My previous supervisor a) didn’t read my work before the meeting b) criticised the paper based on 3 versions ago, which I called her on c) took the paper I gave her in the meeting & put it under a stack without looking at it d) told me ‘don’t forget to keep your sources & facts together, it’s very annoying when you forget where you found something’ so I showed her a copy of a page of my spreadsheet workbook.
Then I told her that the generalities that she was making are destructive & not reflective of the current version of the thesis. I asked her to make specific criticisms, otherwise I won’t know what to change. It was a difficult meeting, which I acknowledged in the meeting.
She (ahem) half-assed capitulated. But by then I’d made my decision. Luckily so did the school – the rules change meant she had too many PhDs to manage anyway. So … I happily scarpered.
Speak up people – you needn’t take abuse. The power play only exists if you support it by acquiescing.