how to deal with less intelligent coworkers
But when you told me what you were working on, Id already completed a project like that. How to Motivate Yourself When Your Boss Doesnt, Help your boss do her job see yourself as a complement, Find something you genuinely respect about him, Seek out other mentors to help you learn and grow, Assume that youre more qualified than your boss chances are she has some skills you dont, Try to take over her job bosses usually win, Cover up egregious mistakes or a long-standing pattern of ineptitude. This isnt about taking time to gossip. The simplest solution is to apologize, say that you are too backed up with your own work and then decline to help. There might be many instances where you will have to come across a closed-minded person. Either way, youve decided to try and motivate your lazy coworker to do their job. Grace then kept quiet and allowed Kyle time to respond. Nitpicker isn't just a hard worker but a controlling coworker, as well. This will only make them angry, which means they will not be listening to you. One of the best ways to deal with intelligent closed-minded people at work is giving them time to change their behaviour. Companies need role players, so "find a role you can crush and crush it." Andy Johns, Learn from everyone around you. Learn to voice your thoughts. Its not fair that you go above and beyond and they just skate through work. She is aware of what Abike does for her and returns the favor, saying good things about him to their boss. Attention! When responding to your conflictive coworker, using neutral body language will allow you to both remain professional and deescalate the situation. Doug Edwards, Understand that your coworkers are human, too. "These colleagues are so determined to score points with the boss that they block whatever you toss out for consideration and tackle you instead of the problem," she writes. Good deal experience is hard to get and often takes a . Unfortunately, sometimes you may find yourself wondering how to deal with negative coworkers in the mix. Dive into our resources to get the latest scoop on creative hiring tactics and techniques! Rude or unpleasant behaviors, whether they be by children or adults, are seen as attention-seeking behavior. 2023 American Management Association. | Call us at: 1 917 900 1189, Resume Heres how to make the most of the often frustrating situation. They question the validity of every task and will only complete them if they make sense. Simply catalog what you notice and how the actions of others have affected your ability to work and the company as a whole. Having a stubborn person around who is always grumbling and not welcoming any change is a difficult thing and it just does not matter how hard you try, you will fail at convincing this closed-minded person. Review your past successes and lean on coworkers, supervisors, or mentors who can attest to your abilities. Placeat? The rebel personality type resists all expectation, internal and external alike. Their intelligence, therefore, allows them to solve challenges on their own that those in rural environments would need to tackle as a group. The concept of apatheia, a state of being where you care appropriately about what is going on around you, can help you in difficult situations, says Bird. When you set the bar as high as possible, you'll be surprised by how much you can accomplish. In addition, understand that youre not going to completely change this persons behavior toward others. The bottom line is that they dont know any other way to act. Ask yourself, does their laziness prohibit me from doing my job effectively? and, am I constantly forced to work harder and cover for their poor performance? Also, are the habits of my lazy coworkers reflecting badly on me?. But were not quite done yet! For example, they could be dealing with personal issues, such as the loss of a loved one or a divorce. At the beginning, she found it irritating to know more than her boss. If you begin the conversation with a short fuse, youre likely to lose your temper and escalate the issue rather than remedy it. Every conversation you have with a new coworker will bring you closer to their level. McKee says its tempting to plead your case to higher ups or to try to prove that you should have you managers job. So its not unusual to feel smarter or more qualified than your boss. Maybe you told your office colleague that youve got a promotion and the next day he/she didnt talk to you? Before Grace approached Kyle, she took time to calm down and diffuse her anger. Here are few types of difficult co-workers, along with some tips on how to handle them: A "tackler" is a coworker who attacks you personally while arguing an issue, according to Hakim. Is your boss a good mom or a kind husband? If you truly cant find something you admire, you may need to find a new job. Suddenly, you begin to absorb these opinions, which causes you stress and distraction. Dealing with such individuals, especially in a working environment can be painful. It can provide an unexpected opportunity for personal growth and test the limits of your patience. 5 Emotionally Intelligent Habits For Handling Frustration At Work Watch on That sudden rush of anger when a coworker blames you, a feeling of disappointment when your idea is rejected, resentment towards an egocentric boss and the stress of meeting other people's expectations can be a constant source of frustration at work. Her blog is a go-to resource for anyone looking to improve their skills, land their dream job, or make a career change. "Working with great peers will help you up your game." They come off as self-centered and pompous and easily irk you, especially if you know how to do your job well. Leo Polovets. Copyright 2023 SimonStapleton.com | Powered by Astra WordPress Theme. Seems like a simple, cost-effective solution. Also, theres a difference between occasionally helping or covering for a colleague and doing their job for them. Okay, Grace said. To motivate this personality type, appeal to their sense of reason. Know what your strengths are, and then double down on them. Ascertain that youre not alone in your feelings. Simon is an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Professional Development and Associate Member of the Agile Business Consortium. Do you find a situation familiar when somebody persistently trying to break your confidence by saying derogatory comments, shouting and constantly trying to prove youre wrong? Related to If you compare it with a person who is open-minded, an open person would be someone who is always welcoming to positive changes and does not hold any kind of grudges when s/he is asked to do something never tried in the past. Used with permission of the publisher, AMACOM, a division of American Management Association. Let them know that youve attempted to handle the matter privately, to no avail. Signs of Low Emotional Intelligence - Verywell Mind Find something to respect Its easy to focus on the bad but even the worst bosses have redeeming qualities. You need to address the situation. If she doesnt understand the technical ins and outs of your product, offer to cover the part of a meeting where the features will be discussed. Avoid behaviors that will derail success in the workplace. It might also be helpful to use a time tracker like Toggl Track to log how certain tasks or projects might take longer when the problematic coworker is involved, for example. Those with the questioner personality type are very much internally motivated. Positive professional relationships have been associated with improved productivity, increased career satisfaction, and higher retention rates in companies. ). Maybe Sebastian isn't as busy and can help?". Follow these 12 steps to handle a difficult co-worker: 1. We pulled out some of the best answers and highlighted them below: Have confidence. Grace smiled warmly, and Kyles look softened. 1 Don't call the person out. Make sure that it's clean, well-lit, and comfortable. Take a break. Before you know it, youre committing errors on the project and self-fulfilling the prophecy according to the Pygmalion effect. For those with initiative, this may be a preferable route to simply making your complaints known to upper management. Communicate professionally and effectively in all situations. If you have friction with your manager, and the company values him more than you, you may risk being let go, he explains. Find a way to compensate for her weaknesses, says Hill. Finally, it would behoove you to document the entire process. However you decide to deal with lazy coworkers, remember to maintain a sense of professionalism. Instead, realize that lazy work affects your reputation. This tip works best once the original negative situation has been confronted. While these may be your legitimate feelings, you dont want to encourage your coworker by giving them a reaction. Everything is ok its a common answer to all your questions, even when in fact everything is out of control. This kind of coworker is definitely the hardest to deal with. You want to work for a great boss someone you can respect and learn from. Five tips for dealing with an inconsiderate coworker "If you got hired with all these brainiacs, there was something about you that said more than your academic credentials." Its not fair that you go above and beyond and they just skate through work. Don't compare pedigrees, because they are more a reflection of luck and hard work than intelligence. But how? When you find a few of those generous people who you feel comfortable with, spend more time with them and pick their brain. Set expectations that both of you agree on . If it doesnt, take the person aside and have a heart to heart. As time passes, there is a probability that they will accept their wrong and change their views. It is very difficult to persuade and convince these people and at times, it will be best to accept that they simply will not change. Talk It Out. Also, theres a difference between occasionally helping or covering for a colleague and doing their job for them. "It's much better to appear uninformed than to give the impression you know something you don't, which can come back to haunt you." They refuse to accept your plan and are unwelcome to any change proposed by you. They feel superior, are dismissive of others opinions, are unwilling to listen to others, and love to tell others how to do their job. How can you tactfully address the problem? In this case, youd be obligated to step in. It may drive you crazy knowing you work twice as hard as they do. Thats something you can use to accelerate your career with your current company or at a brand new onein the future. TED Talks to help you work smarter | TED Talks If the answer to any of these questions is yes, by all means, address the situation. Here are five tips for dealing with the coworker whose small-but-thoughtless behaviors make you want to pull your hair out: 1. Since childhood, youve heard mothers and teachers everywhere tell you to ignore the behavior of others when its bothered you. Imagine a barrier between you and the co-worker that protects you from his threats. Maybe after some time, they will finally realize that you suggested something with the companys profits in its spirit. They will also judge you for the way you are. yourself to be influenced by lazy coworkers. Youd almost be impressed if it didnt mean you were forced to work overtime and constantly cover for your lazy coworker. Take a birds-eye view approach and dont make your complaint about your personal discomfort, but the success of the company in general. When I did that project, the boss was very pleased with my work.. You should try to convince his/her in a polite way, not hurting his/her ego while doing so. What Is the Impact of Book Reading on Modern Youth? Hearing enough of this daily may cause you to doubt yourself, even if you are well-qualified for your position. Who is even worse than disrespectful coworker is a hostile one. Look, Kyle, I appreciate that youre intelligent and are very good at what you do. That way, your work life can run smoothly and you can collaborate without issues. You will never know what to expect from passive aggressive type. Ultimately, theyre the ones who will be judged for the poor performance of their team. To achieve that, you must use your cognitive abilities to observe and evaluate the behaviors of your colleagues. Give yourself some time, and you'll eventually gain an edge. The key is to nip these thoughts in the bud early on and remain confident. You should try to master the existing conversation before trying to make it your own. If nothing works then you should give the concerned people some time to think over it and revisit the situation at a later stage. Instead, they focus on being the best they can in their tightly defined roles, and contribute in a way that best utilizes their skills. Afterward, make your points clearly and briefly to tell your coworker how you have been feeling. Leave work at work. At first, they seem as a perfect workers but later they may cause serious problems. They might know nothing about you but they will criticise you on each and everything that you will do. He is co-founder of Truthsayers Neurotech, the world's first Neurotech platform servicing the enterprise. Related Article: How To Overcome Your Shyness And Become A Bold Person. Seek out other mentors to help you learn and grow. Dont be mad at the boss, be mad at the people who didnt make you the boss, she says. He looked a little peeved. Rather than judging their work performance, or worse, their character, simply state how their work, left incomplete, directly affects you. These avoid sounding accusatory or escalating the conversation. How to Deal with Intelligent but Closed-Minded Co-Workers What to Do If You're Smarter than Your Boss - Harvard Business Review Im sorry Ive made you feel devalued., Thank you, Grace said. Published Jun 20, 2019 + Follow Do you get annoyed with colleagues and leaders who have low emotional intelligence? has identified four different personality types and how they respond to authority. Go do something fun and get away for a bit. All Rights Reserved. Step 1: Think First Before Grace approached Kyle, she took time to calm down and diffuse her anger. By thinking first, then speaking assertively and respectfully, she had a constructive conversation with him. Not only will this hurt your reputation, it will also give your superior less of an incentive to resolve the problem. "Say that you'd like to have a better relationship and ask how she thinks you might be able to resolve your differences," Hakim writes. "Working with great peers will help you up your game." Remember the common mantra: The only stupid phrase is the one not asked. If you try to draw too much attention to yourself and you don't know what you're doing, you'll quickly lose respect. You need to be very patient when dealing with stubborn people at work and there will be instances when you will have to take a backseat and simply accept defeat. You need experience, strong relationships, social capital, and emotional intelligence, she says. This dilemma is commonly encountered by life science business development professionals. You may be tempted to ignore lazy behavior rather than address it. 5. Closed-minded people are closed, meaning that they are not open to any new ideas or positive and constructive modifications in their views or behaviour. By completing your tasks successfully, you will discredit your coworkers opinion and continue your professional success. You may even be able to inspire them to the point where their natural laziness ceases to be an issue! Understand that a lot of your coworkers' smarts probably comes from years of experience. Document, document, document their behavior. When they took their afternoon break, Grace said: Kyle, theres something I want to talk to you about. My knowledge and experience on IT-related issues superseded those of my colleagues and my manager, she says. You share the plan with your superiors, who happen to be closed-minded. Emotional intelligence: How to work with people you don't like Being the Bigger Person When a Coworker Makes Me Feel Incompetent, How To Overcome Your Shyness And Become A Bold Person, bring up your concerns with honest, neutral language, 6 Tips On How To Deal With Incompetent Coworkers, 15Signs of Insecure Coworkers(and How to Handle Them), 6 Surprising Reasons Why Work Colleagues Are Not Your Friends, 8 Tips On How To Handle Difficult Situations At Work (With Examples), 10 High-Paying Non-Client Facing Finance Jobs, How To Rightfully Deal With Employers Threat Of Termination, What Career Would Make Me Happy? How to Improve Emotional Intelligence in the Workplace Then he looked at her and said: Sorry. Still she got a lot from her experience. If your coworkers are all highly accomplished, take it as a compliment: Your company saw something in you that was just as impressive. To motivate an obliger, simply make known the task and ask them, point blank, to accomplish it. Its soul destroying to work for someone you truly dont respect. Hill agrees: If you think you cant partner with that person, then you need to think about whether you should be at the organization.. Saraswati Chandra, Work harder. Manage your time better to get the most out of your day. 5. Yves Morieux. Also, because some people think their feelings are confusing, threatening or painful, they distance themselves from . Don't: Assume that you're . Your email address will not be published. Step 1: Think First Instead, they focus on being the best they can in their tightly defined roles, and contribute in a way that best utilizes their skills. Find a non-moody person to talk to . how you can deal with a boss who is always undermining you, How to become a better communicator at work, Three Practical Solutions To Improve Your Productivity at Work, How to Approach Your Boss About Personal Issues, Portable Buildings: How They Can Benefit Your Startup. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit. Pushing them to share their feelings, or to open up about their life, will cause them to back away and trust you less. If not now, soon, says McKee. Try to move the emphasis away from people and back to the issue or idea, the psychologist suggests. If you got hired with all these brainiacs, there was something about you that said more than your academic credentials." Writing, Resume For those who are just starting up or taking your small business to the next level, we feel ya , Teamwork Makes the Dream Work: 10 Ways to Help Your Team Work Better Together, The 5 Communication Styles Every Manager Needs to Know, The Top 10 Team Management Software for Your Company. Do whats best for the enterprise.. But this isnt a covert spy mission and youre not James Bond. When sharing how they make you feel, use "I" language so they better understand your perspective. Maybe your boss is just as lazy as your coworker and hasnt addressed the issue, though youve brought it to their attention in a professional manner. Case study #1: Help out when you can When Patricia Wright* was appointed by a government official in South Africa as an assistant, the job was meant to be administrative. It also lead to bad habits, both at the office and in life. Dealing with lazy coworkers is never fun, but it may be necessary. 14.4K More answers below Quora User Middle School Counselor Author has 1.7K answers and 1.1M answer views 8 y Work very very hard to minimize defensiveness. People who like learning also enjoy sharing their knowledge. If youre not sure why your coworker is calling you out as incompetent, theres no better way to clarify than to ask. Here are some tips on how to deal with someone with low emotional intelligence. How do I deal with incompetent co-workers? - New York Post This kind of personality is difficult to communicate and work with but therere some advices how to deal with a coworker who is out to get you. To motivate a rebel, try making assignments a challenge, Bob said we couldnt finish this project by the end of the week, think we can?. If a punter or field goal kicker tried to outperform the wide receivers and running backs, they would fail miserably. Encouraging co-workers to find a project or skill that excites them could be a great way to deflect any negative feelings. We also recommend you document your attempts to remedy the situation, such as records of yourself addressing your colleagues. Give yourself some time, and you'll eventually gain an edge. "While I appreciate that you were trying to help, when you said that it made me feel devalued. Grace spoke assertively and tactfully, maintained eye contact, and presented a confident demeanor by standing up straight and allowing her hands to fall naturally at her sides.
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how to deal with less intelligent coworkers
