Episode 515: My junior team member won't listen to me and will I be the dumbest employee at a quantum computer company?
About this episode
Dave and Jamison discuss a listener's struggles with a difficult colleague in a toxic work environment.
In this episode, Dave and Jamison answer these questions: Hi from a long-time listener and first-time caller. I need some advice on a toxic workplace situation. I’m currently unhappy with my job due to a difficult dynamic with a colleague. My manager put us on the same team, meaning we share responsibility for our output. Although this colleague is technically a level below me, they act as though they have seniority. This creates significant friction: they’re resistant to advice, insist they’re always right, and refuse to accept reality even when they can’t deliver what’s required. They’re incredibly stubborn, and arguing with them about what’s feasible takes an excessive amount of effort. The situation is particularly frustrating because I’m held accountable for the shared results. If I weren’t responsible for the final outcome, I could probably just ignore their behaviour. Instead, they frequently talk a big game while contributing very little actual work. People unfamiliar with our domain are easily misled by their confidence, even though they are incompetent. Consequently, I’m forced to clean up their mess; otherwise, I’d be the one bearing the blame for the failure. I tried…
More episodes of Soft Skills Engineering
- Episode 516: Not a baby and my product manager doesn't know the product
- Episode 514: Trust issues and underperformers and my coworker resents me for being faster
- Episode 513: Forgotten employee and what skills actually matter in the AI world
- Episode 512: Can non-engineers really contribute code with AI and not sharing
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