Most of us dread having to cope with an incompetent coworker. Typically, such people are unaware of the negative impact, they’re having on those around them. They may not be willfully stupid, nor do they screw up intentionally, but they continue to make costly mistakes and blunders as if they didn’t know or didn’t care.

Incompetent people tend to be set in their ways and may not appreciate the need for doing anything differently. It will be a challenge to change their behavior but learning how to apply the five levels of the Competence Index (CI) will help you make the most of your predicament.

Keep in mind that these are not bad people; they just behave in an incompetent manner under certain conditions. To make this exercise more realistic, imagine yourself the following situation:

Level 2 – Might get it if there is a personal benefit.

Situation: Travis seldom has an idea of his own, so he borrows them from you. He rarely has anything substantive to say, but the higher-ups are swayed by his charismatic personality and his ability to charm the big-name clients. Recently, Travis persuaded the leadership team to create a customer relations task force and he wants you to be co-chair.

Strategy:  Think about the benefits of convincing Travis that he needs to change his behavior if he expects to rise any higher in the company. Sharing those benefits with him should catch his attention. Before you make your case with Travis think about the following options:

1. Giving him a take-it-or-leave-it choice is not a good idea. Providing him with a list of options is a better way for him to accept what you say without admitting that he is wrong.
2. Rather than challenge him alone, bring others with you who support your position. It helps if he holds those you select in high regard or has worked with them successfully in the past.
3. An alternative to the collective approach is to have each of your supporters approach him independently with the same message.
4. Put any verbal agreements or commitments he makes in writing using his exact words. Otherwise, he may deny ever having agreed with what you proposed.
5. Provide testimonials from people he sees as important. Relevant quotations from public figures and notable personalities whom he admires will also help your case.

Knowing how to apply these strategies should help you identify which competencies a particular person is missing. Then, you’ll be able to assist him or her to develop those skills and abilities, which in the long run will minimize the risk of rejection.