Title: Geniuses, Worriers and the Annoying People Who Make Us Better

URL: https://www.infobip.com/engineering/geniuses-worriers-and-the-annoying-people-who-make-us-better

It’s happened to you, hasn’t it? u003cstrongu003eYou forgot that you’re working with humansu003c/strongu003e - real, living, breathing people who have flaws and their own life. 

And because of their human nature, sometimes it is u003cstrongu003edifficult to work with themu003c/strongu003e – whether they are geniuses, creative thinkers, or simply have strong personalities that challenge the status quo. Sometimes, they simply have their own opinions and plans, and those deserve respect too. 

Let me share a couple of fictional examples - you’ll probably find them familiar… and very human. 

## Scenario 1: Working with a genius? Hold on tight!

Imagine this scenario: you start a new job, filled with new beginnings and learning opportunities.  

And then you meet your new mentor, let’s call him Mateo. u003cstrongu003eHe’s a genius, but like many brilliant minds, he can be a bit unconventionalu003c/strongu003e. 

Among other things, he dislikes: 

u003cliu003eThe way you hold your hands on the keyboard.u003c/liu003eu003cliu003eYour code formatting (even though it follows the company standard, because “THE COMPANY IS WRONG”).u003c/liu003eu003cliu003eYour lack of enthusiasm for his endless discussions about the state of Samurai Bushido code in the 18th century.u003c/liu003eu003cliu003e… u003c/liu003e

You often feel like quitting, but you can't bring yourself to do it. Why? Because he's incredibly smart, and u003cstrongu003eyou know there's so much you can learn from himu003c/strongu003e. Simply put, he's truly invaluable. 

That time spent together (along with the countless technical skills you learned from him) taught you several valuable lessons: 

u003cliu003eu003cstrongu003eBe credibleu003c/strongu003e: Investigate the issue and support your claims with firm arguments. You lose everything by losing credibility. u003c/liu003eu003cliu003eu003cstrongu003eBe persistentu003c/strongu003e: Work hard while working smart. Work on something that inspires you. That will bring you joy along with results. u003c/liu003eu003cliu003eu003cstrongu003eYou can't change the essence of who someone isu003c/strongu003e: Each of us is unique, and so are our behaviors. While styles may evolve, core behavior patterns are much harder to alter. So, don’t expect them to change. This leads us to... u003c/liu003eu003cliu003eu003cstrongu003eUse different approaches for different peopleu003c/strongu003e: To navigate the many differences between us, it’s essential to respect them. Some prefer a more formal approach, while others lean toward the informal. What may seem like a harmless or funny remark to you could be perceived as an insult by someone else. It’s important to listen to those around you. Finding a middle ground through compromise is key. u003c/liu003eu003cliu003eu003cstrongu003eCompromise is a way to gou003c/strongu003e: Your goal shouldn't be to win the argument, but to build meaningful relationships with others, because true success comes when we win together as a team. Humans are naturally inclined to collaborate, and compromise is the foundation of that. I view compromises as the result of mutual recognition and understanding. u003c/liu003e

## Scenario 2: Before anything else, we are human 

Frantic shouting fills the cubicle: “WHERE IS THAT PASSWORD?!?!u0022 You need au003cstrongu003e password for a forgotten appu003c/strongu003e. Đeni knows it, but she’s on maternity leave. 

“CALL HER!!!” the boss demands. 

You call Đeni. “We need the password for xyz app.” 

“It’s in the password file.  And tell them u003cstrongu003eher name is Ana, she weighs 3 kilosu003c/strongu003e.” 

“Got it! Bye!” 

You pass on the info to the team: “Đeni says the password’s in the file, and her name’s Ana, she weighs 3 kilos.” 

“Okay, good,” they say. 

Then, 30 seconds later... 

“ĐENI HAS A BABYYYYYY!!! ĐENI IS A MOM!!!!” 

So don’t be like that - u003cstrongu003epeople are so much more than a forgotten password and more then their rolesu003c/strongu003e. And also keep in mind this two tings: 

u003cliu003eu003cstrongu003eHuman moments matteru003c/strongu003e, even in high-stress environments. u003c/liu003eu003cliu003eu003cstrongu003eCommunication goes beyond the simple exchange of informationu003c/strongu003e; it’s a tool for building trust, understanding, and emotional bonds. True communication fosters connection by allowing people to feel seen, heard, and valued in their interactions. u003c/liu003e

## Scenario 3: Excellence speaks louder than ambition

A new guy showed up one day, applying for a support role. You looked at his resume and thought, I’ve never seen anyone more overqualified for this position. 

“Josip, with your background, why would you want this job?” 

He smiled and said, “u003cstrongu003eI’m done chasing a careeru003c/strongu003e. I just want to do my shift, go home, and not think about work.” 

“Alright then,” you said, handing him the keys. “We need these 10 computers delivered to our branch office.” 

“Yay!” he replied, grinning like it was the best news he'd heard all day. 

And just like that, Josip became u003cstrongu003ethe best support person we ever hadu003c/strongu003e. 

He solved problems no one else could, worked harder than anyone, organized chaos into order, made the team laugh, and somehow always found the right words. He wasn’t just good - he was remarkable. 

So remarkable, in fact, that within seven years, u003cstrongu003eJosip became your CTOu003c/strongu003e. He didn’t chase a career. The career found him. 

Because no matter how far you run, u003cstrongu003eyou can’t outrun your talentu003c/strongu003e. 

So, this is a reminder that: 

u003cliu003eu003cstrongu003eGreat people don’t need fancy rolesu003c/strongu003e to show their worth. u003cbru003eHumility, hard work, and authenticity often u003cstrongu003eoutshine calculated career movesu003c/strongu003e. u003c/liu003eu003cliu003eu003cstrongu003eTalent has a way of revealing itselfu003c/strongu003e - and being recognized - when it’s rooted in genuine effort. u003c/liu003e

## It’s always about people

Work isn’t just about tools, tickets, or deadlines. It’s about people - the brilliant, the difficult, the surprising, the human. 

And yes, u003cstrongu003epersonalities clashu003c/strongu003e. Egos flare. But when we pause to listen, adapt, compromise, and support each other, we unlock something far more powerful than individual achievement - we build real teams. 

So the next time someone tests your patience or surprises you with quiet excellence, take a step back and remember: u003cstrongu003egrowth often comes from the people who challenge us the mostu003c/strongu003e. And the best teams are built not just on skill, but on empathy, humility, and human connection.