OT: Is there a polite way?

Buy him a book.

The guy is 71 years old... and obstinate :-( ...Jim Thompson

Have an informal chat with your client. Explain that you have difficulty working with the " amatuer " and perhaps your client could let you deal wi th someone else. Who could be gaining experience so he can take over the a pplications dept. when " amatuer " retires.

Dan

Give him some of your viagra.

Except the Amateur is usually the CEO's best friend, member of a secret fra ternal group, an investor, married to CFO's wife's best friend, married to founder's daughter, highly respected for his Golf, or is the only guy who could run a certain processing machine.

Ask me how much I have experienced that when consulting/repairing some time .

Until you are sure, WHOM he really is, there is no polite way. Do the man' s work for him, and get clear...

For example, right now I'm in a position where I'm working to finish a reti rement requirement for a year, and its a courtesy for my past service. The fact that I'm working hard for them doesn't matter much, I'm in a far diffe rent department then where I'd expect to be. But I've found ways to save th em money and improve on intellectual property.

Steve

Also, Do not forget Dementia or the fact that his ability to learn may have tapered off with age, or he fears retirement. Many older men do not want to "move back in" with the wife for 40 more hours a week. Have you tried lunch or golf?

Sorry for the oddball view, but much of my training is in Educational Psychology, and much of my life has been spent as a caregiver...

There is the odd chance, that like me, he is in a "placeholder" position.

Steve

ty working with the " amatuer " and perhaps your client could let you deal with someone else. Who could be gaining experience so he can take over the applications dept. when " amatuer " retires.

That sounds about right. With perhaps some hint that your frustration is leading you to think about raising your rates for the next job.

George H.

Give him a detail analysis of the simulation, it's probably over his head and he might give up and pass it on to someone who knows.

Sometime helping speaks loud words.

Cheers

Oh, a stubborn old geezer. Well, it's a good thing that you're not experiencing, like, cosmic justice or anything.

:)

It really is a wonder drug! And I say this as a 36 year old...

snip

I wouldn't know as I was merely making a joke about both the old man, and 'the old man'.

I find it hard as hell, but it's been very effective for me in the past to take someone who's being obstreperous and negative, strip the emotion from what they're saying, and then respond to them as if they'd asked me questions in a calm and professional manner.

I've had it completely fail to work, too. I've rarely had it backfire, but when it does it's a pretty good indication that some personnel rearrangement is in order.

If you can do it in front of witnesses then if it completely fails to work on the obstreperor it at least has a chance of working on the witnesses, and changing who listens to whom.

Ask me how much I have experienced that when consulting/repairing some time.

Until you are sure, WHOM he really is, there is no polite way. Do the man's work for him, and get clear...

For example, right now I'm in a position where I'm working to finish a retirement requirement for a year, and its a courtesy for my past service. The fact that I'm working hard for them doesn't matter much, I'm in a far different department then where I'd expect to be. But I've found ways to save them money and improve on intellectual property.

Steve

Very good advice.

Good advice. Never burn bridges.

I'm five years the perp's senior. And I'm sharper than ever... revitalizing my math skills and applying them to behavioral modeling.

I've worked from my home office for more than 43 years. I have no problem being around the wife... makes it convenient for "nooners"

...Jim Thompson

I sent overwhelming data package at noon... so far, total silence >:-}

Loud words may be next ;-) ...Jim Thompson

That's what I did at noon today... silence follows.

"obstreperor"... I like that >:-} ...Jim Thompson

I do, but she would probably shoot me. She retired so she I could support her. I don't think she wants the competition. ;-)

Or that his presence/involvement/level_of_competence is resulting in you burning hours that they are getting billed for.