Secretary proves to the office who's really in charge after she puts boss in his place for attempting to go against a long-established policy: ‘She's the Real Boss’

Author image for Bar Mor Hazut
Bar Mor Hazut • Senior Editor
Apr 18, 2025 9:00 AM EDT

We all know that those who sit in the boss's chair and those who actually run the place are usually not the same people. It is well established that the CEO barely knows what is going on in their own company, and that bosses usually like to delegate all their tasks so they would not have to do anything, which means they are often not the best authority on calling the shots.

So who is the one who runs the office? Who do you go to when you need something to get done?

Well, in most offices, the people who actually know what's up are usually the secretaries and the receptionists. They receive all the management's information, and they actively know what to do with it. They direct everything and have a firm grip on the controls, yet they never get any of the credit. They are the true bosses of the office, so if you need something from your boss, you are much more likely to get it if you first turn to their secretary. 

And the story below only further proves this point.

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  • The employee in this story was going head to head with their boss over a policy the boss insisted on not following. Even though the employee repeatedly tried to explain to their boss that what he was asking could not be done, the boss wouldn't hear of it.

    At least until his secretary got involved, and quickly and quietly proved that she is actually the one who calls the shots. Keep scrolling to read how she pulled that off.

  • Cheezburger Image 10493698304
    via FoToArtist Ⓜ︎

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • "Turn in All Receipts"

    In a previous job we had 2 methods of purchasing: a credit card or a program called SAP. For credit card purchases, you had to turn in receipts once a month with a reconciled
    via Tipitina62
  • expense report. For the SAP program, you turned in receipts as received to be filed by our secretary. I worked a 7 days on 7 days off schedule, and on returning to
    via Tipitina62
  • work I was admonished by my boss for not turning in receipts as soon as I received them. I reminded boss that I only make credit card purchases, and
    via Tipitina62
  • those receipts get turned in monthly, not immediately. My boss told me I was wrong. We always turned in receipts immediately. Ok, whatever. I
    via Tipitina62
  • kept doing what I knew to be right. We had this discussion at least 3 times over the course of 6 weeks. I even asked a coworker
    via Tipitina62
  • at one point, and he agreed that I am right and boss is wrong. So I started making a copy of receipts when I got them and turned in the originals. Because
    via Tipitina62
  • the secretary worked at different locations, I rarely saw her. But when she got the first receipt, she put a note on it telling me you should not turn this in, it goes on an expense
    via Tipitina62
  • report. I left a note for her explaining boss's insistence that I turn in receipts immediately. Apparently the secretary has stroke I do not. The next week
    via Tipitina62
  • when I came into work my boss explained to me that I do not turn in receipts immediately, I save them for the expense report.
    via Tipitina62
  • Cheezburger Image 10493698560
    via Natee Meepian's Images

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • beaker90 When your boss explained to you that the receipts get turned in with the expense report, did you say, "Yes, I know"?
    via beaker90
  • Tipitina62 OP I explained TO HIM that the receipts get turned in with the expense report. He told me no. I asked when the policy changed he said that it's always been like he is advising me.
    via Tipitina62
  • When we had the final discussion, the one where he told me to stop turning in my credit card receipts immediately, I reminded him that I had told him this at least 3 times. Oh. He must not have understood me...........
    via Tipitina62
  • AppropriateRip9996 So confident about being correct when they are wrong that they get promoted. The rest of us have self doubt and double check things and lack that managerial bravado they look for and so we stay out of management trying to hold things together with tape and glue.
    via AppropriateRip9996
  • Tipitina62 OP No, he was a pretty good guy, mostly. I always suspected our communication problems had more to do with the fact I am a woman working in a predominantly male workforce.
    via Tipitina62
  • Koolest Kat You have now found the Real Boss. She controls the flow of work. I cannot tell you how many times I've befriended the "receptionist" or secretary in an office setting that got things done that I needing to complete a project that had fell on deaf ears of management.
    via Koolest_Kat
  • Tipitina62 OP Do betcha. Although I had occasional problems with the secretary as well. She could be just as stubborn as the boss.
    via Tipitina62
  • dontnormally the secretary has stroke I do not what
    via dontnormally
  • Tipitina62 OP To have stroke means that you have power to do something. Eg I would change a policy, but I don't have the stroke. This may be an American expression, and it may be a little old fashioned.
    via Tipitina62

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boss workplace-stories employee manager job malicious compliance secretary tales-from-the-workplace reddit story overworked-employees workplace Reddit company
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