How One Intern’s Malicious Compliance Exposed a Manager’s Epic Meeting Fails (and Math Mishaps)
Ever wondered what would happen if you combined a marathon meeting, an overzealous manager, and a dash of deliciously petty compliance? Let’s just say, you’d get a recipe for the kind of workplace story that hits Reddit’s r/MaliciousCompliance like a tidal wave. Today’s tale comes courtesy of u/curious_skeptic, who—while working in elder care and earning their M.S.—learned firsthand how not to run a meeting…and how to weaponize compliance with a smile.
Picture this: The standard “stand-up” meetings at most buildings are short, sweet, and to the point. But at our hero’s internship site, the director had a different idea. Why not have a single meeting a week—for a full three hours? Spoiler: It didn’t go well.
Let’s set the scene. The director, in a bid to “dive deeper” into issues, corralled all managers into a sweltering conference room every Tuesday for what can only be described as the Ironman Triathlon of meetings. Three hours. Every week. By the 31st minute, when all pressing topics had evaporated, the director would shift gears—opting to regale her captive audience with tales of woe about her breakfast or morning commute.
Our protagonist, ever the eager intern, thought they’d impress with some well-prepared points from their assistant manager gig at another building. But before they could finish a sentence, the director swooped in with a new edict: “If your topic is only relevant for some of the people at the table, and not everyone, you shouldn’t be bringing it up here.” In other words: If it doesn’t concern the whole group, keep it to yourself.
Cue the malicious compliance.
For the next few weeks, when their turn to speak rolled around, our intern would simply say, “The things I need to say aren’t for everyone.” No sharing innovative ideas, no helpful insights—just pure, unadulterated silence. All the while, the director missed out on golden nuggets of wisdom, all because of her arbitrary rule. The rest of the meeting? Well, that was reserved for the director’s personal rants—clearly exempt from her own rules.
But wait, there’s more! As a bonus, the director tasked the intern with filling out forms, including calculating census percentages—crucial data that could determine whether the building hit its residency bonus targets. When the intern rounded 94.54% up to 95%, as is standard practice, the director pounced. “We only round up at .6, not .5!” she declared, with the kind of confidence only someone completely wrong can muster. The intern tried to explain basic rounding, but the director was steadfast, even going so far as to pity the intern’s math teachers.
The real kicker? The director’s flawed math meant she’d been underreporting residency rates. With 52 out of 55 rooms filled (94.54%, which rounds to 95%), she’d been reporting only 94% occupancy—missing out on bonuses that kicked in at 95%. Ouch.
The story ends with our intern writing their final paper—not about improving managerial skills, but about how bad managers can be the best teachers (of what not to do).
Lessons from the Hot Seat:
- Meetings Don’t Need to Be Marathons: If your weekly meeting lasts longer than a feature-length film, you might want to rethink your agenda.
- Rules Should Apply to Everyone—Even the Boss: Directors who make up rules on the fly (and don’t follow them) just end up stifling good input and morale.
- Math Matters—Especially When Money’s on the Line: If you’re going to fudge the numbers, at least know the difference between .5 and .6.
- Malicious Compliance Is an Art Form: Sometimes, following bad instructions to the letter is the best way to show just how flawed they are.
Final Thoughts
This story is a masterclass in why management matters—and how a little bit of creative compliance can shine a light on poor leadership. Whether you’re an intern or a seasoned pro, sometimes the most important lessons come from what not to do. Have you ever had a manager invent rules on the spot or force you into endless, pointless meetings? Share your best (or worst) compliance stories in the comments below!
And remember: If you find yourself stuck in a three-hour meeting, at least you can round up your suffering to the nearest hour.
Want more tales of workplace woe, revenge, and compliance? Hit subscribe, and don’t forget to leave your own story—because sometimes, the best way to cope is to laugh (and maybe, just maybe, take notes on what never to do as a manager).
Original Reddit Post: Morning Meeting Compliance (plus a bonus)