“That’s a terrible idea” isn’t going to win you any congeniality awards, and it will probably make the other person defensive. When you are up against someone else, you can gain an advantage if they underestimate you. Typical tells of somebody employing this method of intellectual amusement include: - Asking naive questions to which they feign not knowing a satisfactory answer. The ego is in the way most of the […]. Most idiots are likable simply because they don’t offend, get bad attention, or create tension. Because it can help you navigate challenging situations—and actually preserve your shining reputation. You never say anything disagreeable or offensive. Playing dumb is one of the strategies I enjoy most watching. May 29, 2012 9:16 AM Subscribe In my job, a lot of the time I have individuals feign incompetence so that they will not have to get their hands dirty and take care of their own problems. By having no opinions you also have no enemies. You could go into your first meeting with this person planning to be especially patronizing (or confrontational), or you could pretend that you had never heard he was difficult. Many times, when your gut is telling you that you’re being taken advantage of, played for a fool, or simply being mistreated, and you confront a disordered character about it, they’ll act like they have no idea what you’re talking about. Amazon Prime Video’s ‘The Wilds’ and Thought Catalog both explore the balance between who we display publicly and the person we really are privately through coming-of-age stories from our featured writer’s everyday. Be Smart Enough To Act Dumb . Or, you have the option to play dumb (which is actually rather difficult to do. If you are playing role of the idiot you can get out of most problems by saying “I don’t know”. “playing dumb”) and/or feigning innocence. "Playing dumb" is a social means of avoiding the impression of arrogance which still allows oneself not to be bored to death by trivial conversation. If you’re looking to push back against the status quo, build inroads with an angry client or co-worker, diplomatically disagree with someone, or stay out of office politics, playing dumb … I’ve written before on the power of “I’m new here.” As a newbie, your first couple of weeks on the job are the perfect time to mention that something brand new—and (coincidentally, wink) inefficient—doesn’t quite make sense to you. And if you go with “no comment” or “I’d rather not that discuss that,” you may be seen as stiff or judgmental. Her advice has been published across the web (, 15% off Career Coaching | Use code CYBER15 through Dec 13th |. play dumb To pretend that one has no or little knowledge (of something); to act ignorant or uninformed (about something). Playing the idiot means you don’t have to make decisions and nobody thinks of you as a leader. Then, when you are discussing the particulars of how a certain process works, ask the occasional, “Have we considered [this innovation]?”. If you act in your own best interest instead of being selfless or acting for the benefit of the group, others would just expect you didn’t know any better. If that doesn’t work you can always pretend to not understand what they are talking about. People in the workplace may adjust their behavior to break stereotypes about themselves or match the stereotypes of others — even if it means playing dumb or giving the cold shoulder, a Princeton University study finds.. The idiot has the security of using “I don’t know” or being oblivious to the obvious. 7. Made that way, can't help! If you’re looking to push back against the status quo, build inroads with an angry client or co-worker, diplomatically disagree with someone, or stay out of office politics, playing dumb (OK, confused) is the way to go. When a co-worker says, “Oh, well you know George is the worst,” you respond, “Really? It's the old "give 'em enough rope and they'll hang themselves" strategy. It’s good practice. But don’t do it so often that you are simply dodging real relationship problems, he advises. Learn more about working with Thought Catalog. It does, for example, make it clearer that the responsibility for the question is their own - they should not post any old nonsense and expect others to do all the lifting to make it work as a question. TO MANAGE OUR money better, often we don’t need to know more. They never create enough animosity to have others hoping they will no longer have to work with them. In a setting where your goal is to show how capable you are, why would you ever want to downplay your brilliance? Let’s say you’re told that a certain colleague or stakeholder is known for being abrasive. “You walk around here like you should be wearing a helmet, you do idiotic things, you seem as if you barely have the mental capability to function. “I have been trying to figure it out for weeks. People let down their guard and speak without a filter. Don’t react. 1) Argue why acting dumb is a smart move to get ahead. Did I miss something during our check-in?”. Here are just some of the things that, at various points in my 35-year investing career, I’ve thought I’ve known: Which fund managers will outperform. Yet people commit fraud to do just that. You will have job security because nobody fires the idiot. You stay at the bottom of the gossip food chain and have no predators on the look out for candid remarks they can use against you later. With, “I must have missed that,” you manage to remove yourself without taking sides. What’s next for interest rates and share prices. Instead try, “In our next meeting, could you walk me through the thinking behind [a certain process]? I admit it is a fun role to play and it has become a survival technique at work. – Helen's Irreverent Blog, Unique Holiday Gifts from Thought Catalog , 39 People Share The Sweetest Thing Anyone Ever Said To Them, ‘To The Woman Dating My Husband’ — Wife’s Savage Craigslist Ad Puts Husband And Mistress Out On Blast, Kayla Liptrot Explains How To Find Self-Love Despite An HS Diagnosis, Why I Started Saying “I Like You” Instead Of “I Love You”, I Swear I Didn’t Kill My Fiance, But Maybe If I Would’ve Believed Him He’d Still Be Alive. Remind yourself that most "dumb" people aren't all bad, and they do have some positive qualities, too. This approach is good for other common workplace annoyances. Nobody consults you, asks you to solve a problem, or asks for your help. ‘It's too much work for me to play dumb.’ ‘Bryce was no dope, he should have figured it out, maybe he was just playing dumb.’ ‘He tried playing dumb, hoping David would just leave it alone.’ ‘He kept putting me off, and I kept teasing him, playing dumb.’ ‘I'm at their mercy, so I play dumb.’ Jessica Simpson, Britney Spears and Paris Hilton are known for acting ditzy. They never bring enough attention to themselves for anybody to consider firing them. Really. Nobody gives you extra work because they think you are doing the best you can do. Repeat after me: “I must’ve missed that.” Now, imagine a co-worker stops by your cubicle to ask your opinion on nasty words exchanged in a meeting, someone being passed over for a project, or some other salacious news. Of course, she’ll be more likely to walk through her thinking if you choose the non-confrontational, “I’m not sure I get it…” over the arrogant: “I’m not sure I understand how this would work, given these five things I’ve already considered as well as their possible repercussions.”. In other words, if your boss doesn’t usually take too kindly to, “Let’s change this,” skip that approach. Nobody feels threaten by you. He sat down abruptly and looked as if he couldn’t restrain himself. You can just do your job and go home. These responses allow you to address the situation without being confrontational. What's the best way to deal with people who are playing dumb at work? Explore All Jobs All Jobs. A smart person playing dumb or just acting goofy in general can lead to hilarious moments in the house or the DR. Your unfamiliarity is an in to discuss other ways you’ve seen similar tasks accomplished, as well as parts of the process that seem counterintuitive. While you can’t play that card once you’ve been somewhere for months or years, you can always ask for more information. Synonyms for play dumb include mum's the word, hush, say nothing, keep quiet, keep it secret, keep shtum, hold your tongue, keep it to yourself, not another peep and shut your mouth. Nobody asks for your opinion because they think you have no opinion. This is a great thing to remember if you want to stay sane around dumb people, especially if you're dealing with a person you will have to see a lot, like a classmate or a co-worker. The idiot is usually forgiven for their blunders. I hadn’t heard that.” Then you enter the meeting truly acting like you’ve never heard that before. "Playing dumb" is the single best way to rescue an uncomfortable conversation. Dumb. There is no pressure to do better or do more. Explore our free career advice that includes tips on discovering your passion, and find jobs at inspiring companies that are now hiring. But are they really dopey, or just purposefully blundering all way to the bank? Could you explain it differently?” Asking someone to explain her point in a new way should bring additional information to light. Because it can help you navigate challenging situations — and actually preserve your shining reputation. Ironically, the subtext of these lines is, “I know exactly what’s going on here,” and that can make the difference in how these people treat you in the future. “I just realized something about you,” he said. Those dumb fools and their certainty. Another possible outcome: Once your boss walks you through the details, maybe you’ll understand the why and no longer see the need to make improvements. You fly under the radar and blend in with the crowd. 2. Instead, we need to unlearn what we think we already know. Dear Lifehacker, I have a coworker who, for lack of a better word, is really stupid. Playing Dumb Is Often A Great Strategy. The most important work goes to other people because they have their doubts about whether or not you will mess it up. software engineering Jobs engineering. I started playing the role of the idiot at work when I realized nobody takes you seriously until you are at least 30 years old and I do not work in academia where it is essential to my job to convince others I am smart. Sign up for the Thought Catalog Weekly and get the best stories from the week to your inbox every Friday. Maybe you’re the sort of person who can craft a diplomatic response on the spot (in which case, rock on!). Playing dumb is like playing poker. But it's the single … And while you should strive to make a powerful and brilliant impression, an occasional question or clarification won’t discount your abilities—but it may help you squeeze through a tricky situation with your reputation intact. Feigning naiveté is also a great way to approach difficult personalities. Three different types of this behaviour were explored including being evasive, rationalized hiding (such as saying a report is confidential) and playing dumb. They gain status by attacking people playing wealth creation games.” — Naval Ravikant. B: "Yeah, but I played dumb about it. He was right and I couldn’t help messing with him. To put it plainly, playing dumb works beautifully when you are trying to throw someone off the scent. With the co-worker who takes credit for your work, you can try, “I had no idea we were on the exact same page about X. At first I thought you were just either high or drunk all the time, but your pupils are never dilated”. By playing the idiot you never do anything that draws too much attention, therefore you never have to worry about getting good or bad attention. Try: “I’m not quite sure I understand what you’re saying. 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