Anyone who has ever seen The Office likely knows that Michael Scott is often anything but a good boss.
Characterized by his constant immaturity, remarkable irresponsibility, and shockingly poor social skills, Michael is routinely shown to be one of the least qualified individuals to run Dunder Mifflin’s Scranton branch. Whether embarrassing his office staff with his crude jokes or failing to complete any actual work demanding his attention, Michael somehow always found a way to force a situation to go from bad – to totally worse.
As incompetent as Michael often is, it would be neither fair nor accurate to say that Scranton’s branch manager didn’t have his more redeeming moments as the head of the office. From supporting his employees’ artistic or professional projects to deftly handling high-stakes negotiations, here are several moments in The Office where Michael Scott actually appears as an altogether fantastic boss.
For some inexplicable reason, Michael always prefer to see Ryan Howard as his reluctant protege rather than the lazy, ill-mannered office employee he truly is. While Michael’s friendship to his disloyal employee always seems one-sided, Michael’s dedication to his entire workforce comes full circle in Season 7’s “WUPHF.com.” In spite of his own uncertainties surrounding Ryan’s fledgling startup, Michael remains openly supportive of his employee’s endeavors – something he emphasizes he’d do for any Scranton worker, not just Ryan. Demonstrating unwavering loyalty while also questioning Ryan’s strategies, Michael nevertheless shows the confidence he feels towards all of his coworkers’ ventures, no matter how seemingly hopeless it seems on the surface.
Michael catches a lot of flack and sharp rebukes from his employees throughout The Office, but Stanley’s harshly delivered “Did I stutter?!” is the closest we’ve ever seen to Michael snapping into authoritative mode. Grappling with Stanley’s insubordination in a thoughtful and realistic way, he instead decides to speak with his disgruntled salesman one-on-one, allowing Stanley to vent his frustrations openly and honestly without the rest of Dunder Mifflin Scranton’s branch there to witness it.
While that alone would have definitely earned a spot on this list, Michael continues on by saying Stanley could privately disrespect him all he wants, so long as he doesn’t voice his criticisms to his fellow coworkers. It’s a fantastic moment, and one that shows off Michael’s occasional ability to grow more serious and stern when the situation calls for it.
Nobody likes the idea of unemployment, especially when it comes as a result of a massive company shakeup that leaves your corporate office on the brink of bankruptcy. When faced with this potentially life-altering situation, though, you can always take a page out of Michael Scott’s playbook and engage in a Clue-style murder mystery game.
The perfect way to distract the Scranton branch as they contend with Dunder Mifflin’s financial woes, Michael’s insistence on playing Belles, Bourbon, and Bullets once again shows off his deft understanding of human behavior. Providing an adequate means of escape from the harsh reality of their situation, Michael ingeniously utilizes his childish antics towards a more positive goal, thereby making the best out of a bad situation.
It’s easy to give up in the face of adversity, allowing yourself to accept the futility of seemingly insurmountable odds. But as Micheal teaches us in Season 2’s “Booze Cruise,” it’s important to remain upbeat and positive in spite of those challenges, affording us the necessary strength to triumph in the end.
Speaking to Jim in a tender heart-to-heart moment, “Booze Cruise” marks one of the earliest examples of Michael’s surprisingly nuanced emotional intelligence. Comforting Jim and putting him down a path that eventually leads to his marrying Pam, it’s one of his most poignant moments in the show, and a rare instance where the normally immature Michael seems wise beyond his years.
Admittedly, Season 2’s “The Client” might more readily illustrate Michael’s qualities as a salesperson than as Scranton’s branch manager. Regardless of how you choose to frame it, however, “The Client” proves Michael’s deft ability to connect with people when it matters most: something that winds up being the most effective tool in his sales strategy.
In the course of an afternoon at Chili’s, Michael channels his outwardly awkward personality towards a positive end goal, allowing Dunder Mifflin to bag one of its biggest clients up to that point in time. Like Jan herself, we can’t help but express surprise and utter glee as Michael finally talks turkey with their potential partner, solidifying Michael’s eminent business acumen and deft understanding of negotiation strategies.
As mentioned previously, Michael might routinely fail when it comes to social interactions, but when sitting down to the negotiating table, he suddenly transforms into a shrewd businessman straight out of Shark Tank. Case in point with Season 5’s “Broke,” which sees the insolvent Michael Scott Paper Company members attending a business meeting with David Wallace and Charles Miner.
Though obviously worried about his position going into the meeting, Michael immediately snaps into no-nonsense mode, steering the meeting towards increasingly positive developments for the bankrupt MS Paper Company. Entering the negotiation talks with less than nothing, he leaves with $60,000 and guaranteed jobs (with comfortable benefits) for himself, Ryan, and Pam. Talk about incredible business knowhow.
The idea that Michael would go out of his way to support Pam’s art show is a sweet enough gesture. Add in the fact that almost no one else except Michael shows up, however, somehow makes it all the more meaningful. Expressing genuine awe at Pam’s talent, Michael’s kind words about Pam’s artwork is enough to bring a tear to audiences’ eyes.
For a passing moment, there’s no sarcasm, mean-spirited jokes, or oft-handed attempts at humor in any of Michael’s words. Instead, all we’re left with is a kind-hearted, incredibly supportive branch manager who truly cares for and believes in his employees, treating them more like family members than mere coworkers. It’s one of the most emotional moments in The Office, as well as one of Michael’s finest scenes in his seven seasons on the show.
Characterized by his constant immaturity, remarkable irresponsibility, and shockingly poor social skills, Michael is routinely shown to be one of the least qualified individuals to run Dunder Mifflin’s Scranton branch. Whether embarrassing his office staff with his crude jokes or failing to complete any actual work demanding his attention, Michael somehow always found a way to force a situation to go from bad – to totally worse.
As incompetent as Michael often is, it would be neither fair nor accurate to say that Scranton’s branch manager didn’t have his more redeeming moments as the head of the office. From supporting his employees’ artistic or professional projects to deftly handling high-stakes negotiations, here are several moments in The Office where Michael Scott actually appears as an altogether fantastic boss.
Supporting Ryan Through WUPHF.com
For some inexplicable reason, Michael always prefer to see Ryan Howard as his reluctant protege rather than the lazy, ill-mannered office employee he truly is. While Michael’s friendship to his disloyal employee always seems one-sided, Michael’s dedication to his entire workforce comes full circle in Season 7’s “WUPHF.com.” In spite of his own uncertainties surrounding Ryan’s fledgling startup, Michael remains openly supportive of his employee’s endeavors – something he emphasizes he’d do for any Scranton worker, not just Ryan. Demonstrating unwavering loyalty while also questioning Ryan’s strategies, Michael nevertheless shows the confidence he feels towards all of his coworkers’ ventures, no matter how seemingly hopeless it seems on the surface.
Facing Down Stanley’s Criticisms
Michael catches a lot of flack and sharp rebukes from his employees throughout The Office, but Stanley’s harshly delivered “Did I stutter?!” is the closest we’ve ever seen to Michael snapping into authoritative mode. Grappling with Stanley’s insubordination in a thoughtful and realistic way, he instead decides to speak with his disgruntled salesman one-on-one, allowing Stanley to vent his frustrations openly and honestly without the rest of Dunder Mifflin Scranton’s branch there to witness it.
While that alone would have definitely earned a spot on this list, Michael continues on by saying Stanley could privately disrespect him all he wants, so long as he doesn’t voice his criticisms to his fellow coworkers. It’s a fantastic moment, and one that shows off Michael’s occasional ability to grow more serious and stern when the situation calls for it.
“A Murder in Savannah”
Nobody likes the idea of unemployment, especially when it comes as a result of a massive company shakeup that leaves your corporate office on the brink of bankruptcy. When faced with this potentially life-altering situation, though, you can always take a page out of Michael Scott’s playbook and engage in a Clue-style murder mystery game.
The perfect way to distract the Scranton branch as they contend with Dunder Mifflin’s financial woes, Michael’s insistence on playing Belles, Bourbon, and Bullets once again shows off his deft understanding of human behavior. Providing an adequate means of escape from the harsh reality of their situation, Michael ingeniously utilizes his childish antics towards a more positive goal, thereby making the best out of a bad situation.
Encouraging Jim Never to Give Up
It’s easy to give up in the face of adversity, allowing yourself to accept the futility of seemingly insurmountable odds. But as Micheal teaches us in Season 2’s “Booze Cruise,” it’s important to remain upbeat and positive in spite of those challenges, affording us the necessary strength to triumph in the end.
Speaking to Jim in a tender heart-to-heart moment, “Booze Cruise” marks one of the earliest examples of Michael’s surprisingly nuanced emotional intelligence. Comforting Jim and putting him down a path that eventually leads to his marrying Pam, it’s one of his most poignant moments in the show, and a rare instance where the normally immature Michael seems wise beyond his years.
The Chili’s Sale
Admittedly, Season 2’s “The Client” might more readily illustrate Michael’s qualities as a salesperson than as Scranton’s branch manager. Regardless of how you choose to frame it, however, “The Client” proves Michael’s deft ability to connect with people when it matters most: something that winds up being the most effective tool in his sales strategy.
In the course of an afternoon at Chili’s, Michael channels his outwardly awkward personality towards a positive end goal, allowing Dunder Mifflin to bag one of its biggest clients up to that point in time. Like Jan herself, we can’t help but express surprise and utter glee as Michael finally talks turkey with their potential partner, solidifying Michael’s eminent business acumen and deft understanding of negotiation strategies.
Negotiating with Dunder Mifflin
As mentioned previously, Michael might routinely fail when it comes to social interactions, but when sitting down to the negotiating table, he suddenly transforms into a shrewd businessman straight out of Shark Tank. Case in point with Season 5’s “Broke,” which sees the insolvent Michael Scott Paper Company members attending a business meeting with David Wallace and Charles Miner.
Though obviously worried about his position going into the meeting, Michael immediately snaps into no-nonsense mode, steering the meeting towards increasingly positive developments for the bankrupt MS Paper Company. Entering the negotiation talks with less than nothing, he leaves with $60,000 and guaranteed jobs (with comfortable benefits) for himself, Ryan, and Pam. Talk about incredible business knowhow.
Supporting Pam’s Art Show
The idea that Michael would go out of his way to support Pam’s art show is a sweet enough gesture. Add in the fact that almost no one else except Michael shows up, however, somehow makes it all the more meaningful. Expressing genuine awe at Pam’s talent, Michael’s kind words about Pam’s artwork is enough to bring a tear to audiences’ eyes.
For a passing moment, there’s no sarcasm, mean-spirited jokes, or oft-handed attempts at humor in any of Michael’s words. Instead, all we’re left with is a kind-hearted, incredibly supportive branch manager who truly cares for and believes in his employees, treating them more like family members than mere coworkers. It’s one of the most emotional moments in The Office, as well as one of Michael’s finest scenes in his seven seasons on the show.