From what you say they did something they always do on TV when they get lazy--for ONE episode they play up an aspect of the character, then the payoff relies on us thinking this was the character's usual mode of behavior. For example, say there's a movie about pilots, and for one episode they keep harping on the character for "always being a daredevil", except he's never been particularly reckless...until THIS episode. Sounds like what happened here.
Her character was always making somewhat soft-headed proclamations about being too aggressive in past shows, and was always shot down. Sort of like Clair Kincaid's character was at the end (I found that character insufferable - always there with a liberal rant). The set up for tonight's firing was a comment that for the past few months no one in the office ever listened to her. And for good reason!