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I have a coworker who constantly asks questions, obvious ones and sometimes not so obvious, and always pretends to have known the answer but it accidentally slipped their mind.

example

Coworker: How do you complete this nuanced work related thing that I have never done before?
Me: This is how
Coworker: Oh DUH hahah oops

Like 10 times a week

I just don’t understand why it’s so uncomfortable to just not know the answer? Isn’t that why you ask questions in the first place?

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  • 1
    Does your coworker behaves like this to everyone or only with you? One way to stop the coworker from interrupting your own work is to stop spoon-feeding them, and give them the manual or website where they can find the answer. Do this each and every single time and they will, eventually, get bored or frustrated they will stop coming to you "ten times a week".
    – Mari-Lou A
    Commented Jan 31 at 8:52
  • The answer may depend on why the co-worker is doing this. It could be that they're insecure about revealing their lack of knowledge.
    – user888379
    Commented Jan 31 at 12:46
  • You got the nail on the head. It is insecurity and imposter syndrome but it’s not really a syndrome when they kind of are one…
    – user496959
    Commented Jan 31 at 13:40
  • It sounds to me like they're unsure of themself. After they get the answer, it becomes obvious, so they apoligize.
    – Barmar
    Commented Jan 31 at 18:19

2 Answers 2

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It could be a mutation of that ubiquitous workspace specie, the "know-it-all"...

A safe description of that personality -- and by 'safe', I mean one that would not trigger Defcon 5 in HR, if the term went down the wrong branch of the office grapevine -- would be "pretentious".

Have a nice day :)

pretentious

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  • Except it stems more from lack of confidence/ actual knowledge as opposed to the perception of actually being knowledgeable
    – user496959
    Commented Jan 31 at 13:43
  • A know-it-all is someone who answers excessively, not someone who asks questions.
    – Barmar
    Commented Jan 31 at 18:14
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You can call them

faux-expert

or if you want to sound geeky

pseudo-know-it-all

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  • 3
    Is "Answer-Pretender" a term that anyone uses?
    – KillingTime
    Commented Jan 31 at 7:14
  • A faux-expert wouldn't ask the question in the first place, they'd claim to know how to do it.
    – Barmar
    Commented Jan 31 at 18:12
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