What is Weaponized Incompetence and How to Deal with It in the Workplace – Freesumes

It’s your usual day at the office. You’re minding your tasks when Jamile pops up at your cubicle, pleading to show how you’re “doing your magic in Salesforce” because he’s totally desperate. Why not help, right? 

A week goes by, and the situation virtually repeats itself. The same colleague keeps asking for your help with this or that because “he’s just not good with tech.” When such behaviors become the norm, it’s not just laziness or genuine ineptitude — it may be weaponized incompetence. 

Never heard the term? We’re diving into what this behavior really means, how it shows up in professional settings, and what you can actually do about it.

What is Weaponized Incompetence?

Derived from psychological studies and amplified by social media, weaponized incompetence is an attempt to avoid responsibility by underperforming or downplaying one’s skills instead. 

In most cases, it’s not about a genuine lack of skill or training — it’s a strategic move to take advantage of someone else’s good graces, shift workload, and otherwise dodge accountability while still reaping the benefits of “team effort”.

Although weaponized incompetence in the workplace isn’t immediately visible, it’s often present. Nod if you’ve ever witnessed the following workplace weaponized incompetence examples:

• A manager who “doesn’t understand the new CRM” and keeps delegating updates
• A coworker who suddenly becomes “forgetful” when it comes to regulatory rules 
• Another one who’s “really bad with slide design and loves how you’re better at it”

This type of intentional incompetence isn’t just annoying for people on the receiving end. When left unchecked by managers, it builds up to an unproductive and somewhat toxic work environment.  One study found that these types of behaviors lead to significant time waste, delayed projects, and overall organizational inefficiency. All of this undermines team morale, accelerates burnout, and increases staff turnover.

Is Weaponized Incompetence Always Malicious? 

As usual, there’s nuance. Sure, there are cases of malicious incompetence — when a coworker deliberately tries to sabotage you or try to manipulate you because they feel threatened. 

Lise Vesterlund, co-author of the “ The No Club: Putting a Stop to Women’s Dead-End Work” bestseller, observed that some people purposefully avoid lower-value, ‘non-promotable’ tasks at work because they don’t lend them enough credit. So it’s “easier” to offload it to a colleague who “doesn’t mind helping.” 

That said, weaponized incompetence can also be unintentional and shaped by deeper physiological issues like personal insecurities, fear of failure, or learned helplessness.  Someone saying they’re “not good with client demos” may genuinely believe that due to years of negative feedback. So they now prefer to step back and let others take over due to the fear of being judged. 

It can also be a coping mechanism shaped by past experiences where underperforming led to fewer expectations. For instance, someone who was raised by a strict parent might have learned that failing early on meant adults stopped pushing them — so now, they subconsciously underperform at work to avoid pressure.

But, whether it’s purposeful incompetence or subconscious, the impact is often the same: more work and stress for others. 

How to Deal With Weaponized Incompetence in the Workplace 

Dealing with weaponized incompetence in the workplace can be frustrating, especially when it quietly chips away your time and pushes emotional labor onto your plate. But you don’t have to keep playing clean-up crew. 

Here’s how to address the issue without blowing up the team dynamic (or your sanity).

1. Spot the Pattern

Recognizing toxic incompetence is a matter of observation. Was this person truly in need of assistance, or did they repeatedly display intentional incompetence?

Like a social scientist, keep an informal log for a couple of weeks:

• What tasks are being avoided?
• What reasons are being given?
• Who ends up doing the work instead?

This observation isn’t about nitpicking. It helps you confirm that incompetence is consistent and deliberate. Plus, it helps you figure out the motive behind the behavior and choose the right response strategy. 

2. Call It Out Tactfully 

When you’re ready to address the matter, ask the person aside (never confront them publicly because it will only aggravate tensions). Try to lead in with curiosity, not accusation.

“I noticed you’ve mentioned not being great with [task] a few times. What is preventing you from doing it effectively? ”

This opens up the conversation and gives the person a chance to be honest (or at least reflect on their patterns). If they double down on helplessness, resist the urge to swoop in and “just do it yourself.” That’s the cycle you’re trying to break.

3. Stop Enabling This Behavior

Weaponized incompetence thrives in concession. If you always cave in to requests, you’re unintentionally reinforcing purposeful incompetence. 

Step back, even if it means the task isn’t done “your way” or takes longer. People often rise to the occasion when no one is there to bail them out. To feel less guilty about saying “no”, you can also appeal to the company policies. For example, you can cite a project document or mention the task assignment in the PM tool, indicating that this clearly not your responsibility. 

4. Escalate When Necessary

If this behavioral pattern continues despite honest conversations and clear boundaries, it’s time to take it up a level. Share your observations with a manager or HR, focusing on how this behavior affects team performance, not just your personal well-being. 

Toxic workplace behaviors — like malicious incompetence — shouldn’t be ignored, especially if they interfere with your ability to do your job well.

Conclusion 

Addressing weaponized incompetence at the workplace isn’t about being petty. It’s about fairness. Picking up someone else’s slack is a textbook definition of doing work for the same pay. Moreover, addressing toxic incompetence is about creating a healthier, more accountable team culture. That benefits everyone at the workplace!