You Don’t Know Anything, But I Prefer You Anyway

No one really likes to work with a jerk, at least not when they have a choice. Researchers at Harvard Business School may not win any awards for that insight, but they have also learned that people prefer to work with a lovable fool than with a competent jerk.

After examining 10,000 work relationships, researchers concluded that being liked is often the most important factor in getting hired, promoted, or placed in project leadership roles. People are willing to trade the overhead of working with a jerk for the ease of working with a likable person who needs help to get things done.

The preferred personality: the lovable star.

If you want to advance in your career, or in your business, you might want to consider losing your inner jerk.

Comments

[Doug Bates]

It would be interesting to know what differences there were between those who prefer the lovable fool and those who prefer the competent jerk. Are those who prefer the competent jerk more successful themselves?

[Vladimir Orlt]

Yes, and several interview handbooks state that 'the most qualified candidate doesn't always get the job'

Having some experience in supervision, I tend to prefer the 'competent jerk', as long as (s)he is relatively low-maintenance... 'lovable fools' get especially difficult to manage under stressful situations (looming deadlines, etc.)

[Tom Vander Well]

You're right - it seems like a simple insight, but it has tremendous consequences. Having the opportunity to work with many companies and observe many different levels of management, I've always scratched my head at some of the air-heads that move up the ladder. Likewise, there have been very intelligent people who've hit the glass ceiling early because no one wants to work with them.