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 4 – Occasionally gets it but need reminding.

Situation: Her uncle’s position on the board made it possible for Polly, a recent graduate, to be hired as an intern. Polly advanced rapidly and was recently elevated to supervisor. She is faced with a situation where the people reporting to her, including you, have more experience than she does. Polly is unaware that her rapid promotion is creating resentment and a lack of trust.

Strategy: Polly has tried to make it on her own merits but often falls back on using her connection with her uncle whenever she encounters resistance from her staff and co-workers.

Here are some tips you can use to work with her:

1. Provide a supportive setting for your first attempt to voice your concerns. It is best to meet in a place familiar to her where she feels comfortable.
2. Keep the conversation friendly by sharing a personal experience that relates to what you wish to discuss. Resist the temptation to provide a solution at this point.

• Seek her feelings before sharing yours. Let her responses be your guide for making your point. Accept her assessment, even if you disagree, before laying out your concerns.

• Share your awareness of how others feel about the situation. Then share your personal feelings and intentions. Lastly, tell her what you would like her to change in the future.

• If she is receptive to altering her behaviors, suggest how her situation could be handled differently. Write a summary of the discussion and send it to her promptly.

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.