CEO's rant causes multiple employees to quit on the spot: 'Only I know how to run this company'

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Remy Millisky • Writer and Editor
Feb 5, 2024 3:00 PM EST

This CEO has never heard of the phrase "teamwork makes the dream work." He seems to think he's the only person in the entire company who knows how things should be done. 

People with big egos like that can be really hard to get along with. These people didn't get to be the CEOs and COOs of companies without a little bravado. CEOs aren't exactly known for their willingness to spend time with other employees, either. A lot of them either hide out in their offices with their c-suite pals, or they just never enter the office because they're too busy vacationing for the sixth month in a row. It seems like an easy life, and one that many employees would love to have. 

This CEO did actually work with the employees around him, and his terrible attitude got in the way of the company's success. As a startup company, you'd think the team would be used to working together to solve problems as they arise. But the CEO in u/mbilaalch's story couldn't work with anyone else without shouting them down. It sounds like he almost single-handedly made the place very toxic. You can check out the entire story below. Then, check out these workers who got fired for some very silly reasons. 

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  • 01
    "If you don't agree with me, leave right now!" LOC Here I am again folks (after 5 years I guess), with another professional malicious compliance.
    via u/mbilaalch
  • 02
    In June of 2021, I joined a tech startup (last-mile grocery and food delivery app) as financial controller. I was told my task is to bring the gross profits into black within a year and before next round of investment / fund-raising.
    via u/mbilaalch
  • 03
    The senior team comprised of me, Group CFO, COO and head of grocery. The CEO was stationed outside in another country.
    via u/mbilaalch
  • 04
    The CEO comes to the country within a month of my joining but does not bother to meet me. I say ok no problem, keep your head down and do what you are tasked with. Within 2 months, I have the grips on operations and financials and I have laid down my plan with Group CFO and he agrees to it. I make some changed in my team and I get to working on fixing things.
    via u/mbilaalch
  • 05
    During October, one of our competitor raises $85 million in investment and our CEO is irked. He comes again and starts an impromptu investment round. The conditions are better than before so we get an offer of $50 million (because our overall plan was a lot smaller and realistic than our competitor). The CEO rejects the offer he needs an offer of at least $100 million to beat the competitor.
    via u/mbilaalch
  • 06
    Luckily, we get offered $200 million but the CEO refuses citing this is greater than what I need and goes back without accepting anything.
    via u/mbilaalch
  • 07
    Come February, Group CFO suddenly quits (But I knew he quit since our funds were depleting rapidly and the economic conditions in the country and globally were getting worse).
    via u/mbilaalch
  • 08
    I have an emergency meeting with COO and Grocery Head and tell them that we need to rationalize our expenses further and this is the plan; according to which, we will be profitable by June 2022. They agree to it and I get to work with my team. The CEO again does not talk to me and the CFO post remains vacant despite me being next in line and eligible for it.
    via u/mbilaalch
  • 09
    Come March 2022, My plan is on track and we are expecting profitability a month earlier in May 2022. I plan to take a week-long vacation and travel abroad with my spouse.
    via u/mbilaalch
  • 10
    In the 3rd day of vacations, I get a text from COO that I need to come back as something has happened. I tell him I'll come back as planned and not to worry. I come back and find out that the supply-chain team made an error and bought inventory $30 million more than planned for the festive season coming up in May. In my absence, the grocery head gave the go ahead without consulting me and the error was only identified once the vendors started fulfilling the order. This has shook our overall plan
    via u/mbilaalch
  • 11
    Mr. CEO comes to know about this (I was the one to inform him) and he immediately comes down and started literally abusing me and other members of the team verbally. This is his first ever face-to-face meeting with me. I was quite taken aback by his rudeness and hurt as he put all blame on me saying I am the CFO (when I was never appointed as such so no payments / purchases were approved by me. They were being approved by COO / Head of Grocery).
    via u/mbilaalch
  • 12
    This verbal abuse goes on for about a week during which I had broken down twice in front of my wife as I had never faced such horseshit before in my career and I had worked really hard to bring the company where it was at that point. The CEO warns us that whoever is found guilty of negligence will be fired on the spot. This is where the malicious compliance begins.
    via u/mbilaalch
  • 13
    I prepare detailed documents pointing out my plan and who approved the extra purchase and how I was consulted only after the error has occurred. I even prepared a plan to sell of the excess inventory and bring the money back in the fold. I try to reach him to explain but he brushes me off every time saying you cannot be right.
    via u/mbilaalch
  • 14
    After 7 days, the CEO calls us in office on a weekend. I arrive and head of grocery is there. They are arguing and it is getting heated up. It gets so heated up that the head of grocery, shouts back and leaves citing that he quits.
    via u/mbilaalch
  • 15
    As soon as leaves, the CEO pounded his fist on the table and shouted "If you don't agree with me, leave right now! Only I know how to run this company and if you think I cannot work without you, think again!"
    via u/mbilaalch
  • 16
    The moment I heard these words spewing out of his mouth, I switch to auto-pilot, I type in my resignation, e- mail him right there, get up and say to him: "please check your e-mail, my notice starts now."
    via u/mbilaalch
  • 17
    I leave the building before he could respond. Immediately, I call up my one of my ex-boss / mentor and tell him I need to meet him.
    via u/mbilaalch
  • 18
    We meet, within a week, we planned to start our own consultancy firm and six months from then, our firm has started to grow. We are working on our startup, setting up another business and managing top-tier clients.
    via u/mbilaalch
  • 19
    Then... I get a message from that CEO through the COO after a few months of my leaving: "Hey.... we need your help managing the books and finances. Our position is really bad."
    via u/mbilaalch
  • 20
    I simply say "The CEO won't agree with what I have to do to fix the company, and I don't work with clients who don't agree with me".
    via u/mbilaalch
  • 21
    TL;DR: The CEO dared to leave if you don't "agree" with his tactics. I accept his challenge, resign on the spot and start my own firm whereas the CEO and his company are on the verge of bankruptcy.
    via u/mbilaalch
  • 22
    lesangpro007 You know the worst part in this? It's that Op did try really hard to brought back the company from its knee, it cost him a lot of things: time, money, effort, and sanity. All of that was wasted, because of the incompetent of his higher up. I wonder what happened to his team?
    via u/lesangpro007
  • 23
    mbilaalch OP I got my team better positions in other companies as soon as I could. And as my business is growing, I am asking them to come work with me gradually. My target is to partner up with all of them in next 6 months (total of 6 persons out of which 1 is joining me next week!)
    via u/mbilaalch

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