If you are tolerating incompetence in the workplace you are not alone. Far from it. In fact I think I’d go even further and say that lack of work competence is something of an epidemic in the UK. I know I will be shouted down by the great and good who think I am cynical; I can only speak as I find based on overwhelming feedback from large and small clients and 30 years’ experience. Incompetence is a serious workplace disease – and can be a workplace disaster.

It’s noticeable that many workplace grievances which are really about someone not getting along with colleagues are described as “bullying or harassment”. Too often parties entrench, assured of their absolute “rightness”, with the consequence that ultimately one or both has to leave the business.

In today’s demanding business environment too many employers are too willing to tolerate poor performance from staff. With the cost of employment higher than any time in recent history, turning in a merely adequate performance is no longer satisfactory.

Finding good quality talent is at the top of many business’ agenda and as time goes on we’re likely to see more international teams bringing together different nationalities and cultures.

Many people seem to suffer stress and anxiety for very minor of reasons. For some sufferers this condition is quite genuine, though there’s a good number of people who give “stress” as a reason to go sick as soon as anything they don’t like happens at work.