Quality Over Unknown Quantity

(I’m responsible for scheduling staff members for an event. I send my boss a list of possible invitees. After making a few changes, she approves the list. Two weeks later…)

Boss: “Why did you invite [Person]?”

Me: “She was on the list of people you asked me to invite.”

Boss: “Yes, but we don’t have an open position for [Person]. Why did you take it upon yourself to invite her?”

Me: “I didn’t. I emailed the people on the list you specifically sent me.”

Boss: “But if you had referred to the document I sent you, you’d know I didn’t have a position for her.”

Me: “I’m sorry, but I never received that document. I only received the list of people you specifically asked me to invite.”

Boss: “It’s on the shared drive. You should have consulted it first.”

Me: “So a document I didn’t even know about takes precedence over your very specific instructions?”

Boss: “Yes. Why are you so stupid?”