We all know him or her. They are smart, and they know it. More importantly, they want to make sure you know it. They are the smartest person in the room. When reviewing an idea or product proposed by anyone other than themselves they say things like:
“Oh that sucks”
“We can do better than this”
“I don’t know how you can do it that way”
Maybe they even say out loud to a customer,“You don’t know what you are doing” or “Why did you do something like that?” All in a condescending tone.
Now they may be right. They may be the smartest one in the room. But, ask yourself does anyone else want to know that? I have seen Managers, Directors and I hate to say this even alleged Sales Professionals that have to prove that they are right. Guess what, they lost the deals.
There is a preacher I listen to; from of San Jose, CA that puts it a little differently. He says,
“We will give anything; we will even give up our lives in order to be right”. People give up their lives smoking in order to prove they don’t have to quit.”
What’s the price for being right?
Take good care.
