If Someone At Work Uses These 10 Phrases, They're Actually Highly Incompetent
ViDI Studio | Shutterstock Whether it's a lack of motivation, compensation, appreciation, or energy, incompetence often affects everyone on a professional team. If one person isn't pulling their weight, is constantly complaining or spreading negativity, and urging other people to do their work, they might find comfort, but everyone else suffers.
In some cases, an employee's perceived incompetence is actually more nuanced. It's not about laziness, like many hustle-culture enthusiasts suggest, or a lack of work ethic, but actually the environment and company culture. According to a 2014 study, a boss's incompetence can actually play into how motivated and satisfied an employee is in their role. So, if someone at work uses these phrases, they're actually highly incompetent, but it's not always a fault of their own.
If someone at work uses these 10 phrases, they're actually highly incompetent
1. 'I didn't know you needed it today'
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Many people who are highly incompetent at work weaponize their own ignorance to avoid taking accountability. They use phrases like "I didn't know" or "you should have told me that" instead of being honest about their inability to ask for help or follow up.
Like in any other facet of life, sometimes you have to be the one to step up. You have to find the clarity you need, seek out answers to problems, and manage your tasks without someone constantly watching over your shoulder. That's why the most proactive people are often the most successful.
2. 'I didn't have time'
Incompetence often manifests in a number of ways, but sometimes, sheer ignorance is key. If your boss knows how to do your job and has the power to track time, of course an excuse like "I didn't have time" will prove unsustainable if it's used all the time. It's these same people who are scrolling for hours or staring at their screen without doing any work who fail to meet basic expectations and get their work done.
While they may lack the self-awareness and self-insight to notice they're spending too much time on these passive distractions, as a study from the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology suggests, that doesn't make them any less harmful.
3. 'It's good enough'
If someone at work regularly uses a phrase like "it's good enough" when they're talking about their projects, they're actually highly incompetent. They're doing less than the bare minimum, trying to protect their own comfort and convenience at the expense of the people who have to fix their mistakes.
Of course, company culture can play a big role in this kind of effort. According to a study from the Kansas Journal of Medicine, as stress and overwhelm for employees increase, productivity worsens as a result. So, if an employee is regularly using a phrase like "it's good enough" to justify their lack of effort on projects, chances are it's not always sheer incompetence, but a lack of energy and motivation.
4. 'I can take that on'
While being open to taking on work and helping others is a facet of high-achieving employees, if this is simply an overconfident ruse, someone is going to end up disappointed and frustrated.
According to a study from the Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics, the most overconfident employees also often struggle to meet expectations and achieve their commitments. They lack the skills they brag about having when it comes down to doing the work, but want to seek the validation of offering to take it on.
5. 'That's not my job'
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When someone asks a question or for general help, an incompetent employee will always use a phrase like "that's not my job" to avoid exerting any extra energy. They're not interested in helping someone find an answer or pointing them in the right direction, because they operate from the misguided place of "that's not my problem" and "I don't owe anyone anything."
While they're usually seeking out immediate comfort, they're actually missing out on a lot by avoiding these casual conversations. According to a study from the American Journal of Public Health, offering and receiving help from others generally reduces stress and boosts personal well-being.
Even if it's being willing to spend five extra minutes connecting someone with an expert to solve their problem at work, it's these little moments of effort that make all the difference for our connections, job satisfaction, and general mental health.
6. 'I'll follow up'
If someone is constantly avoiding accountability and procrastinating their work, chances are they use phrases like "I'll follow up" constantly, even though they never do. They're trying to avoid the discomfort of admitting that they haven't started something or aren't prepared, even if it only pushes off the inevitable.
Even if they're simultaneously annoyed and irritable about a boss's competence, as most employees are, they still find ways to sidestep responsibility and fall short of their commitments in their own time.
7. 'That's not my fault'
The most high-achieving, successful workers make mistakes — it's inevitable, we're all human. But they always take accountability and find the solution, even when the problem was a product of their own doing. They take ownership to fix their messes, support people through difficult times, and help their colleagues when they're swamped.
They don't complain constantly without taking action, and they definitely don't use incompetent phrases like "that's not my fault" to justify leaning into convenience.
8. 'I always do it this way'
The most stubborn, incompetent workers often remain in patterns of stagnancy. They refuse to lean into the natural discomfort of change and often sabotage their own success by being overly rigid. Tons of research agrees that flexibility often supports healthy, happy, and productive employees — not just in work structures and company expectations, but also in navigating daily life and projects on a personal level.
So, if someone at work uses a phrase like "I always do it this way" or "I'm not changing," they're actually highly incompetent.
9. 'I thought someone else was doing that'
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Assumptions don't just backfire in your personal life and relationships — they can also quickly signal incompetence in the workplace. There's a reason why proactivity and resourcefulness are common threads through the most successful workers — you have to take accountability for your own work, actions, and needs. Nobody will do it for you.
That's why hearing someone use a phrase like "I thought someone else was doing that" is a clear sign of incompetence. They expect people to clearly define their workload, throw it into their lap, read their minds, and solve their problems without needing to do anything more than the bare minimum.
10. 'Nobody else had an issue'
Many incompetent people lack self-awareness and basic emotional intelligence for things like accountability in the workplace, but this foundation of self also makes accepting feedback incredibly difficult. They take even constructive criticism as a personal attack, missing out on opportunities to learn and grow.
Of course, everyone's usually a bit uncomfortable with feedback at work, but the best employees know how to regulate their complex emotions and take it humbly. Incompetent workers get defensive, using phrases like "nobody else had an issue" to sidestep responsibility for their own actions.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a senior editorial strategist with a bachelor's degree in social relations & policy and gender studies who focuses on psychology, relationships, self-help, and human interest stories.
