In a workplace where communication is key, navigating the quirks of an old-school boss can be a real juggling act.

When one boss insisted on personal check-ins before meetings, the employee’s clever scheduling tactics brought to light the consequences of his stubbornness.

Read on for all the detail!

Boss doesn’t understand Outlook

My boss at the time was an old timer, I’m pretty sure he was past his retirement age. No grudge against that.

He was very good at most aspects of his job, just set in his older ways.

Often I would have to call a meeting with our colleagues in Japan with him included.

The boss wasn’t the best at handling a fast-paced work environment.

For various reasons, he would get upset if I scheduled these without talking to him first about his schedule even though his calendar showed him as free.

He insisted that I have this check in directly with him in his office. The problem is, he wasn’t always there.

His subordinate tried their best to be accomodating.

So what I would do was just send him an Outlook meeting invite to just him and him alone for the time I proposed to have this meeting.

It was convenient because I was already looking at his availability in outlook.

He could accept if he works and then I could update the meeting with everyone else needed.

Although, their boss had trouble understanding this, so they call them into his office.

He sees this and hollers at me to go to his office. He’s a pretty big loud dude so everyone in my vicinity hears.

He proceeds to ream me out for not doing what he asked.

I’m sure he didn’t understand that he was the only one on the invite and he wasn’t appearing to decline the meeting in “front” of anyone.

I tried to explain, but then proceeds to say under no circumstance should I book a meeting with him without chatting with him in person.

Soon enough, his stubbornness catches up to him.

Sure enough a day or two later, a very important meeting request comes through for that afternoon with some higher ups and he’s not around for me to talk to as it was later in the day.

My manager’s number two who heard the minor fiasco above takes me aside and says, “I know what he just yelled at you about, but I think you should just book that meeting”.

He didn’t even need to be there, it was just proper for him to attend.

Feeling rattled from before, the subordinate chooses to not invite him.

Needless to say, I didn’t, quoting what boss man said and that meeting never happened that day.

I vaguely remember him losing a few points for not being able to have this meeting, but nothing nuclear.

Nothing will derail an agenda faster than poor communication.

What did Reddit think?

He may be the boss, but he’s not omnipotent.

If he refuses to listen to his subordinate, perhaps someone else could give him a needed nudge.

When it comes to operating the latest tech, youth is often an asset.

Some older bosses don’t even try to keep up with the times.

Ultimately the boss discovered that his old fashioned methods didn’t quite translate in the fast-paced work environment of today.

When it came to operating meeting technology, this boss failed to meet expectations.

If you liked that post, check out this story about a customer who insists that their credit card works, and finds out that isn’t the case.