For those of you who have had the pleasure of living with a teenager, you will have encountered weaponised incompetence. You may not have known you were being manipulated at the time, but make no mistake, you have a lived experience with this behaviour. So what is weaponised incompetence?

What is weaponised incompetence?

Sometimes also referred to as strategic incompetence, it occurs when an individual deliberately feigns inability or lack of knowledge to avoid specific tasks, thereby shifting the responsibility onto others. This tactic is often employed to evade duties deemed undesirable or challenging. A teenager may deliberately wash the darks and the lights together leaving your favourite white t-shirt looking like it’s been used to wash your car.  You know you taught them how to do the laundry to minimise clothing damage but it’s ultimately clear that they have made the choice to make shocking go of the chore in they hope they won’t be allocated this duty in future!

Teenagers aside, in the workplace a simple but common example of weaponised incompetence could be that of an employee stating, "I'm useless at doing reports. John, you're so much better at them," and having the task reassigned to someone else.

This behaviour can be both deliberate or inadvertent, but the impact is the same: an unfair distribution of workload that can create resentment among colleagues. It is often seen in personal relationships, such as one partner pretending not to know how to load a dishwasher, but it can be just as toxic in professional settings where team efficiency is crucial. (Important to note, some employees will also pretend they don’t know how to pack the dishwasher in the workplace too, leaving the task to someone else!  Grrrrr…..)

The damage weaponised incompetence can do to workplace culture

The ramifications of weaponised incompetence extend beyond mere task reassignment. When left unchecked, this behaviour can erode trust, breed resentment, and diminish overall team morale. Colleagues who consistently shoulder additional responsibilities may experience burnout, decreased job satisfaction, and a sense of being undervalued. The overall productivity of the team can suffer with compromised quality of work and a toxic work environment being the result.

Increased workload for others

When one person shirks responsibilities, other team members have to pick up the slack. This can create frustration among high-performing employees who see their contributions overlooked while others take advantage of the system. Over time, the feelings of unfairness can lead to disengagement and higher turnover rates.

Erosion of trust

At HR Staff n’ Stuff, we  talk a lot about trust being a foundational element of any successful team. When employees consistently manipulate situations to their advantage, trust erodes, leading to a breakdown in team cohesion.  The negative impacts from loss of trust are significant – poor morale, disengagement and high turnover – so you want to avoid this kind of high level damage!

Hindrance to career growth

Weaponised incompetence not only affects those picking up the slack, but also the individuals engaging in it. Over time, avoiding responsibilities can stunt professional development. But it’s a two sided coin in terms of damage, employees who rely on others to complete their work are self-sabotaging as they will miss opportunities to build new skills, potentially reducing their career advancement prospects.

A toxic work environment

There’s nothing worse than a festering resentment that can build in the face of unchecked weaponised incompetence.  It will almost certainly feed and grow a toxic work culture where some employees feel overburdened while others exploit the situation. Unchecked, it can lead to all those negative behaviours that will undermine even the healthiest and happiest workplace culture - passive-aggressive behaviours, decreased collaboration and escalating workplace conflicts. 

Recognising weaponised incompetence

The key to removing a bad behaviour from the workplace is identifying it can be addressed and managed. Look out for some or all of the following:

• Task evasion: Regularly avoiding specific duties with excuses highlighting a personal inability to deliver on that task. Particularly when you now that skill set is not beyond the individual avoiding the assignment.
  
  
• Feigning ignorance: Pretending not to understand how to perform a task despite prior experience or training. Have they really not understood the training or do they simply not want to do the work?
  
  
• Consistent mistakes: Deliberately performing tasks poorly to discourage future assignments.
  
  
• Over-reliance on others: Frequently seeking assistance for routine tasks, thereby shifting the workload.

Strategies for managing weaponised incompetence

As with any poor behaviour or performance issues, dealing with it promptly is the key – before it becomes entrenched and does damage.  Addressing this behaviour requires a balanced approach that promotes accountability while fostering a supportive work environment.  There are a number of actions to consider:

1. Open communication

Engage in candid discussions with the employee to express observations and concerns. Be specific with examples that illustrate the behaviour and its impact on the team. Avoid accusatory language; instead, frame the conversation around shared goals and the importance of equitable work distribution and areas of responsibility.

2. Set clear expectations

Clearly define roles, responsibilities, and performance standards. Ensure that each team member understands what is expected and the importance of their contributions. Job descriptions can be very helpful and assigning task ownership will also help your team know how should be doing what, when, where and how.

3. Provide training and support

Offer resources and training to build competence and confidence if necessary. This approach addresses genuine skill gaps and reduces opportunities for feigned incompetence. If an employee claims they lack the ability to perform a task, give them the necessary training and support. If the behaviour continues you will need to determine if the training was understood or if there is something lacking in the teaching or the understanding.  If the training is clear and covers all elements of the required work, and the employee says they understood what has been taught, then you have to consider that any further incompetence is a strategic evasion rather than a true lack of knowledge.

4. Implement accountability measures

Introduce systems to monitor task completion and quality such as regular catch ups. Regular feedback sessions can help reinforce expectations and provide opportunities for course correction. Don’t wait until the end of a project or for a prebooked catch up – as the saying goes, if you see something, say something. Feedback works more effectively when delivered around the time that poor (or good) behaviour occurs.  Waiting a week, a month or later means the message can be lost and the opportunity to adjust behaviours can be more difficult. 

5. Encourage a culture of responsibility

Foster an environment where accountability is valued, and team members are motivated to take ownership of their tasks. Recognise and reward proactive behaviour and collaborative efforts, reinforcing that everyone is part of the team and that success is a shared responsibility.

Is it delegation?

Before you leap into action though, make sure you aren’t stepping into an example of delegation.  The person handing off the task may have a legitimate need or right as a leader or manager to delegate the task.  It may be a training opportunity for a more junior or inexperienced team member. Or the person handing over the job may be swamped and needs to share some of the load to ensure required work is completed but it is not a regular practice. Delegation is a skill in and of itself and should be encouraged where appropriate.

Final thoughts

Just like your teenager who refuses to separate the washing, the same dynamic plays out in the workplace. If an employee constantly makes errors in a report, their manager or coworker might decide it’s less hassle to do it themselves than to correct the mistakes. Over time, the employee learns that feigning incompetence results in being excused from undesirable tasks. It also means they aren’t learning valuable skills or being made accountable for their own work.  It’s a no win situation for everyone!

Weaponised incompetence poses a subtle yet significant challenge within the workplace, impacting team dynamics, productivity, and individual well-being. By recognising the signs and implementing proactive strategies, organisations can cultivate a culture of accountability and mutual respect, ensuring that responsibilities are shared equitably and that all team members are empowered to contribute effectively.

Leaders must be proactive in addressing this behaviour to maintain a healthy, high-functioning workplace. Through clear expectations, accountability, and support, businesses can ensure that everyone pulls their weight—without anyone having to pretend they don’t know how to take notes in a meeting!  After all, if teenagers can eventually learn to do their own laundry (even if it takes a few mishaps), employees can learn to take ownership of their responsibilities, too.

As always, if you need support managing difficult behaviour in your team, we are here to help!