How weaponised incompetence hurts inclusion
What the research says & how to help
Monica: “Have you ever taken out the trash?”
Rachel: “Yeah!”
Monica: “Since you've lived here?” (Hands her the garbage.)
Rachel: “Well, I thought you liked doing it.”
The One With The Ballroom Dancing, FRIENDS
Though fashionable and fun, Rachel Green has a way of avoiding things she doesn’t like. No matter what your favourite fictional character might say, playing dumb to avoid chores isn’t cute. It’s a form of weaponised incompetence.
Not sure what weaponised incompetence is? It’s when a person manipulates another by performing badly to avoid certain tasks or situations. It’s a returned-to page in the handbook of passive aggression.
Often used by men in relationships to avoid housework and shirk responsibilities (shock), weaponised incompetence also runs rife in the workplace. The Harvard Business Review explored the theory that people who claim to ‘avoid conflict’ tend to distance themselves from damaging situations - and masterfully so.
By branding themselves as anti-conflict, people can orchestrate arguments that they aren’t involved in. In short, ‘they wreak organisational havoc and it’s their very adeptness that’s the problem.’
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What other problems can weaponised incompetence cause in the workplace, you ask?
Poor morale within your team
Unrealistic promises from management
A decrease in trust
A dip in productivity
Toxic communication
Impaired relationships
Sure, everyone has strengths and weaknesses - but some people like to pick and choose. Here’s what you can do…
Mix it up: If you’re in charge of a pool of people, try to avoid delegating arduous tasks to the same employees. Mix it up in meetings and vary who you ask to grab you that morning cup of tea. Oh, and don’t take ‘but they have nicer handwriting’ as an excuse to skip out on note-taking…
Be direct: If you witness weaponised incompetence, don’t take a back seat - make the person aware that you’ve clocked onto their behaviour. As uncomfortable as it may be, confronting weaponised incompetence is the best way to ensure that it doesn’t continue.
Set expectations: If a role description lists specific tasks, it’s pretty hard for your employee to wriggle out of doing them. Hold your peers and staff accountable with clearly defined job roles and regular evaluations.
For more information visit our Insights page or listen to Techish.
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