I'm too clever for my job - and my manager says so

z1a

"There's no evidence of me as either."

You sure?

Les79

blueandwhiterose wrote: »

Probably cleverer than them, and that's not even a joke. I routinely help my own managers. This isn't limited to software use, knowledge of tasks, or general help where needed, but direction, such as solving difficult problems and finding alternative solutions to issues.

I used to be really interested in Psychology (and Maths), but I am a bit out of touch and had to Google this.....

Gardener (1983) proposed 9 types of intelligence:

Naturalist (nature smart)
Musical (sound smart)
Logical-mathematical (number/reasoning smart)
Existential (life smart)
Interpersonal (people smart)
Bodily-kinesthetic (body smart)
Linguistic (word smart)
Intra-personal (self smart)
Spatial (picture smart)

May I politely enquire as to which ones you excel in and which ones you are weak in?

Personally, mine are:

Strengths = Logical-mathematical, Intra-personal and maybe Naturalist and Spatial

Weaknesses = Musical and Linguistic

But I must ask, what metric do you use when you say "Probably cleverer than them"? I mean it sounds like you've got the whole Logical-mathematical thing going on, but anything else?

(I quoted Gardener but I believe there are more nowadays. Also not aware of how far the research has developed since, but I hope it helps to serve as an example of how people can vary when comparing *cleverness*

Is the problem that I am particularly clever? Or:
Are the people around me just particularly stupid?

Neither. The problem is actually more likely to be either ignorance on your part.

Here's an example. Today I helped a senior manager in a very big way just by completing some routine tasks. They are supposed to be carried out by their own team, but they keep ignoring it because there's a slight amount of calculation involved and they don't feel like doing that. This annoys me. So I just went ahead and did it. It took barely 30 minutes. The manager calls me and praises me non-stop for five minutes and promises to take me out for a beer on the next gathering. Then they send an E-mail of thanks which includes the regional director. It's crazy, because all the team had to do was fill in some mostly pre-filled calculations on excel, but they just couldn't be bothered because it was a Friday.

That isn't being "clever" though. That is having a good work ethic. Being "clever", at least in a Logical-mathematical scenario (which I suspect is your strength), would be to actually DESIGN an Excel spreadsheet (maybe with macros/VB) which automates the report and makes your boss' life easier on a daily basis.

Besides, your "senior manager" has to manage and not do any of the "clever" stuff that you do. They have their own "clever" stuff to do, and you've been a life saver because of your WORK ETHIC and not much else.

Care to throw another example at us?

So go back to the question above. Am I clever? Is everyone else stupid? Neither answers are comfortable. But that team wants to sit around playing on their phones when they're supposed to be working and then they complain that their house is a mess and their boyfriend hates them and they're living in a dump. Can you see where I'm coming from now?

All of that isn't necessarily linked to intelligence.

I'm not sure education is worth bothering with anymore. It's just not value for money. The first time I tried it, the course collapsed because the lecturers stopped turning up, then the university slapped the whole 3 years on my SL. The second time, the lecturers didn't even know what they were talking about and our coursework came out of magazines. It's interesting how we treat people now - we treat kids as adults and adults as kids.

I reckon my university attendance was around 20% for the whole 3 years. For me, I saw it as a waste of time (I can relate to what you've been saying) and just a piece of paper. The lecturers seemed to be clueless and so I did most of my work completely independently.

Still, I got a 2:1 degree out of it. Truth be told though, I didn't care if the "course collapsed" or "the lecturers didn't even know what they were talking about" because I didn't need their input. I guess you can call me "clever" as well, but I tell you what I learnt pretty quickly that this sort of arrogance and ignorance didn't translate too well into Education and the wider workplace! Not everyone can do what I did, and my brother was a prime example in that he was the mirror opposite and barely scraped a 2:1.

Sounds like bad work colleagues are a repeating problem for you... I wonder who the real issue is here... someone like that must have lots of problems...maybe in reality it's... you?

"maybe in reality it's... you?" is a really interesting phrase....

If you are going to say something like that, you absolutely must practice the same self-reflection yourself. And I don't think you've done that just yet.

blueandwhiterose

Les79 wrote: »

If you are going to say something like that, you absolutely must practice the same self-reflection yourself. And I don't think you've done that just yet.

Please stop concentrating on slam-down responses where you "win the game" and please just read what I have written and absorb it. This is a real problem for me where there is no simple fix. I'm here to reach out to people who want to listen, not to those who don't want to listen. That is the point of a forum. Please read what I have written in my OP.

Les79

blueandwhiterose wrote: »

Please stop concentrating on slam-down responses where you "win the game" and please just read what I have written and absorb it.

I actually concentrated on addressing all of the points you made.

This is a real problem for me where there is no simple fix.

I sympathise with you in there being no "simple fix", but then again I did provide you with some (fairly outdated, but likely fundamental) psychological concepts which suggest that you may not be seeing the bigger picture here.

I'm here to reach out to people who want to listen, not to those who don't want to listen.

Actually, of all of the posters on here I'm probably the one who has "listened" the most...

That is the point of a forum. Please read what I have written in my OP.

I read what you had written in your OP. It sort of mirrors what you said in the part I quoted. The main difference is that you talk about "no opportunities there" and a poor work experience record.

Then, when I make a post RE: the job market being tough (much earlier in the thread), you say:

"The job market right now is very good."

Which begs the question, why the hell aren't you simply getting a new job?!

Your post is turning into a load of !!!!!!!! to be totally honest. Not listening, not learning, not doing anything about your situation. Journeyman.

Manxman_in_exile

I think I can sincerely say I've always been "too clever"(*) for all the jobs I've ever done. But that was my choice and it never bothered me.


(*) In the sense described by Les79 as "logical/mathematical". Unfortunately I wasn't as clever in some of the other dimensions of "intelligence" described by Les79. But at least I had sufficient understanding of my own personality to be aware of this...

getmore4less

Sitting around on the phone getting paid while someone else does your work is very smart.

Solution, stick to your own work OR get the work assigned to you.

Savvy_Sue

I'm idly trying to imagine a job where helping your managers by carrying out routine tasks is NOT part of the job description ... If I stopped doing this, I'd have nothing to do!!!

shortcrust

A truly clever OP wouldn't still be posting on this thread.:D

Detroit

I'm struggling to identify what advice is required, as the query is getting a little bogged down in whether the OP is clever or not, which a) it's not possible to tell (self praise being no recommendation) and b) I'm not sure it matters.

OP seems to be asking what they can do in a workplace where their abilities are not fully utilised, and leaving is not viable.

My practical suggestion would be to talk to your manager OP. Explain you have additional skills to offer (assuming you actually do) and ask if there are other areas you could participate in.

By doing so you may find that not only are you stretched a little more, but also that you gain experience to progress.

Don't make this about intelligence, it has to be about demonstrable and evidenced ability. For example, ' I enjoyed helping senior manager with the spreadsheet, and he felt I did a good job. Are there any other opportunities for this type of work?'

scd3scd4

z1a wrote: »

Almost every place of employment has somebody like you.

They're usually called mugs, or brown-nosers.

lol.........yep.




The are sooo clever they are working and doing tasks they should or could be getting paid more for, somewhere else.


Why don't your manager promote you, if you are so clever!