Yes, they work. I was pretty much an anxious 20 year old guy with no way around people. Now I'm much more confident, do more of the things I like.
You can read my old messages by clicking on my name. I'm sure there are some positive ones. And they date back a while...
Got any questions? Fire away.
Just wanted to comment that your boss seems like a person who doesn't know her/his way around people. That's sad.