Re:Avoiding “Smart Guy” Syndrome on Team Projects
by mrchuckmills on Saturday February 23, 2013 @07:41AM
(#5269499)
I've been on both sides and seen the extremes of both. Sometimes on the same project. The extreme cases are easier and more fun to poke at, so that's what I'm going to do:
- The smart-ass with little to no experience but always knows the right way to do things. Pounds the drum of change. Would rather burn the project to the ground and rewrite everything than progressively add business value. Refuses to consider they might be wrong.
- The know-it-all leaders who are in fact incompetent. Imposes decisions which they are not qualified to make. Refuses to consider the opinion of other intelligent people on the team.
A team is a social endeavor. It might seem great if being "right" was all that was ever required to change someone's opinion, but humans don't work that way.
- The smart-ass with little to no experience but always knows the right way to do things. Pounds the drum of change. Would rather burn the project to the ground and rewrite everything than progressively add business value. Refuses to consider they might be wrong.
- The know-it-all leaders who are in fact incompetent. Imposes decisions which they are not qualified to make. Refuses to consider the opinion of other intelligent people on the team.
A team is a social endeavor. It might seem great if being "right" was all that was ever required to change someone's opinion, but humans don't work that way.