--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You have to characterize your coworkers…" description: "\"“You have to characterize your coworkers and avoid the ones that degrade the workplace harmony.”\" — Steven Magee" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ca/steven-magee-129_incompetence_you-have-to-characterize-your-coworkers_2959303.jpg" --- # You have to characterize your coworkers and avoid the ones… ![“You have to characterize your coworkers and avoid the ones that degrade the workplace harmony.” quote by Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ca/steven-magee-129_incompetence_you-have-to-characterize-your-coworkers_2959303.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ca/steven-magee-129_incompetence_you-have-to-characterize-your-coworkers_2959303.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ca/steven-magee-129_incompetence_you-have-to-characterize-your-coworkers_2959303.jpg) > ““You have to characterize your coworkers and avoid the ones that degrade the workplace harmony.”” [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Advice to assess colleagues and avoid those who disrupt team harmony. **In simple terms:** Identify and avoid toxic coworkers. Key Takeaway Choose supportive teammates. Themes workplace harmony team dynamics conflict avoidance Mood cautious reflective Type advice professional When to use this quote - job interviews - team projects - performance reviews Key Concepts personality assessment team cohesion Questions to Reflect On - How do you recognize harmful behavior? - What criteria ensure fair assessment? A Different Perspective People may misinterpret or over‑generalize character judgments. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Characterize Coworkers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/characterize-coworkers-4498957/) [Coworkers Avoid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coworkers-avoid-4498956/) [Degrade Workplace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/degrade-workplace-4498959/) [Incompetence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/incompetence/) [Mental illness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mental-illness/) [Negativity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/negativity/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [Workplace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/workplace/) [Workplace Harmony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/workplace-harmony-4498958/) ## Related quotes > [“Christmas 2022 revealed the hazards of flying budget airlines.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/christmas-2022-revealed-the-hazards-of-flying-budget-airlines/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“There is a lot of willful incompetence in high altitude astronomy that is in the process of coming to light.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/there-is-a-lot-of-willful-incompetence-in-high-altitude-astronomy/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“By the time I left the electrical utility industry, I had seen levels of incompetence, illegal and dangerous activities that I could never have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/by-the-time-i-left-the-electrical-utility-industry-i-had-seen-levels/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“President Trump and author Steven Magee have both been the victims of incompetent Democrat government police departments. In President Trump’s case, he was almost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/president-trump-and-author-steven-magee-have-both-been-the-victims-of/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“Incompetence: The COVID-19 pandemic hit the world in 2019. It takes three years to train a nurse. In 2022 there is a shortage of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/incompetence-the-covid-19-pandemic-hit-the-world-in-2019-it-takes/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“Witnessing the incompetence of the police has made me scared to call them!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/witnessing-the-incompetence-of-the-police-has-made-me-scared-to-call/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“Corrupt and incompetent cops are making the world a dangerous place for good and honest police officers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/corrupt-and-incompetent-cops-are-making-the-world-a-dangerous-place/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“If you want to know what biological incompetence looks like, just take a look at high altitude professional astronomy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/if-you-want-to-know-what-biological-incompetence-looks-like-just-take/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“President Trump and the nuclear bomb launch codes...what a combination!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/president-trump-and-the-nuclear-bomb-launch-codes-what-a-combination/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“Blatant harassment by the attending law enforcement officer has been the outcome of calling 911 for protection in the past.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/blatant-harassment-by-the-attending-law-enforcement-officer-has-been/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“The pandemic revealed the incompetence of government.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/the-pandemic-revealed-the-incompetence-of-government/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“After many years of using the medical profession, I concluded that it is infested with blatant incompetence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/after-many-years-of-using-the-medical-profession-i-concluded-that-it/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“Greatest Nation On Earth...LOL!!!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/greatest-nation-on-earth-lol/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“The doctor was clueless!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/the-doctor-was-clueless/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“One of my astronomy managers used to tell me that liquid nitrogen was harmless and was just liquid air. He would pour it onto…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/one-of-my-astronomy-managers-used-to-tell-me-that-liquid-nitrogen-was/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) ## More by Steven Magee > [“The global population of Earth are involved in the following corporate government experiments: The long term effects of - 1. Nuclear bomb fallout radiation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/the-global-population-of-earth-are-involved-in-the-following/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“The police ultimately pay the price for poor customer service when citizens become fearful of them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/the-police-ultimately-pay-the-price-for-poor-customer-service-when/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“It is unnatural to fear something natural.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/it-is-unnatural-to-fear-something-natural/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“The world is witnessing one of the greatest frauds the Florida government has ever engaged in.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/the-world-is-witnessing-one-of-the-greatest-frauds-the-florida/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) is largely an interrogation agency for whistle-blowers that extracts their full range of knowledge without upholding their legal rights.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/occupational-safety-health-administration-osha-is-largely-an/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“The medical profession is a money making con, they will keep you sick on a variety of expensive prescriptions and on a yo-yo into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/the-medical-profession-is-a-money-making-con-they-will-keep-you-sick/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“There is a time and place for electromagnetic shielding and I regard it as a last resort due to the long term biological problems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/there-is-a-time-and-place-for-electromagnetic-shielding-and-i-regard/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“To riot or not to riot, that is the question.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/to-riot-or-not-to-riot-that-is-the-question/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“Publicly telling the truth on social media can be one of the most effective healing journeys.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/publicly-telling-the-truth-on-social-media-can-be-one-of-the-most/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“The W. M. Keck Observatory is the only employer that has surprised me during my employment with urine tests for illegal drugs.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/the-w-m-keck-observatory-is-the-only-employer-that-has-surprised-me/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“I will do everything I legally can to shut down the toxic Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) project atop Mauna Kea.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/i-will-do-everything-i-legally-can-to-shut-down-the-toxic-thirty/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“The difference between President Trump and Steven Magee? Steven Magee publicly acknowledges his mental illnesses.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/the-difference-between-president-trump-and-steven-magee-steven-magee/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“There were a lot of stressed out people in the company as we were discovering how dangerous the DeSoto Solar Farm was!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/there-were-a-lot-of-stressed-out-people-in-the-company-as-we-were/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“Interacting with a corrupt government judge is futile.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/interacting-with-a-corrupt-government-judge-is-futile/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“I knew I was disabled when everyday home activities became overwhelming!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/i-knew-i-was-disabled-when-everyday-home-activities-became/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) [Explore all 1,204 Steven Magee quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) ## More Incompetence quotes > [A bad artist almost always tries to conceal his incompetence by whooping up a new formula.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/a-bad-artist-almost-always-tries-to-conceal-his-incompetence-by/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [You are senile old fool, and because of your impudence, I cannot fathom how you still live!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-are-senile-old-fool-and-because-of-your-impudence-i-cannot-fathom/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [In the lead up to the Iraq war and its later conduct, I saw at a minimum, true dereliction, negligence and irresponsibility, at worse,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-zinni/in-the-lead-up-to-the-iraq-war-and-its-later-conduct-i-saw-at-a/) [Anthony Zinni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-zinni/) > [You basically have a group of four spies who are chosen for a mission they feel for the fact of how competent they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-leblanc/you-basically-have-a-group-of-four-spies-who-are-chosen-for-a-mission/) [Matt LeBlanc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-leblanc/) > [Where incompetence is prized, it is ever-present.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masha-gessen/where-incompetence-is-prized-it-is-ever-present/) [Masha Gessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masha-gessen/) > [All I am in private life is a literary critic and historian, that's my job...And I'm prepared to say on that basis if anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/all-i-am-in-private-life-is-a-literary-critic-and-historian-that-s-my/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [“Sometimes history is just an excuse for incompetence at getting along with each other.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleksandr-voinov/sometimes-history-is-just-an-excuse-for-incompetence-at-getting-along/) [Aleksandr Voinov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleksandr-voinov/) > [“Expecting accountability from the UN system was akin to expecting a blind dog to catch a flying Frisbee.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-soussan/expecting-accountability-from-the-un-system-was-akin-to-expecting-a/) [Michael Soussan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-soussan/) > [The problem that we have is the President himself- a President who prides himself on his own weakness and incompetence and whose love of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/femi-fani-kayode/the-problem-that-we-have-is-the-president-himself-a-president-who/) [Femi Fani-Kayode](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/femi-fani-kayode/) > [Sometimes incompetence is useful. It helps you keep an open mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-cavalli/sometimes-incompetence-is-useful-it-helps-you-keep-an-open-mind/) [Roberto Cavalli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-cavalli/) > [Everyone rises to their level of incompetence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/everyone-rises-to-their-level-of-incompetence/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) > [Misgovernment is of four kinds, often in combination. They are: 1) tyranny or oppression, of which history provides so many well-known examples that they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-tuchman/misgovernment-is-of-four-kinds-often-in-combination-they-are-1/) [Barbara Tuchman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-tuchman/) > [Incompetence plus incompetence equals incompetence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/incompetence-plus-incompetence-equals-incompetence/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) > [Obviously somebody had been appallingly incompetent and he hoped to God it wasn't him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/obviously-somebody-had-been-appallingly-incompetent-and-he-hoped-to/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [My mother is a big fan of precision, and tries her best to maintain it. Unfortunately, her own incompetence gets in the way. Dinner…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-galloway/my-mother-is-a-big-fan-of-precision-and-tries-her-best-to-maintain-it/) [Gregory Galloway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-galloway/) [Browse all 323 Incompetence quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/incompetence/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“You have to characterize your coworkers and avoid the ones that degrade the workplace harmony.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Steven Magee" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/you-have-to-characterize-your-coworkers-and-avoid-the-ones-that/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Incompetence" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/you-have-to-characterize-your-coworkers-and-avoid-the-ones-that/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ca/steven-magee-129_incompetence_you-have-to-characterize-your-coworkers_2959303.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ca/steven-magee-129_incompetence_you-have-to-characterize-your-coworkers_2959303.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ca/steven-magee-129_incompetence_you-have-to-characterize-your-coworkers_2959303.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You have to characterize your coworkers and avoid the ones that degrade the workplace harmony.” — Steven Magee", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Steven Magee", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“You have to characterize your coworkers...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/you-have-to-characterize-your-coworkers-and-avoid-the-ones-that/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/you-have-to-characterize-your-coworkers-and-avoid-the-ones-that/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```