I read this book several months ago. It was first published in 2007 by Stanford University professor Dr. Robert I. Sutton. The book grew out an of article he wrote for the Harvard Business Review. The response to the initial article was overwhelming, Dr. Sutton was flooded with correspondence from people who had stories to tell about their experience with working with an ?asshole? in the workplace. Not surprising really since we have all at one point worked with or for an ?asshole?.
The book is broken down into 7 chapters. The first of which I?ll go into is chapter 1 since it discusses ?What Workplace Assholes Do And Why You Know So Many?. According to the author there are two tests you should use in order to identify if you are in fact dealing with an ?asshole?.
Test One: After talking to the alleged asshole, does the ?target? feel oppressed, humiliated, de-energized, or belittled? In particular, does the target feel worse about him- or herself?
Test Two: Does the alleged asshole aim his or her venom at people who are less powerful rather than at those who are more powerful?
At one time or another I?m sure we?ve all had to deal with individuals who fit these criteria and not just at work.
What the author calls the ?dirty dozen? ? the weapons an ?asshole? uses is quite interesting because I?m sure at one point we have all committed one of these 12 behaviors. No one is immune to being an ?asshole? on occasion. Or as the author prefers to call a ?temporary asshole?. It?s the frequency and degree of the behavior that is a problem. This is when someone enters the ?certified asshole? arena.
The Dirty Dozen
Common Everyday Actions that Assholes Use
- Personal Insults
- Invading one?s ?personal territory?
- Uninvited physical contact
- Threats and intimidation, both verbal and non-verbal
- ?Sarcastic jokes? and ?teasing? used as insult delivery systems
- Withering email flames
- Status slaps intended to humiliate the victims
- Public shaming or ?status degradation? rituals
- Rude interruptions
- Two-faced attacks
- Dirty looks
- Treating people as if they are invisible
The author doesn?t advocate for a conflict free environment but rather one where demeaning others isn?t the status quo. Aggression and bullying in the workplace happens so we need to know how to handle it.
The book is well balanced in that it covers not only how to identify ?asshole? behavior but how it impacts both the person being demeaning as well as the ?asshole? dishing out the behavior. Both people suffer in different ways. One might have their spirit broken while the other might experience career/relationship setbacks as a result of their behavior.
Many organizations enforce the no asshole rule, but some do it with a lot more zeal than others. In most places, certified assholes are tolerated, but up to a point. People can get away with being run-of-the-mill jerks and might even score kudos and cash as a result. The rule is applied, but only to flaming assholes, who are punished, ?reeducated?, and then expelled if less dramatic measures fail. The imaginary line between an ordinary and a flaming asshole depends on local quirks and customs. An ??ber jerk? might be crowned after costing the organization a fortune, driving coworkers to the edge of madness, creating horrific PR problems, or exposing the organization to massive legal risk?even though hordes of ordinary jerks continue to get off scot-free ? Dr. Robert I. Sutton
I love that the author not only covers organizations, customer/client behavior but also how to deal with our own ?Inner Jerk?.
Admitting you?re an asshole is the first step ? Dr. Robert I. Sutton. In a nutshell to avoid being or becoming an asshole yourself you need to examine your past and current behavior?know thyself.
Source: http://shelley-ann.com/2011/07/book-review-the-no-asshole-rule/
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