When I was in seventh grade, a new girl joined my class. Let’s call her Selena. She came from a big city, and she knew it all — what to wear, the words to songs, how to talk to teachers. She’d even spoken French in Paris. Some classmates were admiring, while others were annoyed. But I felt I needed to compete with her. I boned up on odd song lyrics and nagged my mother for what I thought were sophisticated big-city clothes. It took me some months before I realized you can’t compete with know-it-alls. As I caught up, Selena just upped the competition. And then, after she’d been in our class for awhile, she got comfortable and eased up on her attitude, leaving me to look like the know-it-all of the class.
How to Deal with the Know-It-All in Your Office
Whether it’s your boss, employee, or peer.
October 25, 2017
Summary.
Working with a know-it-all can be frustrating. But don’t try to compete with them. It won’t change their behavior, and you may end up looking like a know-it-all yourself. If the person is a new employee, try to help them feel comfortable. They may be overcompensating because of their own insecurities. If the know-it-all isn’t new, you need a different approach. Remember three rules: (1) If the issue doesn’t matter, just leave it alone; (2) if the know-it-all is wrong, and it’s important to persuade them to consider another opinion, you have to figure out how to drive a small wedge between them and their beliefs; and (3) if you are successful at persuading a know-it-all, make sure you give them credit.