Sometimes the most ignorant people assume they know the most and they don't know the difference precisely because they are so ignorant. They sound clueless and unable to appreciate good talent when they find it. This was the same thing with my last job.

I found with my students, too, that the smartest ones were aware of what they did not know and they were careful because they realized that they didn't know so much. But the less intelligent assumed that they had all of the answers and so they didn't listen or read carefully because why should they? They thought they already had the answers!