Incompetents Anonymous is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from incompetence. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop being incompetent.

The world needs less incompetence. According to US Senator Rand Paul, “the United States wasted $900 billion in 2023 on a range of projects that highlight the government’s ineptitude and wasteful expenditure.”  Levels of incompetence wasn’t much better within the European Union, which is well documented in Scandals, silliness and sloth: The best of EU incompetence 2023. Here in Canada, we are not immune to Federal Government ineptitudes that also point to a whole-of-government incompetence.

Not to worry, because a solution to incompetence can be found in the world’s first 12+1 step self-help group, Incompetence Anonymous (IA). That is right, and what better time to join IA than as part of a New Year’s resolution? Traditional New Year resolutions include stopping smoking or drinking alcohol, losing weight, exercising, or helping others. Why not add becoming a member of IA to the list?

The IA movement borrows heavily from the traditional 12-step recovery process while taking into account the unique issues surrounding the recovery needs of incompetents. These unique characteristics of incompetents, as compared to addicts, inspired the IA movement:

1. Addicts must hit a personal “rock bottom” before authentic recovery can begin. For addicts, this bottom is often very traumatic and obvious. Incompetents, on the other hand, tend to hold senior positions in a bureaucracy and are often oblivious to the ills of their incompetence. An oblivious incompetent is a more difficult nut to crack.
2. Traditional recovery programs emphasize the anonymous aspect of the process. Incompetents are not anonymous to anyone other than themselves.
3. A functional addict can still be a competent worker, but the concept of a “functional incompetent” is an oxymoron.
4. Challenges inherent in dealing with incompetents have necessitated the inclusion of an additional step in the IA recovery process. The added step makes IA the world’s first 12 +1 step self-help recovery program.

The Audacity Prayer is to Incompetents Anonymous what the Serenity Prayer is to Alcoholics Anonymous.

The Audacity Prayer: Grant me the authority to eliminate those who will not follow, the ability to terrorize those who remain, and the audacity not to care about the difference.

The IA triangle also borrows from the traditional Alcoholics Anonymous triangle, but rather than emphasize AA’s three-part solution to addiction (unity, recovery, and service), the IA triangle reflects the three key personality traits most often associated with an incompetent’s mindset (denial, immunity, and self-service). The 12+1 IA Steps, also based on the traditional AA Steps, have been enhanced with the addition of a 13^th step and the creation of various related IA support groups for those dealing directly or indirectly with an incompetent.

Now, for the first time, you can show the world you are a proud member of the IA movement by wearing your very own IA T-shirt.

The shirt is unisex sized (S, M, L, XL, 2XL), 90% cotton and 10% polyester. They can be purchased directly from Sticker Mule for $23 (including tax and free shipping in Canada) here or by contacting the good doctor, the creator of IA at drstrangejob@gmail.com. 

If you purchase a T-shirt, then send the good Doctor an email. Verified purchases dated prior to February 1, 2024 will be entered into a draw for a free IA key chain.

Help save the world by joining IA and win a chance for a free key chain by purchasing a T-shirt.

Yours in competence – Dr. StrangeJob