When a new boss comes in making unnecessary changes, it can throw everything into chaos, especially in a fast-paced work environment that has little room for error.

So, what would you do if a manager ignored your expertise, forced through a change you knew was a bad idea, and then blamed you when everything went wrong? Would you just stay quiet? Or would you stand up for yourself and refuse to take the blame?

In today’s story, one catalog designer finds himself dealing with this very treatment from his manager. Here’s how it all went down.

Boss did not like the look of the “bulk Mailing” stamp, told me to remove it. Cost the company over $220K.

Back in the 1980’s I worked for a sporting goods company as a catalog designer. Small company, privately owned.

I was the entire advertising department. I created four catalogs a year, which were responsible for most of our mail-order sales (pre-internet) and totaled around $700K a year.

We sent the catalogs via bulk mail using a mailing service, which allowed us to send them for a much-discounted rate. To do this, we required the use of a bulk mail permit and placed the permit info on the mailing area of the catalog. Technically, it’s called a “fiche.”

The new boss came in like a wrecking ball.

Enter a new boss, call him Ron. I was #1 – the only one – in my department. For some reason the company owner hired Ron as a favor to a friend. From day one, he was micromanaging, questioning everything, and screwing up my very tight schedule.

This was BEFORE computers were common. EVERYTHING was by hand. Literally typing out copy and reducing it on a photocopier to fit. Developing the photo film myself, making prints, etc. The actual printer had to add screens to the photos so they’d print, burn metal plates, and so on. All time consuming and expensive. Deadlines could not be missed.

So I was stuck with several 16 hour days come crunch-time.

Here’s where Ron messed up.

I was complaining to the owner, but he really couldn’t care less. I really wanted to stick it to Ron, and the opportunity presented itself. Constant threats of “my way or you’re fired” were getting to me.

The latest pre-summer catalog was done (summer was our BIG season.) I had to give him my mock-up (photocopied sheets stapled together) of the final catalog for his approval – a new step added after he demanded it.

He looked at it and sent it back with several pointless revisions. And a note to remove that “ugly permit box” because it was not needed. Where he worked previously stuffed their mailers in envelopes – the envelopes had the fiche, but their mailer did this last step.

The next day, the boss learns that they cannot mail the catalogs as they are.

I simply asked him to initial the changes, as this was the final approved version and was going to the printer the next day. There was no time to check it again, so he did. I knew it would be a total mess, and it’s something I would NEVER have done in the past.

50,000 catalogs printed and shipped directly to the mailer.

The day they arrive at the mailer, the boss gets a call from the sales rep. “We can’t mail your catalogs.”

Boss storms into my area of the building and is literally screaming. Ron is now mad and yelling at me, joined by the boss. I swear – spittle and froth, vein bulging screaming.

Once the cost was apparent, Ron was fired.

It was a minimum two-week delay, wasted money, and lost sales. I explained what happened and the threat to fire me and showed the owner the changes to the final copy. Initialed by Ron.

He was going to give Ron a 2nd chance until the bill came in from the printer.

They had to stamp 50,000 catalogs by hand. We had to rent their permit since that’s what was on their stamp. Rental and labor was almost $8,000. Adjusted for inflation that’s $20,000. Plus our early summer sales boost was off by almost $50K from previous years. Or $200K adjusted for inflation.

Ron WAS fired. I was left alone after that.

Yikes! That was definitely not a small mistake.

Let’s check out what the fine folks over at Reddit have to say about this.

Here are thoughts from another designer.

This person explains they now call it by a different name.

This would be a much better strategy.d

Yes! It would’ve been epic!

Talk about a costly mistake! Sheesh!

Did anyone actually even vet Ron for the job? It doesn’t seem like he was all that qualified.

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about a daughter who invited herself to her parents’ 40th anniversary vacation for all the wrong reasons.