How to handle this - patronising colleague

[Offherrockingchair]

Help needed! I manage a service as part of a much bigger organisation. Compliance with various rules and regs is a no brainer, a legal requirement in fact. Colleague needs to interact with our team sometimes and is adamant that he is correct about many things - including stuff that would see us break the law! Each and every time I point this out, all I get back is a patronizing email about my failure to compromise or work as a team. I am working as a team - stopping a legal disaster before it starts. I think it’s the implication more than anything that gets me. I’m always helpful! Any witty comebacks to his usual bollocks about the need to collaborate or be more helpful welcome. I am the SME for this area and pretty senior.

How long has he been at the company?

The colleague is senior to you?

Why a witty comeback, just put him in his place.

I’d reply with the facts.l of what he said, the law it breaks and a patronising offer to help him develop his understanding of the law.

Hello X,

You suggested doing Y which is in direct contradiction to rule/regulation 123. This is a legal code and we must never compromise when it comes to following the law and as a team we must all ensure we work within the legal framework. If you are finding the rules and regulations we must follow confusing and need help to develop your understanding of why we must work within the law then please do raise this with your manager so that we can look at how members of the team with a strong understanding of this area can support you to develop this crucial aspect of the role and improve your practice.

Regards,
Offherrockingchair

‘Ahh, Jackie boy, I really wish I could let you run with your utterly brilliant idea, but I don’t think you or I would welcome having our asses handed to us on a plate by the old bill, and our director would certainly not welcome the £250k fine we’d get for ballsing this up. Tell you what, make it legally compliant and we can have another chat.’

His initials aren't CO, are they? I had a colleague like this who came over as very knowledgeable and helpful with clients - the trouble was he, as a mere member of staff, was overstepping massively into areas where he could have got us into a great deal of trouble, legal and financial, if his 'advice' had been taken. I'm thinking acting as if he was the company secretary for a major bank, for one.

You need to take this more seriously than by a witty response. He needs to be put in his place in no uncertain terms.

You don't need to be witty. Don't be a giggling woman over it, just state the facts.

Sorry ETA, I didn't mean that the way it probably came across, I mean too often women giggle to hide their discomfort when they have an important point to make, and men like it that way because we give the impression that even we don't take ourselves seriously.

“I’m not sure why you are arguing with me on this. I’ve been doing this job since prehistory.”

or “….. I know this area of the law inside out, back to front and upside down.”

Presuming both is the case

I agree with the others - don't even think of being witty.

Think of your messages being read out in a court of law and write them accordingly.

Depending on the seniority of your roles, I actually think you need to raise this issue with senior management. It's concerning that he is behaving in such a way as to dismiss rules and regulations that he clearly doesn't understand or respect.
Maybe it's a chance for him to have some training or not be in contact with your team!
Forward his emails to appropriate people to demonstrate his arrogance and ignorance.

"X, further to our conversation on (date/time), I have attached a copy of the relevant legislation. Hopefully this will help you understand why we cannot implement your proposal to do Z. If you have any questions do not hesitate to ask me or a member of the team."

Agree about forwarding his emails. Maybe to your compliance department, and ask them for clarification.

They were meant to be alternatives.

Thanks for the replies so far. Similar seniority levels but vastly different areas. Little contact until recently but he clearly has a superiority complex and is dismissive of my extensive knowledge. To date I haven’t done more than a suggestion upthread, ie highlight how doing X would contravene Y (ie stayed factual and polite). I have thought about going to his manager and highlighting the danger of his madcap ideas, but they’ve been copied into some emails and I imagine can see what’s going on. I wonder if he will end up hanging himself, so to speak. I just don’t see the need for him to add a lecture on how we can work better together in every missive! And that’s the bit I really really want to put him down about. It would be very unprofessional to tell him to get lost with his faux offense at my not falling in line with him - but it’s insulting and derisory and really - how dare he?!

Presuming either is the case.

Has someone asked him to get involved if it’s a recent development?

I'd pose questions about 'how would that work in relation to the law regarding [mention something relevant but do not quote the law or statute]' and then get him to expand on his understanding and then hit him with 'pretty sure thats illegal Dave'.

If that’s the case, i’m sure OP can come up with another similar option.