What is the best way to deal with someone who is a know-it-all, and who always has to have the last word?

Question

My office seems to be made up of several individuals who not only are never wrong, but who insist on giving you a lecture about every subject, no matter how insignificant the topic may be. You never have an actual conversation with them . . . it's just them talking and talking, and they seem to be oblivous to if you are even still in the room.

I've told them flat-out that they need to get over themselves, but they STILL keep doing it. Is that some sort of personality disorder, like narcissism? They actually seem to believe that every word they say is a life-or-death matter.

Since this is my workplace, I really can't avoid them, since I am required to be there. What is the best way of dealing with these types?

Answer 1

I know exactly the type of person that you are talking about, and we had one at our workplace....Everyone HATED working with this person and just trying to get through the day with them was exhausting....They made it a point to stick their nose in eveyone's business and lecture, lecture, lecture constantly over the most trivial things.....I got around it by saying, "I understand", and walking away...That is all I would say to them...I guess they got the message and stopped lecturing...try it...it kinda throws them off balance and they don't know what to say...LOL...good luck to you...hope it works...

Answer 2

give them an answer hey cant respond to

Answer 3

play them at there own game. really keep going for ages with them. until tey are forced to use drastic measures and use a tactic that is so low and un called for that they will stupid. or just smack em one. put dont do that until they really cross that line.

Answer 4

Make sure you have the last word and not them !!!

Say things like..:

'Yeah.. OK then..' (sarcastically)

'Grow Up!!'

'Don't worry, you'll grow up one day'

'Whatever...!'

'If I wanted your opinion, I'd ask for it'

The last one sounds as if it would work well in your situation !!

Say them loud enough for everyone else to hear.. They'll get embarrassed !

They'll soon get tired of hassling you because they know they'll get shown up in front of everyone.

I think the best way of sorting them out is to sit there and just laugh at them !! They will get really irritated at that !!

Hope this helps,

x

Answer 5

ignore them. get up and leave immediately if they do not respond to your request to stop talking. simply say " look, you may have gotten the idea that I am somehow interested in making friends here at the workplace, but I am not. I apologize if I in any way lead you to believe I would like to make any type of conversation. To avoid making this awkward, Im going to go take a walk down the hall, and hopefully when I get back, you wont be here, and we can pretend this never had to happen this way." then get up and walk away for a few minutes. the thing is, you actually have to not care what they say or do, they have to find a way to make themselves feel important, and apparently gabbing nonstop at work to ppl that dont care is the only way they can do it. good luck...

Answer 6

Try sarcasm while apparently feeding their ego and agreeing with all they have to say.  Just try it and see if it makes them stop in their tracks!  Good Luck.

P.S.  Did you say 'they are never wrong'???  Then maybe you should befriend them and learn something yourself.

Answer 7

say"ush your mush"!

Answer 8

Tell them you are too busy for a conversation at the moment and then do some work!  Or, try ignoring them when they get on a rampage. If all else fails, try to keep it humerous that way you won't have such feelings of resentment.

Answer 9

hahaha man people like that are annoying i cant stand it...ignore ignore ignore its the only way especially when you cant really avoid being around them....try telling them to shut there mouth or youl shut it for them :-)

Answer 10

We all know people like that. I find it easier to just let them be right! You know the truth and that's main thing. I think they just like the feeling of being in power and talking over you and not even giving you a chance to answer, give them false sense of power and being in control. Of course, they're not. Personally I believe that God has total control and am writing this from hospital so know what I'm talking about. The doctors at the moment think that I need their permission to pee, but ultimately God has control and I wouldn't be here unless He wanted me here.    

Answer 11

Steer such a person toward YQA.  

A few visits to this site ought to help convice him/her he/she doesn't know v much.

Answer 12

Laugh at them.lol!

Answer 13

Sometimes the best thing to do is to give them enough rope to hang themselves.  Let them have the last word if that gives them some sort of satisfaction.  It's very likely that the powers that be are well aware of this already.

Sometimes, opportunities will arise where their "last word" turns out to be very wrong, and then, if/when it's appropriate, you might have the opportunity to point that out.  

But if you want to truly be a team-player and do your best for the good of the company, you will try as much as possible to just accept this about them and work around it.  That attribute should surely make you a valuable "breath of fresh air" in your workplace.

Answer 14

By ignoring them. You know, those types of people get pretty upset when they see that people don't care about their oh so "accurate" opinions.