dim your fire.

Fuel it instead.