Are you intimidated?

The incompetent jerk in your office that wreak havoc in your workplace and intimidates people typically does these in meetings.

Speaks loudly. Speaking loudly shows their aggression and hides their own inferiority complex. They need this not just to intimidate you, they do this to bolster themselves too.

Speaks fast. Perhaps they are sub-consciously nervous or maybe they think by speaking fast people will be able to comprehend them less.

Asks a lot of irrelevant questions. These questions are often unrelated to the issue or topic. Typically, questions that are intended as ad hominem.

Talk a lot. Watch closely these talks are not related to the core issue. They circle around the core issue giving the mirage that it is the issue. One reason why meetings with them usually takes longer than usual.

Management soundbites and claptrap. What they say in meetings (and out of meetings too) are filled with management soundbites and claptrap that means nothing when you strip these words away. They sound impressive to the ignorant and inexperienced but fail to make a dent in the realm of productivity as far as meetings are concerned.

Parroting. Either repeating or paraphrasing what others say in a meeting but they don’t understand what they are saying themselves and have not added anything valuable into the meeting.

Know all. They speak like they are the expert on many subject-matters even though it is merely anecdotal, hearsay and nowhere near the truth nor substantiated. Nonetheless, they are firmly insistent and convicted that it is the truth. And even earnestly swears it's the truth.

Personal stories. These personal stories happen before a meeting. Most often how bad their day is, how horrendous the traffic is getting to the venue, how they had a bad morning, anything along those lines. 

One way you can neutralize them is to keep quiet most of the time in meetings. Choose the right time to talk. Often waiting till he has stopped talking or when others have had their unproductive arguments with them. Write down no more than 3 points you want to counter them on. Speak slowly, sternly and into their eyes and asks for an answer to the few points you want. It works better when you are a senior but it can work even if you are a junior. Anyway, you will need the practice since these incompetent jerks are plenty in the corporate world.

What do you say?

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