How do YOU deal with idiots?

[strantor]

In real life, not forum. For example, you have been paired with an idiot by your employer and instructed to work together with to accomplish a task as a team.

I usually try to:
1. Listen to their idea, confirm that it's stupid, explain why their idea will not work, and why my idea will, and if necessary, take one step back and explain exactly what the problem is and make sure they have a grasp of that first. If they don't have a grasp, I explain it another way, and another, until I realize they are never going to get it, so skip to step 3.
2. Find diplomatic ways to blow smoke and convince them that they are "right" (they aren't) but due to these "abnormal circumstances", only this solution will work. If that doesn't work, proceed to step 3.
3. Exit the realm of socially normal behavior and simply state that my idea will be the idea which we will be perusing. For particularly strong willed idiots this doesn't work. In that case, or possibly from the beginning if the time constraints and/or consequences for failure are forgiving, then I will simply let the idiot run the show and learn (probably not) from the inevitable mistakes along the way.

Now, I probably sound like a real A-hole right about now. I would just like to note, that I'm a humble guy and I always listen, even to the ideas of idiots, and especially to intelligent people. When I suspect someone has more experience and/or is smarter than me, I'm all ears and no mouth, even if I don't personally like them. I don't label people as idiots without having given them multiple chances to prove themselves otherwise. These things I've said only apply to confirmed idiots.

I am curious how you guys handle situations like this. Would you simply dominate the situation or ask the supervisor diplomatically for a different partner? Refuse to work with the idiot? Call the idiot an idiot? Where I'm having trouble is after step 3, with a strong willed idiot, and unforgiving restraints.

 

[Pommie]

I'd find a new boss that has better idiot radar.

Mike.

 

[alec_t]

I think I'd do much as you do, Strantor. My real-world (not online) name means 'peace-keeper' and I try to live up to it. I'm curious as to whether your question is hypothetical, or whether in real life you've actually been paired with an idiot?

 

[jpanhalt]

How do YOU deal with idiots?

You seem to be paired with an "idiot" far more frequently than one would expect from a random occurrence. I am not sure that is the problem.

If I were your employer and saw these three posts of yours, I would have serious reservations about your future with my company and particularly in having you in any sort of leadership role:

https://www.electro-tech-online.com/threads/whats-your-education-level.126142/#post1066093

https://www.electro-tech-online.com/threads/whats-your-education-level.126142/#post1066128

https://www.electro-tech-online.com/threads/whats-your-education-level.126142/#post1066135

On the one hand, maybe your boss is an idiot magnet and you should follow Pommie's advice. But remember, your boss hired you too. Try starting your own business, so you will be the boss, or climb the ladder to be the boss yourself. But apparently, you don't want to be the boss.

You seem to want to be in charge, have minimal training, and don't want the responsibilitiy of being in charge. That combination of wants and abilities puts you in a very tough position. I think you need to sit back, realistically assess what you want to do and can do, and learn to get along with co-workers. A change in jobs might help, but be very wary of how often you change jobs. If a potential employer sees a pattern, it will only make finding another job that much more difficult.

John

 

[JimB]

Idiots come in all shapes and sizes,
some you can just ignore,
some you just have to get on with as best you can, just go with the flow and look for a way out.


It is good when you are teamed up with a guy who thinks the same way that you think and is competant and does a thorough job.
On the other hand, when you have a guy whos abilities do not match up to his opinion of himself, that is like dragging a lead weight around all day.
Been there and done both of these things.

These days, I am a self employed one man band.
If something is not right, I know exactly who to blame!

Once upon a time when I was a "young buck", idiots would get me all wound up.
Nowadays, much older and wiser, I just work around it or ignore it.
Sometimes the stupidity of others even works out in your favour, that is really sweet when that happens. Not often, just now and again.

JimB
(In a rambling mood this morning. )

 

[aljamri]

my job style force it to make small team every day. Joining Idiot, Ooooh, it means double job or more strees. If I let do his part, I'll have to do mine and correct his, so that, it is much easier to me to do my and his and avoid stress. But I make sure not to join him for as long as possible.

 

[strantor]

. Try starting your own business, so you will be the boss, or climb the ladder to be the boss yourself. But apparently, you don't want to be the boss.

You seem to want to be in charge, have minimal training, and don't want the responsibilitiy of being in charge. That combination of wants and abilities puts you in a very tough position. I think you need to sit back, realistically assess what you want to do and can do, and learn to get along with co-workers. A change in jobs might help, but be very wary of how often you change jobs. If a potential employer sees a pattern, it will only make finding another job that much more difficult.

John

When I first read your post my feathers were ruffled a bit. But you're just being frank, and you're absolutely right. It's what I needed to hear, so thanks for that. I also think I am best suited for self employment; I don't quite think of it the same way describe - not that I'm ill suited for anything but self employment, but that I really want to be self employed.
In that old saying "Lead, follow, or get out of the way" - I get out of the way. I don't like telling people what to do any more than I like being told what to do. I guess I just need to find some niche skill that's in just high enough demand to make a living and I can be a one man show.

 

[Mr RB]

All people are smart, or idiots, or somewhere between. The same as all people are strong or weak or somewhere between.

It's an important life skill of YOURS that you can work with all those people, even on a two man team. Show respect for the other person in the same way you would respect them if you were strong and they were weak and you were a two man team employed to carry furniture. Try to maximise both of your strengths, and minimise both your weaknesses, and find some synergy where the two man team can do well.

As Jpanhalt has hinted your boss may be testing your leadership abilities here, and this may be your tine to shine. Or whine.

 

[KJ6EAD]

"Shine or whine." That's a good one. I'll save it for later use.

 

[reubenT]

if the boss is available and will listen and work with you, explain the unworkable situation and try to get another partner. If not work through it somehow, or what I'd do, fire the boss and hire a new one. I can usually get along OK with myself. when my boss is always walking in my shoes, there's usually no way he can fire me.