Slacking Issue VIII: Fake Stupity

This next slacking tip does take a bit of 'set-up' and, also, can't likely be applied to all areas in a work place.  That is pretending to be dumb or incapable of doing some tasks, usually some ancillary task that needs to be completed before you can finish your, usually, more important task.   And the more basic and menial you can feign incompetence on, the better.

You do need to remember that you do not want to get fired from your job so this tactic has to be applied knowing that your employment is safe.  In the couple of instances I have seen this tactic applied it was done properly and those are the examples I will share with you.  And like most of my other slacking tips, this tip is purely from observation only...I have never been a person that could pull off something like this.

The most prominent instance I have witnessed using this method is when I worked with an award winning individual.  This coworker was usually given carte-blanche to work on whatever projects they wanted because the result would be of very high quality.  And to be clear, without revealing the specifics of the job as to keep this as anonymous as possible, the work place I was in was of the technical nature and winning awards in this field is note worthy.  So yes, there is this very smart coworker but can't set the clock in his vehicle.  He's unable to make toast successfully.  Usually has someone "work" a cell phone and have them hand it to them because it is too confusing.

Are you telling me that a truly smart person can't figure out some of the most basic things in the world?  Well, that's what some will have you to believe, but not me.  I can see right through these people.  There is no way they have gotten to where they are today without knowing how to work an alarm clock or change a light bulb, they just no longer see those tasks as something that require their attention and thus, now, no longer even know how to do some of these menial tasks. To me, I could see a brain surgeon pulling the same tactic just to have people not feel bad about being his servant.

Now, when coming upon these people it would be easy to just call them out and refuse to do their menial tasks, but I also think they are also part of a 'slacking circle'.  They are providing you with an ample reason to slack off for a while because the person that is unable to change the batteries in his wireless mouse is no way going to get fired and they certainly aren't going to fire you for helping him.

Now if you can excuse me, I need to go help the IT guy put some mp3 music on his player...he mentioned how he had no clue how to do that as he was installing some new fiber optic switches in the server room the other day...