This is an automated archive made by the Lemmit Bot.
The original was posted on /r/maliciouscompliance by /u/Illuminatus-Prime on 2025-10-16 07:51:50+00:00.
(NOTE: This happened sometime during 2010, so while the events are accurately described, the dialog may not be 100% accurate, and some of the more ‘colorful’ dialog has been redacted.)
tl;dr: New Boss finds out that when a subordinate asks for something in writing, it’s a good idea for him to stop and ask, “Why?”
• • •
New Boss asked me if two 120v loads in series across a 240v line pair would be alright.
(He had an MBA and a BS degree in GenSci. I had an MSEE.)
I told him, “No, you’ll need either a 120v line or a step-down transformer, depending on the load”.
He apparently asked around until someone else said, “Yes”. Then he came back and ordered me to make the connection anyway. Why he didn’t ask his “Yes” man to do it, I don’t know.
“I’ll need a ticket for that.”
“I’ll send you a ████ing email.”
Once I got the email, I replied with my concerns, CC’ing the rest of my team and BCC’ing my personal account.
New Boss replied, “Just ████ing do it!”
Then I killed the breaker to that location and did the install. New boss stood by during the entire operation, scowling and scoffing at my every move until I was done.
“You may want to stand back for this, sir, just in case.”
“Just ████ing turn it back on.”
More scoffing as I went to the breaker box and flipped the breaker with a piece of wood. I heard a loud snap from down the hall, as if a sheet of plywood had been slammed against the floor. The breaker kicked back over immediately.
The new boss and another new hire were frantically trying to control the smoke from two burnt-out UPSs (APC 1500s, iirc). Someone tripped the fire alarm.
“What the ████ did you do?”
“Exactly what you told me.”
“Well you ████ing did it wrong!”
“How so?”
“Tell me the ████ outside.”
So we’re standing around outside, while New Boss keeps shouting about how I tried to blow up and burn down the building. Fire crew shows up. About 20-30 (?) minutes later, we get the all-clear to go back inside.
(By this time, I had forwarded the New Boss’s email to the C-levels and my lawyer via cell phone.)
A couple of C-suits showed up from the main building. We both got reamed and raked. New Boss tried to lay it all on me as if it was my idea. One C-suit asked New boss about the emails.
“WHAT emails?”
That’s when he found out that when a subordinate asks for something in writing, it’s a good idea for him to stop and ask, “Why?”
I got a “Meets Expectations” on my next review and received no merit raise for that year (only a COLA raise).
New Boss transferred to another site about 30 miles away, and New-New Boss showed up about a week later. More hilarity followed.
• • •
EDIT +1 Hour: Removed “LONG” from top of page; added “in series” to first sentence of main text; added “• • •” separators to beginning and end of main text.