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Michael Scott is a beloved character from The Office, with some pretty unorthodox methods. The regional manager of Dunder Mifflin Scranton is known for his outlandish behavior, leading some to wonder how he ever landed his job. However, as the seasons go on, fans may have noticed that Michael is more clever than he seems. On several occasions, he was a downright genius.

In The Office, Michael Scott sits at his desk with his chin on his hands.
Steve Carell as Michael Scott in ‘The Office’ | Chris Haston/NBCU Photo Bank

In ‘The Office’ Season 2, Michael bonds with an important client

It’s no secret that Michael frustrates his boss Jan throughout The Office, but in season 2, episode 7, he expertly handles a major client named Christian. Michael changes the location of the meeting from a hotel to Chili’s restaurant and chats and jokes with the client rather than talking about business.

Despite Jan’s frustration, there is a method to Michael’s madness. Bonding with Christian allows Michael to close the deal and land an extremely important client for Dunder Mifflin. It also leads to Jan making out with Michael in the parking lot.

Michael fixes his mistake in ‘Valentine’s Day’

In The Office episode, “Valentine’s Day,” Michael and Jan head to New York for a corporate meeting. Michael begins the day by making a terrible mistake — He tells the other regional managers that he slept with Jan.

During the meeting with the new CFO, David Wallace, Craig, the regional manager at the Albany Branch, is wildly underprepared. After getting scolded, Craig blurts out that Michael is sleeping with Jan.

Jan is convinced that she will lose her job, but Michael skillfully fixes his mistake. He explains to David that he made a joke to the other regional managers, which Craig took seriously, pointing out that Craig isn’t the “sharpest tool in the shed.” After formally apologizing, Michael saves face for Jan.

Michael negotiates a multimillion-dollar buyout in ‘Broke’

When Michael forms his own paper company, he ends up taking 10 major clients from the Scranton branch of Dunder Mifflin. This leads David Wallace to suggest buying out the Michael Scott Paper Company. However, David and Charles Miner are unaware that Michael’s company will be bankrupt within the month.

During their meeting with the Scranton Branch, Michael cleverly negotiates a $60,000 buyout, telling David that his most successful branch is “bleeding” and that he might be replaced during an upcoming stockholder meeting. David accepts the offer, but at the last minute, Michael changes his demands.

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He insists the company give him his old job back and hire Ryan and Pam as salespeople instead, explaining that having money coming in every week is more important. Michael refuses to be intimidated, and David eventually agrees.

Jim learns there’s a method to Michael’s madness in ‘Murder’

By season 6 of The Office, Michael and Jim are comanaging the Scranton branch. When the office learns that Dunder Mifflin may be in financial trouble, Michael ropes everyone into playing a murder mystery party game.

Throughout the episode, Jim grows more and more frustrated with Michael’s distractions. However, Michael eventually snaps and explains that the office needs this game. Jim finally realizes that Michael is trying to keep the office calm and help his coworkers cope.

In a Q&A with The Office fansite OfficeTally, episode writer Daniel Chun explains that “the episode was partly about Jim realizing that sometimes Michael isn’t crazy, he’s crazy like a fox,” and clever in his own way.

All episodes of The Office are currently streaming on Peacock.

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