Some people mean well at the time they promise to do something. Then, circumstances change, and they feel forced to retract or rescind. When a boss does this to a subordinate, it can feel quite overwhelming and unsettling, especially if the boss backs out of a promise, offer, or deal that leaves you twisting in the wind.

Bosses who backpedal may not mean harm; they simply never bother to tell you that they are unable to do what they promised. They shrug it off, expecting you to understand. It does not matter to them that you were inconvenienced or embarrassed by the unsettling emotional ride or that they may have caused you to take certain steps you would not have taken had you known they were going to........

© Psychology Today