New Blood Has Me Boiling

I had a meeting this week with a new co-worker labeled a "Rising Star" by leadership. A real "go-getter." The future "Golden Child" of the project. It makes me want to "throw up." Sorry, quotes were stuck. It makes me want to throw up. Unwittingly, leadership has now infused this individual with equal parts purpose and self-importance. I enjoy listening to tenured personnel with singular insight and expertise. However, a plebe trying to kick knowledge without a foundation is revolting. It is the equivalent of shooting a cannon out of a canoe. If you try big things without a strong base and proper footing, everything falls apart--fast.

A lot of people are telling me I'm pretty important.

Prior to the meeting, I assembled materials on the subject matter to bring the rising star up to speed. It included a summarized version of all the documentation I had accrued over the years. The session was geared towards me talking and the go-getter listening. It worked well, for the first five minutes. He stopped the conversation. Which I made clear was okay. Any questions along the way, please interrupt. Except there was no question, it was advice. My facial expression indicated I was not asking for counsel.

You disloyal, fool-ass, bitch-made punk.

To be clear, this is a process I am handing over for production at a lower level. Specifically, my co-worker's level. This item is based on a work product with a solid track record. It is proven, sustainable, and durable. It is quickly put under the gun by someone not proven, testing their sustainability, and we will see how durable they are once responsibility is assumed. 

You are currently at a set of steak knives, don't make it worse.

To be blunt, the "advice" stunk. It is easy to ask big questions in order to sound smart. It is fun to respond to those same questions to reveal the stupidity of it. This is not a back and forth brainstorming session. It is not open dialogue. It is listening to what I have to say and asking questions as we go.

Leadership followed up with me after the meeting. "Isn't he great!", "We are so excited to have him on the team.", "He is our special snowflake that we will simultaneously enable and coddle." Okay, so I made that last one up. But it is not too far from reality. My frustrations were at the brim. I did what any well-seasoned veteran would do, I lied, "Yes, you were right, he is great." Let the newbie figure out the hard way that work comes first. Do the work accurately and efficiently to gain the trust of your team. After that, knowledge naturally follows. 

For now, he will be shoveling buckets of water out of his canoe. 

I knew I should have listened.