Correct your boss without turning it into a fight

9 Sept 2026 · 1 min

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0:52

In this concise workplace‑advice monologue, the speaker outlines a non‑confrontational method for pointing out a boss’s mistake—specifically a miscalculation in a spreadsheet. Rather than directly accusing the boss, the speaker recommends presenting one’s own calculations side‑by‑side, asking collaborative questions like “What am I missing?” and allowing the boss to inspect the discrepancy without feeling forced to admit error. The goal is to fix the number while preserving the boss’s competence and avoiding a defensive reaction. If the boss identifies the mistake, they are invited to correct it themselves, keeping the focus on the data, not personal competence.

Chapters

If your boss is wrong, make the mistake easy to inspect instead of making your boss defend being wrong. Let's say there's an error in their spreadsheet. Don't say, this calculation is wrong. Instead say, I actually went through the spreadsheet and got a different answer. Can we look at that 3rd column? If they say, nope, the spreadsheet is right, don't argue. Put the calculations next to each other and say, okay, here's where my number changes. What am I missing? Now the problem is the calculation, not your boss's competence. People are much more willing to inspect an error when fixing it doesn't require admitting, I'm the idiot in the room. If they spot the mistake, let them fix it. The goal here is to correct the number, not force your boss to admit that you were right.