Stealing lunches from the breakroom refrigerator? That’s a lousy thing to do to your colleagues, but it isn’t necessarily a sign of incompetence. Same with talking too loudly on the phone or getting carried away in the office football pool. Annoying? Sure. Divisive? OK. But obnoxious behavior doesn’t make someone incompetent at the company. That’s because identifying incompetence in a coworker isn’t as straightforward as it may seem.

That’s why it’s important to notice the less obvious signs and, if possible, assess whether a coworker’s actions stem from incompetence or if there’s another factor at play, like a lack of training. That’s why it’s important to approach any situation with incompetent employees with empathy and a willingness to help when appropriate.

Here are some signs of an incompetent coworker:

Constantly asking for assistance: While collaboration is normal – and it’s completely normal to ask coworkers for help – these incompetent employees always depend on others to complete their tasks or seek help for the basic responsibilities they were hired to fulfill and that they should be able to handle on their own.

Inappropriately delegating their work: These employees often try to pass off their tasks to their colleagues, making it seem like a team effort, but in reality, it’s a sign of avoiding their own responsibilities.

Deflecting blame: When mistakes happen, these employees are quick to point fingers or make excuses instead of owning up to their errors.

Ignoring feedback: They don’t learn from feedback, dismissing it or repeating the same mistakes even after being advised otherwise.

Missed deadlines; broken promises: Incompetent workers frequently commit to deadlines or tasks they simply can’t meet, often asking for extensions or failing to deliver results.

Overestimating their abilities: The average incompetent employee may consistently overestimate their capabilities, leading to multiple failures and under-realized expectations.

Vague instructions: Incompetent employees often provide unclear directions or updates, leading to misunderstandings or mistakes by others.

Repeated questions: Poor employees often ask for the same information multiple times, suggesting that they’re not retaining or understanding basic instructions.

Resistance to new tools and processes: Incompetent employees resist adopting new tools, apps, hardware or processes, which can slow down overall team progress.

Inflexibility: They’re rigid in their approach to work and can’t adjust to changing priorities or conditions.

Negative attitude: They often complain about the workload, their managers or the tasks at hand rather than finding solutions or adapting.

Making excuses: They regularly justify their poor performance for why tasks aren’t completed or are done poorly. They blame others, complain about external circumstances or come up with ambiguous reasons.

Tribune News Service