The No Asshole Rule: Building a Civilized Workplace

[Auggie]

Since there seem to be so many bad work experience posts in the DU Lounge, this book may be very appropriate:

Crusade against the jerk at work
Some companies seek to filter out toxic employees

SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE, 2-24-07 –– Robert Sutton, a respected 52-year-old Stanford University professor, is a gentleman and a scholar. But that isn't stopping him from making liberal use of an unprintable vulgarity to kick off his new campaign to jerk-proof the American workplace.

Sutton, a management science and engineering professor, says he's not trying to offend anyone with the blunt title of his new book, out this week, "The No -- hole Rule: Building a Civilized Workplace and Surviving One That Isn't." But he felt he needed to use an "emotionally authentic" term to spur corporate America to stamp out boorish behavior that decreases productivity, drives away talented workers and destroys morale.

"I am disgusted with the norm in business and sports that if you are a really big winner, you can get away with being a creep," Sutton said. "My dream is that leaders of all organizations will eventually treat acting like an -- hole as a sign of bad performance rather than an excuse for good performance."

For getting away with being profane, Sutton owes a debt of gratitude to retired Princeton University philosophy Professor Harry Frankfurt, who penned a best-selling book in 2005 on the Platonic essence of bull manure. " 'On Bull -- ' opened up the market for books with dirty titles for professors from fancy universities," Sutton said. Even Sutton's six-figure advance was based on the sales of "On Bull -- ."

more: http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2007/02/24/MNGMPOAK5A1.DTL

[Gidney N Cloyd]

1. See ya in the remainders aisle, professor.

[Missy Vixen]

2. I hope the book does well

"The Bully At Work" is another great book that really helps when we're all confronted with those who never learned to play nicely with others.

Julie

[CBHagman]

3. Where do I sign up?

I've had my share of good bosses and great co-workers -- and of the opposite. This description from the article resonated with me:

Sutton defines a jerk as one who oppresses, humiliates, de-energizes or belittles a subordinate or a colleague, causing that person to feel worse about him or herself. Tactics include personal insults, sarcasm, teasing, shaming or treating people as if they were invisible. He distinguishes between "temporary" jerks, those with the potential to act like jerks but who don't do so all the time, and "certified" jerks, who are routinely nasty. The certified jerks are the ones who pose the greatest threat to an organization's culture. Sutton then explores ways to implement a no-jerk rule and how to survive an environment that doesn't have one. He also warns organizations that being a jerk is contagious. Hire one, and you'll soon have plenty polluting the work environment.

But I'd add quite a lot to the list of bad behaviors from the article. Among the other things that ruin morale and create unnecessary trouble in the workplace are:

1. Backbiting.
2. Playing favorites.
3. Double standards.
4. Off-putting behavior, ranging from just plain unsanitary, crude, and untidy actions to disruptive use of the phone to dressing inappropriately.
5. Emotional outbursts.

And so on.

I wish the author well with the book! Assholery is very active in the land.

[undeterred]

6. my supervisor

"a jerk as one who oppresses, humiliates, de-energizes or belittles a subordinate or a colleague, causing that person to feel worse about him or herself. Tactics include personal insults, sarcasm, teasing, shaming or treating people as if they were invisible"

I loved the job till he became my supervisor, now I hate it.

[CBHagman]

10. I hope you'll be able to get a better situation.

I'm on the march for a new job, and have been for some time, but making the transition is hard.

I wish you well. Here's to better days and better supervisors! :hi:

[idgiehkt]

7. I don't think there is a whole lot of hope

I think the things listed above happen in any group environment and as long as people have pain inside them that they are unwilling to confront through proper channels, and instead constantly project onto others, (which they see as the easier alternative), there are always gonna be people like this running around in life. The workplace is like a prison sometimes because you cannot leave or get away from them; luckily in most other environments it is way easier to walk away (or hit ignore, as the case may be). Plus I also think that what undeterred was saying is part of the problem...the kind of boss you get stuck with really determines what kind of environment you are in. Jerky bosses are gonna bring out the jerkiness in just about everyone, and yet they are gonna be the least likely to look in the mirror and realize they are the problem. :shrug:

[hfojvt]

4. what he needs though

is some stats showing that it is bad for the bottom line if he expects a company to do anything about it. Also, there was a "No bozos" sticker in the past, but how would you make a "no a$$holes" sticker? Perhaps a picture of snarling Dick Cheney could be used, or Rummy.

[Auggie]

5. You nailed it hfojvt

The bottom line. It always comes down to money. Always. What a goddamn shame that's what it takes.

As for the sticker, I might also nominate Dabney Coleman from "Nine to Five."

[Darth_Kitten]

8. Not always, it's people being indifferent to doing anything......

about the bad,lazy,mean, spiteful, rotten workers out there. :(

The boss who wants to be everybody's "friend" so they don't do anything about the problem person until this problem person wants to make you their chew toy and then it becomes a "personality" problem you have to be dragged into. (you become the "bad" guy)

or

The superiors know they haven't earned their position so they are deliberately spiteful/dismissive/etc of the good workers, the stars of the organization, who make them look, well, not so good. :)

The problem person has dirt on the supervisor and so if their constant mistakes become other people's crosses to bear, so be it.

or

it's fellow co-workers who witness bad behaviour yet didn't see anything/hear anything/etc when you ask them to back you up.


If people want to bring their neurosis/insecurities/whatever to work, then I guess there is nothing we can do, except punish/discipline or fire them. We coddle people way too much.

I'm tired of people making their problems mine. Enough already. I've got my own baggage to deal with, but you don't see me be deliberately cruel to anyone.

[alarimer]

9. We have tried everything with a guy at work

If I were his boss, I would have fired him years ago, just for being an asshole. But my boss is way too nice sometimes. This guy does whatever the hell he wants, drives like a maniac (despite repeated admonitions) in a company truck. Does not follow our rules for doing what we do, etc. And generally walks all over people.