11 Signs Someone Is Incompetent, But Is Trying To Hide It
We all know at least one person we thought would be a huge success but then turned out not to know what they were doing.
Elnur / Shutterstock Most of us have been in a situation where someone seemed to know what they were doing, only for others to soon find out that wasn't at all the case. No matter how hard they may try to achieve success, signs soon become clear when someone is simply incompetent but trying to hide it.
Whether at a grocery store or at work, most people will do their utmost to not embarrass themselves too much. Avoiding eye contact and keeping silent, these same individuals might unconsciously make themselves smaller in order to not draw too much attention to themselves. It's well-known that people have a deeply ingrained fear of being judged harshly by others, and sad as it may be, entirely incompetent people tend to be judged harshly. In turn, incompetent people often make an already stressful situation worse as they do their best to hide their flaws by trying to cover them up with flimsy excuses and nervous laughter.
These are 11 signs someone is incompetent, but trying to hide it
1. They make the same mistakes without ever learning from them
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The first sign someone is incompetent, but is trying to hide it, is if they keep making the same mistake without ever learning from it.
Now, people are bound to mess up or step out of line from time to time. When work is busy and someone has a million reports to fill out, it can be normal to make a little mistake here and there. However, making a mistake once every blue moon and being entirely incompetent are two different matters.
Incompetent people refuse to learn from their mishaps and instead, keep on repeating the same mistakes without ever reflecting on what they did wrong. And though making minor mistakes might be inevitable, not learning from them is a choice that people willingly make.
Not learning from mistakes is a guaranteed way to stunt your growth as an individual. According to a study published in the Journal of Educational Psychology, students who intentionally made mistakes and went back to correct them, had better learning results compared to students who used other methods of studying.
2. They can't adapt
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Whether at work or at school, people need to learn the art of adapting in life. Not only does it ensure that they can handle the curveballs life throws their way, but it also ensures that they'll be successful in their future endeavors.
Unfortunately, not everyone is good at being adaptable. Organizational psychologist Nick Tasler noted that studies have found that when people are faced with change, they often don't know what to do with themselves. As a result, they'll curl into a ball or engage in dangerous activities that make their situation worse.
On the flip side, one-third of the group adapted well to change. Regardless of what life threw their way, these individuals moved up in their careers. According to researchers, this is likely because these individuals grew up facing hardships, and because of that, they actively look for the meaning behind their traumas or setbacks, causing them to move forward in a positive direction.
3. They miss important details
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A wife runs home in glee as her birthday swiftly approaches. Feeling optimistic, she's certain her husband has gotten her the gift she's been begging for over the last few months. Then her joy is put on hold when she gets home and is swiftly met with a happy birthday and a present she most definitely didn't want.
Though this is a bit of an exaggeration, a huge sign someone is incompetent but trying to hide it is if they miss important details. Incompetent people will make excuses for why they didn't dig deeper or why they didn't hit the mark. As a result, their defensive behavior stunts their growth and makes it harder for people to take them seriously.
Changing this behavior isn't easy. Researcher and faculty member of The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health George S. Everly, Jr. PhD, ABPP, FACLP, explained that certain mistakes can become hardwired as repetitive behavior causes people's brains to create and enforce certain patterns.
RELATED: 7 Painfully Honest Reasons You're Unsuccessful
4. They communicate poorly and blame it on their mental health
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Most people would like to believe they're excellent communicators who know how to get straight to the point. However, being a good communicator isn't as common as people would like to believe.
As a matter of fact, here in America, miscommunication happens more often than not. A survey done by Preply found that 80% of Americans identified as conflict-avoidant, while 40% stated that they experienced a miscommunication in cultural differences at work. And though this might be a common occurrence, a huge sign someone is incompetent but trying to hide it is if they poorly communicate and then blame it on their mental health.
Now, this isn't to say that mental health shouldn't be taken seriously or considered. However, making excuses for someone's lack of competence is quite literally the definition of being incompetent.
As it stands, people who can't take hold of their mental health and allow it to control them will always have an excuse for their poor behavior and as a result, will never learn from it. This, in turn, will lead them to make errors and be unreliable to those around them, making them more unstable in the process.
5. They miss deadlines and constantly make excuses for it
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Most people have worked with someone who was utterly unreliable. When assigning group roles these people will assure everyone that they'll get it done only to miss the deadline. As a result, the rest of the group is left to scramble and finish the project while these incompetent people can relax without a care in the world.
As most people can imagine, this will only lead to resentment if the incompetent person isn't careful. And according to The Handbook Of Forgiveness, adjacent things like being unable to forgive can lead to worsening health problems like stress, difficulty sleeping, changes in cardiovascular activities, and even depression.
Knowing this, people who miss deadlines should do their best to get organized and stay on track. Otherwise, those that they work with or in a relationship with might just get sick and tired of picking up the slack, leading to drastic consequences like getting fired if they're not careful.
6. They have difficulty supporting others
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Most people would like to believe they can depend on others for support, that when relationships fail or work problems arise they can depend on their friends or bosses for support. Unfortunately, incompetent people have a nasty habit of letting people down over and over again.
Now, most incompetent people don't do this on purpose. In truth, they overestimate their abilities and as a result, believe they can handle something when they really cannot. However, they aren't alone in this.
There are times when other people overestimate their own capabilities, only to be proven wrong last minute. Yet, by depending on others and being honest about their uncertainty, incompetent people can avoid these misunderstandings in the future.
As psychologist Rick Hanson Ph.D. pointed out, "Accepting dependence brings you into harmony with the way it actually is. All things, from gophers to galaxies, arise and pass away in dependence on all other things." That said, incompetent people should never feel bad asking for help. Just like everything else in nature, people can't survive without sometimes depending on others for support in times of need.
7. They avoid hearing criticism
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Another sign someone is incompetent, but trying to hide it, is if they avoid hearing criticism. Never learning from one’s mistakes is already a red flag. People who continue on with their lives without ever truly reflecting will always remain the same and never evolve. Combining this with a refusal to even hear criticism reinforces the idea that this person is incompetent and that, deep down inside, they know it.
Avoiding criticism will only get people so far. In the real world, or even in college, most people will face a few critiques in their lives. If they tune out that criticism or even refuse to look at it, then it’s safe to say that they don’t even have an interest in changing for the better.
8. They avoid teamwork and justify it by saying they work better alone
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Has anyone ever heard a friend or coworker utter the infamous phrase, “I work better alone.” If so, this is a sign someone is incompetent, but is trying to hide it. Deep down inside, most incompetent people know when they’re not that reliable at what they do. Due to this, incompetent people will often find a way to work alone, so that way other people won’t judge them for their lack of knowledge.
Unfortunately, working alone isn’t the best decision, as a study published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology confirmed that even just the mere perception of working in a group setting caused people’s performance levels to rise.
That said, dealing with the fear of judgment isn’t easy. Luckily for incompetent people, people aren’t as judgmental as most would assume. So, the next time an incompetent person is forced to be in a group they should try to have an open mind about it. Even if they don’t know everything, collaborating will relieve stress and might even teach them something new.
9. They are always late because of an 'emergency'
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Has anyone ever had a coworker or a friend that was always late? Despite giving them the time and location they’ll still arrive thirty minutes late.
Being late is inevitable at times. Accidents happen, and being a few minutes late at times shouldn’t be a huge deal dealbreaker. However, a huge sign someone is incompetent, but trying to hide it is if they’re always late because of an ‘emergency.’
Emergencies do happen. People fall sick and health issues arise. However, constantly repeating this pattern without informing others ahead of time can make those around them grow increasingly frustrated with their lack of consideration.
As a result, expect friends to grow distant, or worse, to get fired for the constant habit of running late. After all, people have a life and those thirty minutes spent waiting on an incompetent person could’ve been spent getting work done.
The next time someone incompetent tries running late they should think twice. Though it might seem ‘insignificant’ at first, it can have drastic consequences on their career and personal life if they’re not careful.
10. They make impulsive decisions last minute
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Being impulsive can easily land people in trouble that’s hard to get out of. Unfortunately, incompetent people don’t know what the right choice is due to their lack of knowledge or their inability to pay attention. Because of this, these individuals will pick at random to get past the pressure of choosing.
Sadly, this might not end well, as it can cause an already stressful situation to get worse if they’re not strategic enough. Knowing this, it's important to ask questions or ask for other people's opinions before choosing. Otherwise, incompetent people might run into some trouble later on as their decisions come right back to bite them.
11. They are overly confident
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A final sign that someone is incompetent, but trying to hide it is if they’re overly confident. Most people can accurately gauge how intelligent they are. According to a study published in the Journal of Intelligence, despite popular belief, people are good at estimating how intelligent they are.
That said, incompetent people who know they’re incompetent pretend they have things under control. This is why they’ll brag about their achievements or why they claim they’re the best at every task. It’s not because they truly think that way, rather, it’s because they don’t want others to find out just how much they’re lacking in their career, academics, or personal life.
So, if someone ever spots that one friend who’s way too confident for their own good, quietly observe how well they put their skills to the test. Most likely, what people will find, is that all that bragging will only lead to disaster and disappointment in the end.
Marielisa Reyes is a writer with a bachelor's degree in psychology who covers topics such as self-help, relationships, career, family, and astrology.