Ask Slashdot: How Do You To Tell Your Client That His "Expert" Is an Idiot? 384
Esther Schindler writes "It's a danger for any consultant, and for most inter-departmental internal project staff: To get the work done, you need to work with someone else who supplies expertise you lack. But when the 'expert' turns out to be the wrong person how do you tell the client (or boss) that you just can't work with that individual?"
Its Easy (Score:4, Funny)
If its your last day on the job. Just say, "You're an idiot and so is that moron you hired."
Just remember though, burning bridges isn't always a good thing.
call it BETA and walk away (Score:5, Funny)
There's a book for that. (Score:4, Funny)
Just read, Dealing with Dummies for Dummies...
You work in IT but don't know how to handle this? (Score:3, Funny)
[EOM]
Re:Replace Idiot with Incompetent (Score:5, Funny)
The other developer started out by saying, "Why do you use function pointers in C? Why not call the functions directly?"
At that point I looked confused and said, "That's how you do polymorphism in C, right?"
Then the manager laughed, and the other developer got frustrated and said, "but it's weird!!"
That pretty much ended the situation, although the other developer didn't talk to me for a while.
Point of the story is, when someone questions your competence, relax and use big words like polymorphism. I guess.
Re:Old fashioned idea... (Score:4, Funny)
Nice to test the political waters but there are lot of just clueless sociopathic idiots that get fat consulting contracts, then spew nonesense until your ears bleed.
Some idiots are lucky. It's like the old adage that nothing is foolproof because fools are so ingenious.
OTOH, Cousin Ernie may have gotten the gig for reasons that don't meet the test of credulity, either. Never leave to conspiracy that which can be explained by sloth.
Re:Old fashioned idea... (Score:2, Funny)
Hah, its funny you say that, because I ran into a similar situation working for a somewhat niche but well-known and respected website with many established customers. What happened was that we were bought out by an obscure advertising shit-peddler, and immediately came the MBAs telling us about web 2.0 and how the things on our site were rendered too small. One of the sonofabitches actually said, " When people see small things on your screen, they think small. Think BIG! 16-point text and 500-pixel padding minimum! "
It was clear that their idea of a redesign was here to stay, but we stalled its implementation as much as we could -- well, except for the Jewish editors whose eyes always had dollar-signs dancing in 'em -- and when we finally rolled it out the users hated it so much that constructive criticism wasn't enough - established users with excellent karma(a term for measurement of a member's positive participation) not only badmouthed the redesign, but used their moderation points moderating up the trolls(people who disparage, often using profanity) who did likewise. It go to be so bad that they all organized a boycott, which is going on this week.
Re:It's never happened to me (Score:4, Funny)
Absolutely. For example how to not do something, how to injure yourself horribly, or like I saw yesterday.....
How to destroy a $60,000 Conference room table by not listening to those of us that know better.
I said several times, you have it marked off wrong you had better stop and re measure. I was told to shut up and they cut the hole, 6 inches off center.
Re:Old fashioned idea... (Score:5, Funny)
Oh, come on, you made this up.
Nobody on slashdot would believe such a load of.....
oh, wait, ah never mind.
Hand gestures work best (Score:5, Funny)
You get them both in a meeting, and when the "expert" presents an idea, you point your index finger at your temple and rotate it in a circle around your ear.
Rolling your eyes and bursting out laughing is also good.
When the expert starts his powerpoint presentation, sigh loudly, raise one butt cheek and give an audible fart. Look around the room and say "Is he serious?" in a stage whisper.
There, I think that's a good start.