An idiot or a jerk

[sysyphus]

I'm growing very frustrated at work these days, mainly because of my idiot supervisor. He's a nice guy, good salt of the earth kind of person, but is completely clueless when it comes to getting work done efficiently, and is often completely scatter brained. I fear going to talk to him because everytime I do the work just gets more out of whack with his all over the place thinking.

He drives me absolutely up the wall, and many others too.

But since he's a good and decent guy, it's too difficult to get angry with him.

So I wonder, wouldn't I be happier if I was working for a supervisor who was a complete bastard, but at least competent? Then at least I could hate him properly.

Or is this a grass is greener kind of thing?

 

[andrewgprv]

Working under competent jerks is alot better then working under kind idiots in my experience.

 

[sysyphus]

Indeed, so I believe. That siutation can be frustrating too of course, just for different reasons, but still the lesser of the two evils.

But my other thought is, perhaps it would even be better to work for a nasty idiot rather than a nice one. In that case I could at least be nasty myself in order to hold my own, but when someone is nice, it can very difficult to push at them too hard.

 

[Steve Thompson]

I don't have a problem pushing people who are nice but stupid

 

[Yom]

I'd prefer a nice idiot than a competent jerk. At least with the idiot you can be his friend and relatively enjoy going to work.

 

[jonatas]

So I wonder, wouldn't I be happier if I was working for a supervisor who was a complete bastard, but at least competent? Then at least I could hate him properly.

well, i guess it depends on how passionate you are about your job, and also, how much your boss's incompetence affects you...

 

[sysyphus]

I'd prefer a nice idiot than a competent jerk. At least with the idiot you can be his friend and relatively enjoy going to work.

But that's my point, his idiocy makes my work life very miserable, so much so that his niceness can't make up for it.

 

[Yom]

But that's my point, his idiocy makes my work life very miserable, so much so that his niceness can't make up for it.

How stupid is he? Is it just because you have more work to do to make up for his idiocy?

 

[sysyphus]

How stupid is he? Is it just because you have more work to do to make up for his idiocy?

That pretty much sums it up. That and the fact that I constantly have to face the derision of others as I tell them what they need to do as a result of his decisions.

Anyway, I didn't mean for this thread to be just about me and my work situation but more about the negative personality types we all end up having to work with and what's worse or better.

 

[amadeus]

Go with the nice fool, they're easier to manipulate.

 

[Shadylookin]

I guess it depends. if you're just an employee I'd go for the nice idiot. The output of the company is only your concern in so far as it keeps you employeed(ie you can make a man work just hard enough so he won't get fired) So his screw ups aren't your problem and you get the benefit of not being hassled. A competant jerk, in other words a slave driver is good for the comany because he earns them more profits, but to the employee he makes your life a living hell.

 

[newfangle]

Damnit Sysyphus, YOU are the one that wants to work for a public company! This is what happens!

 

[Perfection]

I'd rather go with an idiot, competant jerks remind me too much of myself.

 

[FearlessLeader2]

Nice morons make for a fun work environment, but lead to major stress as important things are left undone or done poorly, causing other departments (or customers, or both, depending on the nature of the business) to complain about your work. Guilt by association is one of the most unfair things that can happen to someone, and when it affects your career...ugh.

Better to have a right bastard that respects a job well done.

 

[Irera]

Thats life, you always meet so many people stupid, competent, even your boss, but ... you can change nothing except yourself.

so, do change a little bit, like your working attitude and the communication skill with your supervisor.

 

[Babbler]

He's a nice guy, good salt of the earth kind of person, but is completely clueless when it comes to getting work done efficiently, and is often completely scatter brained.

I don't have to worry about those types of people, since I am one of those clueless, scatterbrained person.

 

[viper275]

I'd go with the nice idiot. Competent jerks are the worst kind possible, because they're smart enough to do harm to you. Nice idiots are good, just amaze them with how smart you are or use their stupidity for your entertainment.

 

[punkbass2000]

I'd go with the idiot, but then I don't really worry about work .

 

[A'AbarachAmadan]

It depends. I worked for one fool who pushed his ideas in a nice way and life was heck. Another one that could be easily ignored made life easy as I'm pro-active. I usually prefer competence, even if they are an evil bastard. One of my favorite bosses was one who was competent, demanding, protecting of his people, but brutal to those who didn't 'make the grade'.

 

[Akka]

I'd prefer the kind idiot any day of the week.

A kind idiot is more tolerable, and if he screws it up too much, you can push him a bit to fix it at least partially.