There are few things worse than a boss who can’t see how his decisions are wrecking everything, especially when it’s personal. One company’s attempt to digitize its records turned into a textbook example of mismanagement.
With a “Genius” in charge, promises were broken, and deadlines were ignored. The final straw came when one employee’s long-planned wedding and honeymoon were canceled, all in the name of a failing project.
Her response? A resignation on her last day, followed by a phone call that left the company with a mess they still can’t fix.
From the expert’s perspective, the OP’s story describes a classic case of unmanaged project risk meeting human resource breakdown.
The organisation decided to convert a class of paper‑based records into a custom-built digital system. They chose to keep costs down and rely on internal capability rather than choosing a generic solution.
The individual known as “Genius” was placed in charge despite a pattern of behaviour suggesting he considered himself the smartest person in the room, and the system slipped dramatically behind schedule, design changed constantly, and ultimately a key team member (the bride‑to‑be) was told, very late in the day, that her approved leave for July would be cancelled.
When she resigned without notice, she refused to hand over the passwords, leaving the company locked out of critical files.
This scenario triggers multiple failure modes in project governance and IT security. One major issue: passwords and access control.
According to a report by LastPass, “password mis‑management is the leading cause of breaches” and organisations with weak password oversight see serious exposures.
In this case, the team’s reliance on informal password rules (“no writing them down”) without a secure, documented hand‑over procedure increased the vulnerability of the project and exposed the organisation to operational risk.
From a project governance viewpoint, the expert sees that the company failed to provide adequate change control, schedule management, or contingency planning, especially in choosing a bespoke system under tight schedule with a key person’s departure looming.
The company’s leadership hoped to save money and likely believed internal control would suffice. The project manager (Genius) may have over‑promised what could be delivered and fought scope creep (changing design repeatedly).
The employee took on the project with the condition of leave (wedding/honeymoon) and likely did her best under difficult constraints, but when the leadership reneged, she exercised her agency by resigning and refusing to hand over the keys, essentially enforcing her exit.
The expert notes that while the method was dramatic, the underlying logic is strong, if the company cancelled her agreed leave, it broke the implicit contract and she withdrew her voluntary cooperation.
To avoid similar issues in the future, organizations should establish clear, documented procedures for password management and access control, ensuring all credentials are securely stored and handed over before key personnel leave.
Contingency plans must be in place for the absence or resignation of critical staff, especially when working on high-priority projects.
Additionally, companies should carefully evaluate custom systems for complexity, risk, and long-term support needs, as the upfront cost savings of a bespoke system may be overshadowed by future operational issues.
Finally, treating approved leave and other contractual commitments as binding is essential for maintaining trust and preventing drastic employee responses.
Here’s what people had to say to OP:
These Redditors were appalled by the boss’s unrealistic demands.
This group empathized with the OP, noting that it’s ridiculous for employers to leverage additional tasks as a condition for taking time off.
These commenters shared similar frustrations from their own experiences.
This group focused on how managers’ behavior often makes situations worse for everyone involved.
These users shared their own pearls of wisdom and advice.
Sometimes, the workplace drama writes itself. The Redditor’s friend had been flexible, responsible, and even sacrificed her wedding plans, yet her employer still couldn’t see the value in respecting boundaries.
Do you think the OP’s friend was justified in walking out, or could she have found a way to protect her time without burning bridges? Share your thoughts below!
