Amateur boss upset with assistant because she doesn’t understand how math works: ‘This is the most ridiculous thing she has gotten upset with me about’

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Etai Eshet • Editor
Jan 11, 2025 10:00 AM EST

Let's get one thing straight: bosses and supervisors are, by default, always right. They just are. It's an unspoken law of the universe, like gravity or how toast always lands butter-side down. Regular employees cannot possibly grasp the towering intellect required to manage others, let alone to understand advanced concepts like spreadsheets, emails, or basic arithmetic. Supervisors, after all, are practically celestial beings who float above the mundane details of the working class, dispensing wisdom to those lucky enough to fall under their watchful eyes.  

Take numbers, for example. To the unrefined employee, numbers are what they are: they add up, they average out, they do their thing. But to a supervisor? Oh no, numbers carry deeper, more nuanced meaning. When numbers don't magically align to their expectations, it's not the numbers that are wrong. It's you. You, the humble employee, must obviously have failed to understand the subtle art of math-as-interpreted-through-management.  

Which brings us to the poor office assistant trying to do their job. After being transferred to report to a brand-new supervisor (AKA someone who has never managed anybody before but now has a shiny title), things took a turn. 

Where the assistant's old boss trusted them to do their work and move on, this new supervisor had other plans. Every task, no matter how simple, suddenly required intense scrutiny and her every move was like a goldmine for micromanagement. 

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  • Supervisor upset with me because she doesn't understand math.

    соб y=sinx =2sin 5 A = 2; P= • (+) = U₁ (+) - U₂ (+)" N =C ба-ба-то сна 2 =cos W OCT = 988 faj S 2+2 "Casually leave a copy of lin 'Math for Dummies' on her desk. Just kidding... mostly" y ах A=A mc² の 93+63 = (a+b)(a²-ab+b) (a+b)²=²+2= 2 fitt & a C= ци H.-- みな N D B C si f(x)
    via ismagilov

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • When the assistant presented a report—accurate, clear, and fully aligned with what had been approved by leadership—it wasn’t enough. Instead of trusting the data, the supervisor got upset. Why? Because she faced the horrible truth, that numbers unlike employees, don’t align with micromanagers' intimidation tactics, they just do what numbers do.

  • I am an office assistant. My original boss retired a few months ago and so I was moved under a coworker to give her the opportunity to manage someone for the first time (lucky me). My
    via Overall_Way5519
  • original boss and I worked very well together and he would ask me to complete a task, let me do it and he was happy. My new supervisor however, is a HUGE micromanager, to the point of wanting me to word my emails exactly as she would.
    via Overall_Way5519
  • This is the most ridiculous thing she has gotten upset with me about and I need to vent.
    via Overall_Way5519
  • Today, she asked for a spreadsheet of some employee awards that were purchased for those that completed certain goals. These employees had 7 items to choose from. This was all
    via Overall_Way5519
  • pre-approved by the CEO of the company. The items ranged from $12 to $30 in price. My now supervisor wanted an 'average' cost of those 7 items. Then she wanted an 'average' cost per employee in what they chose.
    via Overall_Way5519
  • 2+3-5
    via bluclue
  • There were 46 employees picking an item. So, the averages between the 7 items and the cost per employee don't match and she doesn't understand why. I explain to her that most if the employees chose the $30 item and therefore the average is going to be higher.
    via Overall_Way5519
  • addo-X
    via Joost Crop (smallcamerabigpictures)

    1950s Calculator

  • She literally is p ed at me over this and the crazy part is the CEO approved it all and has no issue with it!
    via Overall_Way5519
  • Doctor_Proctor If she expected them to be the same number, then why did she ask for two calculations?
    via Doctor_Proctor
  • Typical_Dependent560 Can't help stupid.
    via Typical_Dependent560
  • Real_Concern394 Ask your boss if she wants the Mean average, Median average, or Mode average. Watch her brain explode.
    via Real_Concern394
  • Playing Outside Your new and inexperienced supervisor is insecure. That's why she's micromanaging you. Definitely ask open- ended questions that will
    via Playing_Outside
  • force her to clearly articulate what she wants. That won't solve the micromanaging problem, though, and if your questions expose her lack of understanding or ignorance,
    via Playing_Outside
  • she will get even more mad at you. My concern is that she may be communicating her irritation with you to higher-ups. Is there any possibility you can go to an ACTUAL manager who will listen to you?
    via Playing_Outside
  • consciouscreentime Your supervisor's math skills are... concerning. Sounds like she's averaging the prices of the available items, while you correctly averaged
    via consciouscreentime
  • the prices of the items chosen. It's like averaging the menu prices and wondering why the average bill is higher when everyone orders the steak. Keep your
    via consciouscreentime
  • head up. Maybe casually leave a copy of "Math for Dummies" on her desk. Just kidding... mostly.
    via consciouscreentime
  • Ankoor37 Time to start asking her open questions that reveal her lack of understanding and ineffective way of managing you, such as:
    via Ankoor37
  • • How is my setup of the email to XYZ not reaching its goal, can you explain? • I understand you have a preference, can you tell me upfront how you want it? Correcting afterwards will take valuable time of our tight schedule.
    via Ankoor37
  • • What are type of tasks that I can perform without your direct involvement? • etc. Ask open questions and let her do the talking. Just listen, take notes and prepare for some
    via Ankoor37
  • LightAsHeather My boss is like this and will find a reason to write me up if I inadvertently make her feel stupid. She doesn't know the x-axis from the y-axis. She uses "than" in place of "then" in every single case. She keeps using the word "nuance" to mean "error," which is hysterical to me. She often uses the figure of speech "in a hot minute" to mean something is going to take a long time, and she isn't trying to be ironic. These are just a few examples.
    via LightAsHeather
  • I feel for you, OP. There's no winning.
    via LightAsHeather
  • dustandsmallrocks I had a manger that would come and tell me what he wanted on a report.
    via dustandsmallrocks
  • I then asked what information basis he was using/wanted. This was the first time I did a report for him. I gave him two reports, one showing what he specified and one with better data resulting in what he actually wanted. He liked my version better.
    via dustandsmallrocks
  • After that, he just told me what he wanted as his end result and he got the better detailed reports.
    via dustandsmallrocks
  • Cheezburger Image 10452594432
    via Getty Images For Unsplash+

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • So, to the assistant in this mind-numbing saga: you’re not the problem but if working under the supervision of a pompous micromanager ever gets too much. Maybe consider a more easygoing career path like this ‘job candidate who’s envisioning a career as a professional slacker with minimal effort and maximum relaxation.

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management christmas boss privacy mathematics workplace-stories hr manager private bosses work grinch PTO managers supervisor workplace Horrible Bosses work-life balance bad bosses math
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