Well, I deal with that all the time. I am a perpetual outsider.

Generally there are several people like that every place I go. Plus those that resent me for my fees, independence, etc.

After a few days of being very passive and quiet, gathering information, helping where I can, I have usually identified those that are such roadblocks to success. I either confront them privately one on one, explaining my role as being there to help them accomplish the task, and not to demean or belittle anyone, or I have them moved to a role that will not obstruct success of the project. I have found through years of experience that while my technical knowledge is a key skill to bring to a job, it is usually my ability to identify and neutralize "people problems" that are ultimately what bring a project to success.

There have been several projects where the key person was the problem... The task there is to organize the support team such that they can tolerate and even facilitate the success of the problem person and therefore the entire project.

The important principle is to keep the overarching goal of the team in mind, and organize the team to accomplish that goal. Sometimes is means the arrogance has to go, and sometimes it means the arrogance has to be catered to.

Just be real about what it is you want to do, and find the best way to do it. You don't have to destroy a barrier, you just need to get past it. I do my damnedest to save someone from the hatchet but if after explaining how its going to be, they sometimes throw themselves upon the blade neck first. Usually that's someone who cannot come to grips with their unimportance.

Not at all... 'twas my mistake.

No, unfortunately by your own standards you are arrogant here. Its how you deliver the information. Patience and tolerance for ignorance go a long way towards people having respect for your knowledgebase.

I consult for a living. Having the knowledge is the relatively easy part. Being able to deliver it to the client in a way which will allow them to understand their ignorance, and the content of your information bolus, without making them feel stupid and inferior... That takes diplomacy, and compassion, and work. When you can interact with others on a subject which you are expert in and they are not, without making them feel inferior and imparting part of your knowledge to them at the same time, then you are a success.

more its an indication that one can learn what is necessary to accomplish a goal, interact with others (unlikely a sociopath), exhibit determination and patience, and learn somewhat independently.

A college degree signifies that you possess a basic group of skills that are found useful in most business. A specific degree indicates you can probably take a decent whack at accomplishing something in your field, and are prepared with the basic knowledge to learn how its really done out in the actual world.

It decreases the RISK to a company that they have made a bad hire, which is why its used as a criteria. Like it or not, by and large it works.

Come to Louisiana... its REFUNDABLE 50% here!

Amazing thing is I find it useful without those things.

I use it for :

an e-reader
game playing
surf the web
operate my home theater and many other home automation stuff
invoice clients when out and about (I send em a PDF invoice via email as a recpt for payment)
email
and a few other things.

I have to breakout the laptop when programming, a need to download a utility or driver update for a client, or I want to compose a long document I could do better with typing on a physical keyboard... and few other things.

I LOVE the long battery life

Tell that to Mr Snipes.

Whaaaaaaaaat?

HAHA Stone Mountain. Have you checked that out thoroughly? What a joke. Maybe not though, but they sure have developed a shady reputation, and construction is at a standstill.

Wow then you may be doing something wrong... planned replacements is where I spend my money (the bulk of it) and it provides less of a business interruption to replace things in a planned fashion than in a reactive fashion.

Yeah, I am a conservative, but I am not such a fan of her... rather embarrassed by her. The Republicans need to voice solutions and not just picking apart what we have now or the plans of the opposition. Then the people can get behind them.

Sure, your ticket is printed on this lead thing stored in the chamber of this .357... you have to suck the barrel to get it out.

Shit... they arent now! And our current government is the result.

Yes but it provides the opportunity... the opportunity I say... to get a basic foundational education that can lead to a happy productive adult life. The fact that it keeps the kids at school so we can go to work is a bonus. BTW my wife is an at home mom so she really gets a kick out of that stuff.

That was pretty much my take on my mechanical engineering degree... it taught me how to learn and tackle stuff I didnt know by going to the book. I am now an IT administrator, own my own business doing so, and have essentially gutted and rebuilt my home by myself... learning all the trades along the way. Learn how to learn and your prospects are WIDE OPEN.

I do crap for client that is totally unrelated to IT, because they see I learn a subject, and can manage my time and a project, and they find that valuable and so pay me oodles to be able to hand a project to me and know that I will "own" the project until its completed correctly.

Learn how to learn, and dont be afraid to say "I dont know but I can find out".