Eight Tips For Dealing With Better Knowledge In The Workplace

Well-informed people often create problems in personal or professional relationships. Their way of behaving irritates us. Maybe they have more knowledge and experience than others, but this does not give them the right to walk around, as if they know everything and as if they are always right. This is what can be very annoying about them, and we do not always know how to deal with knowledgeable people.

In the workplace, most employees meet at least one knowledgeable colleague or boss at some point in their career. Working with someone with this attitude can be a terrible task that can hinder our professional development and even make us quit our job.

Tips for dealing with know-it-alls

When you need to deal with know-it-alls, the following strategies can help:

1. Try to be understanding

This person may be annoying, but keep in mind that their attitude is probably based on a lack of trust or a deeper personal problem. Instead of getting angry, do not look for confrontation, no matter how great the temptation. Instead, try to be empathetic. If you show them that these types of attitudes do not lead to the desired result, it will be the other person who eventually stops behaving that way.

2. Choose your matches

Dealing with knowledgeable people can be exhausting, and there are times when the best thing you can do is ignore their “helpful” advice. Therefore, divert your comments with a simple “thank you for the suggestion” instead of starting a long discussion.

3. Leads by way of example

A leader or boss, in particular, must learn that in many circumstances it is not good to know everything. Saying “I do not know, but we can look for some answers or some good ideas” shows that you are flexible and open to other opinions. Saying “I do not know” can also generate trust by showing openness, vulnerability and honesty.

4. Arm yourself with arguments

If you have a presentation, sell an idea, or speak during a meeting, have confidence in your arguments. Check your sources and confirm the facts. The more knowledge you have, the harder it will be for a knower to try to put you in place.

When you are in a meeting, stick to a program, which you should release in advance, and give a specific time for each item. Come prepared with data and statistics in writing, so if the knower interrupts you, you have something in writing to share with the team. The better prepared you are, the less space there will be for the expert to try to take over.

The positive is that if you are able to stop them two or three times, the expert will probably stop behaving like that with you. Remember that people usually do not repeat behaviors that have not been successful.

5. Keep your sense of humor

Well-informed people can be very defensive and sometimes aggressive. The last thing you want to do is push them into a corner. Therefore, while it is very tempting to use sarcasm with a knower, it would certainly be counterproductive.

Instead, take a deep breath and say, “I did not know that. So strange!” Try to laugh at your behavior and remember that in the end, their behavior is harmless and does not matter. A friendly expression or a comment can relieve the excitement.

Ask detailed questions

Be respectful, but ask detailed questions to “peel off the teams” to a knower. Ask why they think something is true or what their sources are. Asking direct questions about specific details can teach a knower what to think before speaking.

7. Offer constructive criticism to the person about their behavior

Recognize that it is possible that the expert does not have any idea about the real effect of their attitude towards others. If you suspect this is the case, consider taking it up carefully and tactfully during a private conversation. The most important thing is that the other person feels motivated to analyze their attitude and does not feel personally attacked. In that case, you can hurt the other person or even have the opposite effect, so that they intensify their “unbearable” way of relating to others.

Remember that knowledgeable people can be very insecure, so this can be a blow to their ego. Remind them how important they are to the team, but more importantly, remind them how important it is for others to have the opportunity to contribute.

8. Avoid involving the boss as long as the expert is not a major threat to the quality of the work

If you have no choice, keep a positive tone, and instead of complaining about the person, focus on what you are willing to do to ensure that the work is well done. If the situation becomes really unbearable, talk about it with your boss and let them know how the behavior of the knowledgeable person affects the team and the work environment.

These are just some of the strategies that can help. However, it is first and foremost an exercise in patience where our emotional intelligence and communication skills play an important role.