During the third episode of The Office, we are greeted with a problem; Michael needs to pick a new health care plan for his employees. Being so afraid that he will be disliked throughout the office because of the plan that he chooses, he decides to put this task on his right hand man, Dwight Schrute. But before this, he tries to give this task to Jim Halpert, who declines claiming that he “needs to focus on sales”. Within this episode we see some traits of a stereotypical male leader using his position to get people to do things for him. The following are some traits that Michael displays that are masculine in nature.

Masculine Actions- 

  • Delegating work that he does not want to do to subordinates.
    • After delegating, he tells the camera that if he fails then it is good for himself because he gave Dwight a second chance. He also credits himself by saying that if he succeeds, then it is also good for Michael because he has “groomed him and made him what he is today”
  • Michael also throughout the episode uses the excuse that he is “swamped” in order to gain sympathy from his subordinates in order to get them to do work for him. We know that he is lying because the camera shows him in his office playing with a toy truck instead of doing his “work”

On top of his extremely masculine traits, Michael in this episode does show some traces of a feminine actions.

Feminine Trait- 

  • Because of the health care plan and the moral in the office being so low, Michael does go to great lengths, in order to make sure that his employees will be happy at the end of the day.
    • He checks in to a travel agency to see if he can take his employees on a trip
    • He talks to the manager of a mine shaft calling the mine shaft elevator a “ride” to take his employees on.
    • He also buys ice cream treats for his employees

In the end, he does not end up having a surprise; he gives them the ice cream and they say that “they hope this isn’t the surprise.” At the end of the episode, he reveals that there really is no surprise. In this episode, it is the thought that counts.

 

 

Shared by: Ian Chomeau
Image Credit: https://recapguide.com/recap/49/The-Office-US/season-1/episode-3/