The Story
Years ago, OP worked in engineering and fabrication, with a CEO who was the definition of a micromanager. Not only was this CEO obsessed with controlling every detail, but he was also one of those “the customer is always right” types—even when the customer had no clue what they were asking for.
The issue came up during a project where a customer wanted a custom-built sheet metal rack to hold several heavy bottles. Their original sketch showed a V-shaped cradle, which seemed fine on paper, but OP knew better. A V-shape made from thin sheet metal would inevitably deform under the weight because of how the forces would distribute. So OP suggested an L-shaped design instead—less “pretty,” but much stronger and more practical. After explaining the reasoning, the customer agreed to the change.
But not the CEO. He wasn’t having it. Visibly anxious, he insisted they stick to the customer’s original V-shaped request, reasoning that he didn’t want to explain why it had been changed. OP pushed back, again explaining the engineering flaw and reminding him the customer was already on board with the change. Still, the CEO doubled down: “Follow the original request exactly.”
So OP did exactly that.
The V-shaped rack was built and installed, holding the heavy bottles as requested. But physics doesn’t care about aesthetics. Within 24 hours, the sheet metal started to deform. The V bent outward, wilting under the weight just as OP predicted. Soon enough, the customer called and admitted that maybe OP had the right idea all along.
Guess who got to fix it? OP, of course. And guess what design they went with the second time? That sturdy, sensible L-shape OP had proposed from the start.
Our Take
This is one of those beautiful moments where physics does the talking. OP didn’t need to gloat, argue, or say “I told you so.” The laws of nature handled that just fine.
Micromanagers like this CEO are exhausting because they’re not making decisions based on logic or expertise—they’re making them based on avoiding uncomfortable conversations. Rather than backing up his own engineer (who had already solved the problem), he forced a pointless rerun of “Customer’s Always Right” theater.
And what did it get him? A deformed metal rack, an annoyed customer, wasted time, and extra costs to fix a problem that didn’t need to exist. OP’s Malicious Compliance was textbook: do exactly what’s asked, even when you know it’ll fail, because sometimes the only way people learn is by watching their bad ideas flop in real time.
The best part? OP was still professional enough to fix it without the gloating—but you know they were smirking inside.
Reader Takes
We’re not the only ones with opinions. Here are some top takes from the Reddit crowd that caught our eye:
u/StructuralSmugness:
“This is why ‘the customer is always right’ should come with an asterisk. Glad physics backed you up, OP.”
u/WhenCEOsMicromanage:
“The number of times I’ve seen executives override engineers only to come crawling back when reality kicks in is wild. Textbook story.”
u/LetThemFailFirst:
“Sometimes you just have to let people fail to get the point. You did the right thing, even if it was a waste of your time.”
u/LearningTheHardWay:
“At least the customer was honest enough to admit their mistake. Your CEO, however, sounds like a walking liability.”
u/PhysicsDontNegotiate:
“Malicious Compliance: because physics always wins in the end.”
Tea & Feels Sassy Rating
🛠️ “Physics Micromanagement Smackdown”
