It is almost impossible for The Office fans to imagine anyone other than Michael Scott as the boss, such was the impact Steve Carell had on the show through his character. Alas, Michael leaves for Colorado at the end of the seventh season to start a new life with Holly.
Andy was made the Regional Manager for the final two seasons of the show. Despite Andy not being on the best behavior in these two seasons, there are some instances when he proved to be a better boss.
Michael: When He Was Unable To Fire Anyone
In the second season, after Corporate forces to fire an employee due to downsizing, Michael finds himself unable to fire anyone. He finds it hard to convey that someone is fired as he intends to stay friends with them. Michael is known to treat his subordinates as friends and family. He waits till the end of the month to decide whom to fire, and on that day, he was still unable to figure it out. After finally firing Devon, Michael gets very upset. It shows how much he cares for his employees and points to the humane side of a manager.
Andy: When He Convinced David To Buy Dunder Mifflin
Although Andy did after he was still fired from the job, he was still of the opinion that he was unfairly and unjustly terminated. But, his determination to win back his job after he was fired and replaced by Nellie was actually quite admirable. The business plan he pitches to David Wallace is sensible, and he even manages to win a big client to prove his worth to David. Andy never gave up and worked hard to win his job back, which is a great quality for a leader.
Michael: When He Goes To Pam’s Art Exhibition
As mentioned previously, Michael longs to be friends with his subordinates, and, hence, takes their hobbies very seriously. In the episode “Business School,” Michael goes to Pam’s Art Show and commends her for her paintings and even offers to buy her portrait of the office.
Pam was upset that her co-workers didn’t turn up. Roy and Oscar visit but don’t have anything good to say to her. Pam is moved by Michael’s gesture and hugs and thanks him. In his usual eccentric way, he even calls her “Pam-casso” and tells her that he is really proud of her.
Andy: When He Confronts Robert California
In season eight, when the employees come to know about a Winners and Losers List that Robert has prepared, Andy openly confronts him and questions the faulty basis on which he has prepared that. He goes on to claim that Robert has no idea who they are. Andy then draws up a new list with everyone being the winner and points out their respective positive attributes to Robert. He even convinces Robert to grant the employees an extended weekend for Columbus Day. By standing up to authority, Andy shows that he cares for his subordinates.
Michael: When He Convinced The Client To Secure A Deal
Michael is someone who doesn’t subscribe to the usual ways of doing business; he values human interaction at a more personal level. In the episode “The Client,” Michael goes with Jan to meet an important client of theirs. Michael then gets into his own way of dealing with his clients by engaging in humorous conversations. By the end, he convinces the client to secure a deal. As a boss, Michael knows what he is doing, although it might seem to the viewers sometimes that he is being bizarre.
Andy: When He Motivates Darryl
In the third episode of the eighth season, Andy finds himself in a situation when all the warehouse staff quit. Daryl, who no longer works at the warehouse and was denied the position of Regional Manager, is upset that his ex-wife is not interested in him. He asks Andy to either fire him or gives him his position as the manager.
Andy confronts him and says “Jo saw something in you. She loved you. She gave you a shot, and then you stopped pushing.” By pointing out Daryl’s mistakes—albeit not in the most polite of ways—Andy somehow manages to motivate and convinces him to continue with his job.
Michael: When He Stands Up To David Wallace During The Negotiation
Michael breaks away from Dunder Mifflin in season five in order to start his own paper company with Pam and Ryan. However, he’s soon strapped for cash, and David proposes a merger. During the negotiation, Michaels shuts David down by pointing out to him why it is important to buy his new paper company. The way Michael replies to him seems like he is well aware of what he is talking about. He then goes on to secure their jobs and negotiates on behalf of Pam and Ryan, whom he says is like a son to him.
Andy: When He Gets The Tattoo To Boost The Office Morale
Despite not being the best fit for the job, Andy is constantly trying to improve himself as the boss. After being asked to double the sales, Andy implements an incentive to boost the sales team’s performance in the second episode of season eight. As the highest reward, he promises to get a tattoo on his butt, which he finally honors. Despite it being a humiliating and painful thing, Andy still stands by the claim he made and earns the respect of his employees.
Michael: When He Apologizes To Dwight
It’s not very often that we find Michael Scott realizing his mistake and trying to correct it, but apologizing to Dwight for unfairly firing him and asking him to return back to the office is one instance when he accepts his mistake.
In the episode “The Return,” Angela confesses to Michael that it was because of her that Dwight had to secretly go to Corporate and that Dwight had no ulterior motives. Michael then goes to Staples and apologizes to Dwight. Through this, he conveys that a good boss is someone who can constantly correct themselves rather than trying to hold onto the past grudges over his/her employees.
Andy: When He Signs The Employer’s Verification For Nellie
In the fourth episode of season nine, Nellie requires a Character Reference Letter from Andy before submitting it to the adoption agency, but Andy still holds a grudge against her for taking over his manager job earlier and denies her request, which makes her upset.
Andy comes through and changes his mind, and he not only signs the letter, but also adds a few kind words about how Nellie would make a great mother. This act shows how it is important for leaders to not remain bitter and that it is essential to be kind to one’s subordinates.
