I like the 4 categories of people when looking for a good employee
Dumb and lazy
Smart and lazy
Dumb but ambitious
Smart and ambitious
3 & 4 might work out
A=Smart and Motivated
B=Not Smart, but Motivated
C=Smart, but not Motivated
D=Not Smart, Not Motivated
F=Never here
That is sort of the rubric used by the German Chief of Staff Von Clausewitz I think before WW1
According to him Smart & Lazy often made good officers and managers because they knew what needed to be done, did it and would not exceed their orders. They would do what needed to be done with economy of material and effort. They were reliable and competent if not imaginative and most importantly were willing to delegate.
The best Generals were the stupid and lazy because they would fob off the job to the ambitious, and smart subordinates. They would not micromanage a situation and tended to listen to advice when finalizing plans.
The man to be avoided at all cost was the stupid but ambitious man. He was too stupid to know he was wrong but ambitious enough to try anyway.
The smart and ambitious man was useful rising through the ranks but tended to be reckless as they gained rank.
I think that is how it went.
3 is dangerous
That’s the same list I go by. It seems to hold true.
Dumb or smart mixed with lazy is toxic in the workplace. Sometimes entitlement is just about as bad as lazy.
#12 I am afraid I am Smart and lazy...
I hate tests. Anytime I have a form to fill out I need to 2 as I screw up the 1st one such as First name______ Last name______
I almost always put my whole name in First name______ field.
I blame the form myself, yeah that’s the ticket. Not my fault at all.
I am still smurt.