You misunderstand me on a couple of key points.
First -- when I mentioned his religious convictions, it wasn't related to his business sense. It was related to the endless conundrums he would pose to us.
I was raised Lutheran, he was Baptist. On at least a weekly basis, he would pose the question: "If you died tonight, do you know if you'd go to Heaven, or hell?" If you replied "I'd go to Heaven, and here's why..." he would launch into an hour-long discussion complete with Biblical citations as to why no one but God knows who can get into Heaven, the sin of pride, we are all sinners, etc.
If you said "I don't know/I wouldn't go to Heaven/etc.," you'd get a similar hour-long lecture about how to get saved.
My point was simply: Just like in his business life, there was NO right answer, no way to please him or do what you thought he would do, or would want you to do.
Consider yourself lucky that you haven't met any sociopaths. I've met one or two, in the 20 years I've been working. They're out there. Don't take it personally that I decided to point out that fact.
Finally, by "under the radar," I mean simply that you do what's best for the company and customer. When I was turning a wrench as a state inspector and tech, I had a boss who loved to cut corners. He would give us the wrong fittings to use on brake lines, etc. and then tell us "Just install them, it doesn't matter, make it work." I would politely listen to him tell me to do something the complete wrong way, and then go back and, in less time, do it the right way that was going to eliminate a call-back or a dangerous situation.
