“Fire Me, I Dare You”: True Stories of Defying the Boss and Winning

CR Staff - JU - May 11, 2023

A Lesson In Leadership

I work at a small family business that has a high turnover rate for entry positions. The managers have tempers that tend to scare people away so they are constantly short-staffed.

One day my boss yelled at me for making a “mistake” (he literally yelled at everyone in the office every day of the week for making “mistakes”) and after he was done unloading all the stresses of his life on me he calmed down and tried to help me understand my shortcomings through a lesson.

He told me: “Glutenfreeloader, say you hire a landscaper to mow your lawn. And say after you pay him for a finished job you find out that he missed an entire section of your lawn. What would you do? You would go yell at him for not doing his job, right?”

I said, “No, I would explain to him what he did wrong and if he didn’t fix it I would hire someone else to do the job.”

He didn’t know what to say and I walked back to my desk. That was 3 months ago and I sit at the same desk while I look for another job.

glutenfreeloader

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Not So Fast

I started at this company a year ago. In that year 80% of the employees left, including the supervisor that hired me. I basically assumed the positions of everyone that left.

Yesterday was Veterans Day. We were told it was off.

I get a call in the morning and get asked if I’m coming in.

“I thought it was our day off?”

“Legally, it is. But I’d like you to finish some work”

“No, I don’t think I’m gonna do that”

“Are you sure about that?”

“Yes, I’m sure and if you keep pressing me I might stop coming in indefinitely”

“Ok, see you Tuesday”

mattdamonsleftnut

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Clash Of The Titans

I worked in a factory where I had every intention of having a nice long career.

Until the new General Manager was hired. To say we didn’t get along would be an insane understatement.

However, I was VERY good at my job, and without exaggeration, could fill every position in the plant from receiving, through production, to shipping and billing. (Remember, I intended to make a career here).

Well, our shift’s production and quality had been nosediving for a couple of months, and at review time, I didn’t get even a cost of living raise. I took it with good graces and doubled down on MY job, and record-keeping for our production records.

After another 30 days had passed, our numbers had been improving, so I gathered up the numbers and requested a meeting with the GM.

He flipped out when I pulled the records from my bag and started screaming at me that he knew exactly where the problem was on our shift. At the end of the screaming match he said, “Do you think this plant will shut down if you leave!!?”

To which I replied, “No! But it just might if YOU stay!!!”

And then slammed his own office door in his face.

I worked there for another 7 months, refusing any hours but my own shift, until I found another career path and left of my own volition.

peefidious

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