Part of this post is a rant, out of shear frustration and part looking for advice.
The problem is a colleague who is never wrong (I'm sure the type is common in all businesses). He can be perfectly reasonable most of the time, but if it is suggested that he has got something wrong or maybe misunderstood something then he launches into a tirade. There is no reasoning and it doesn't matter how softly you approach the issue.
The most common arguments are that I am being condescending and that it is not my area so not my concern. In the end you just have to back away and things aren't fixed. If it happens in a private meeting fine, it's frustrating but when it happens in the middle of the office it's just unprofessional.
Is it my area? frequently no, but when I get dragged into something because another manager is away does that mean I should just look at what I'm doing and ignore things I see? If it's critical I'll fix it, but anything else I'll just bring it to the attention of the person responsible.
Am I condescending? I suppose some people would take it that way, I'm not sure how to stop it. My role and qualifications by their nature lead people to believe I'm intelligent, but it's not like I'm better than anyone else.
The problem is a colleague who is never wrong (I'm sure the type is common in all businesses). He can be perfectly reasonable most of the time, but if it is suggested that he has got something wrong or maybe misunderstood something then he launches into a tirade. There is no reasoning and it doesn't matter how softly you approach the issue.
The most common arguments are that I am being condescending and that it is not my area so not my concern. In the end you just have to back away and things aren't fixed. If it happens in a private meeting fine, it's frustrating but when it happens in the middle of the office it's just unprofessional.
Is it my area? frequently no, but when I get dragged into something because another manager is away does that mean I should just look at what I'm doing and ignore things I see? If it's critical I'll fix it, but anything else I'll just bring it to the attention of the person responsible.
Am I condescending? I suppose some people would take it that way, I'm not sure how to stop it. My role and qualifications by their nature lead people to believe I'm intelligent, but it's not like I'm better than anyone else.
