Have you ever had a micromanaging boss who insisted on controlling every aspect of your workday? Kevin certainly did. And what followed was a case of malicious compliance that ended with surprising results.
A Diligent Worker
Murray had always been a diligent worker, monitoring credit cards from the comfort of his home alongside 20 other team members. He worked independently and efficiently and was recently promoted and given a significant pay raise to recognize his hard work.
He was encouraged to take on more responsibility and become even more independent in his work.
However, things took a turn when management changed. The previous manager had left, and the supervisor got fired for having an affair on company grounds.
A New Supervisor
A new supervisor was brought in, who knew nothing about the team’s work and immediately demanded results. This supervisor was the best friend of the new manager, making it even harder for the team to get their voices heard.
This new supervisor had zero knowledge about the team’s work and always demanded results in the wrong places. He complained about small issues like the language used in the group chat and frequently requested overtime even when it wasn’t necessary.
On top of that, he was constantly reminding Murray that he was the boss and that everyone should come to him with their requests.
He Was Threatened by Him
The supervisor learned that Murray was supposed to take his job before he arrived, and this didn’t sit well with him. He began demanding that Murray send everyone to him for any help they needed.
However, this proved to be counterproductive since the supervisor knew nothing about the team’s work and couldn’t offer any assistance. It wasn’t long before everyone went back to Murray for help.
The supervisor then came up with another strategy. Whenever someone approached him with a request, he would ask Murray for help so that he could provide an answer. This arrangement lasted a month, but it wasn’t long before production began to dip.
A Strategy That Didn’t Work
The team’s output was at its lowest point in three years, but the supervisor was pleased because he was the one everyone was coming to for help, even if his responses were longer.
The supervisor then decided to nitpick the team’s break schedule. The team worked eight hours a day with two ten-minute breaks and an hour-long lunch break.
Everyone had their preferred times to take their breaks, but since it didn’t affect their job, everyone took them whenever it was most convenient. The supervisor began to berate his team for their break schedules until it became Murray’s turn.
He Micromanaged All the Wrong Things
The supervisor gave Murray a ten-minute lecture on why he shouldn’t take his one-hour lunch break just thirty minutes before he was going to take it. Murray explained that he always went to a nearby bakery to buy lunch and needed to go before it closed.
The supervisor then suggested that Murray go to the bakery during his own personal time, but Murray agreed to follow the supervisor’s suggestion.
However, Murray had a different plan in mind. According to the company code, employees were allowed to take up to an hour of personal break time per day for personal reasons. Murray told his colleagues about this, and they started taking their personal breaks during their regular break times to complete personal errands.
For instance, Murray would take an hour’s break to go to the bakery, while his colleagues used the time to run errands or complete other personal tasks.
His Revenge Plan Backfired
Two months later, the company terminated the entire department because it wasn’t generating enough revenue for the company. Murray and his colleagues were not too bothered by this development, as they had niche skills that made finding new jobs with similar salaries easy.
They were even happy to leave their old jobs behind; some had already resigned before the company terminated their positions.
All’s Well That End Well
In the end, Murray’s malicious compliance helped him and his colleagues turn an unpleasant situation into an opportunity.
By using the personal break time provided by the company, they were able to complete their personal errands while still being productive at work. In the process, they had also gotten the upper hand on their micromanaging supervisor.
Murray avoided unnecessary conflict and found a way to make the situation work to his advantage. However, it is important to note that this approach may not always be feasible or effective in all situations.
Employees must also be aware of company policies and regulations and the potential consequences of their actions.
Have you ever dealt with a difficult boss? How did you handle the situation?
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The post “His Plan to Teach His Boss a Lesson Backfired, He Got the Entire Department Fired Instead” first appeared on Wealthy Living
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Source: Reddit