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I wish I would have started reading this book two years ago. I'm currently employed as my school and I honestly believe my superiors are "A-holes". I believe I will benefit from this book.
Whether you're at the "top of the heap" or creatively reorganizing your company from the inside out (or bottom up), The No A*hole Rule would be a great book to keep you company as you navigate the complexity of the modern office.It looks at:- "Is it against the law to be a jerk." from a world-wide perspective- Provides surprising insights about how to lead in fear (or in trust)- Inciting innovation by inciting smart and strategic approaches to fighting (and becoming better teams along the way)The book whets the appetites of philosophers and scientists alike, with a rich and engaging narrative that incorporates financial, psychological, organizational, emotional and, yes, even legal implications of a*holes in the workplace using specific, current case studies. Are you a leader. One of the enjoyable elements of the book is that the author doesn't preach at you from an expert perspective (although he is a respected one); Robert Sutton tackles many of the issues we're all facing right beside us. A professional with a star on the rise. A creative coworker. The book offers insightful examples from the world and his life, as well as a tidy summary at the close of each chapter as a helpful reminder at-a-glance about the simple takeaways from this complex topic.It's clear from the writing that Professor Sutton embraces the fullness of being a teacher, a scientist, a father, and a husband - all elements which may have led him to explore what makes for a more humane work environment in which everyone can thrive. This book is an enlightening companion for those of us who believe in leading more-than-one dimensional lives, whether it's in the workplace or outside of it.
Companies that publicly embrace such a policy but are its biggest offenders are worse than those who do not have such lofty workplace codes. Too many thin-skinned people are easily offended and see the most minor slights as disrespectful or insulting, thus branding the momentary jerk as a complete A-hole. I've heard some before and some new: "Argue as if you are right; listen as if you are wrong." "Fight only the battles you can win," and "Put the incident in a shoebox, place the lid over it, and put it in the freezer." Another example of taking on the A-hole boss is the woman who imagined that she had fallen off the raft (the insult or tirade from the boss), that she dealt with him in the same way she dealt with the rapids, by following the rush feet first, gently pushing the rocks (barbs) away with her feet until she found the calmer water (the end of the meeting). The author offers that it is not worth the lost man-hours, absences, resignations, new hire development, and anxiety that they breed, and the a-hole behavior they foster in others, which he is quick to add, is contagious and death to a highly-functioning and profitable environment.Sutton also suggests ways to identify a-holes in the hiring and selection process, how to deal with a-holes who are above you, how to reflect honestly about yourself, and a quiz at the end that is supposed to help you identify if you are one.
There is a theory about the latest group to enter the workforce who are called "millenials." Millenials are far different in their view of employment and authority than the baby-boomers and the generation that followed. Sutton's use of the vernacular is unique but not his ideas. So, he postulates how each business or organization should have a "No A-Hole Rule" that would deny access to bullies no matter how effective or productive they might be. He gives a specific example of a law firm and the name of one A-hole who was promoted where the majority felt he should have been terminated. To complicate matters further, he says that it is okay, on occasion, to allow one A-hole in the workplace to remind people of what behavior they shouldn't emulate.
Questions must be performance and skill related or the interviewee, and ultimately a court, could decide that the interviewer's qustions were biased and the company liable for discrimination.There are many factors that perhaps cannot be addressed, and aren't. These are helpful hints that should never be that far away from anyone's short-term recall.He is particularly on guard against projection. There were several things that I didn't care for in the book even though it has a beneficial premise. postulated a far more expansive way of dealing with social interaction in his book, "A Guide to Rational Living" and his rational-emotive behavioral therapy (REBT), which he practiced until his death last year at age, 94.
Robert Sutton isn't subtle about his title for helping others fend off the offending, snearing, dehumanizing, staring, condemning, and otherwise insulting bullies in the workplace he calls a-holes. No matter how he attempts to justify this, it sounds contradictory, and at the very least, confusing. Finding about A-holes in the interviewing process is particularly touchy. Some of the A-hole behavior described was clearly sexual harassment and there are laws against that at all levels of government. He mentions straight off how a subtle insult ruined an important event for him. This book might be helpful so long as the reader has a fair understanding of herself, something that the author admits is not customary for the human psyche. Some of his advice is effective, and seems to come out of left field for me.
The ego demands that one sees oneself in a positive light.By the way,There is always the assumption that a reviewer of this book might be one who is looking for a way to deal with his current circumstances. This book is short on content with large spacing and print in 185 pages.The author doesn't hesitate to single out A-holes by name and company, which I don't find all too honorable even if it is justified to the sufferers. This made the author appear thin-skinned, which is one thing his book cannot measure and doesn't try to. Albert Ellis, Ph.D. For the past seventeen years, I have enjoyed reporting to a supervisor who is a superb listener, who has left me to my own devices in almost every assignment he has given me.For Connie: One of the finest and most professional facilitators I have had the pleasure to observe who reported to three consecutive you-know-whats and came out whole.Also for Shaky Jake, the man who couldn't remember his own call sign or read a map, and couldn't help blaming others.
I heard about this book on Bob Sutton's blog, Work Matters. The book not only is a delight to read, it is impressive how many great workplaces follow the rule. For example, a theater company in Miami has it, so does IDEO, a financial services firm called Baird, and apparently Warren Buffett uses it in his company too. This bestseller has become the handbook for both companies and managers who want to build civilized workplaces and for people who are struggling to deal with nasty bosses and workplaces, and is quick read that is packed with great stories and practical solutions.
If you are a target of a bully, point out the costs of bullying to management. I would have liked to see a section on effective communal practices and policies and a fleshing out of what it really means to be respectful. Employers are more powerful than employees, especially isolated ones, so it takes an informed and committed employer to keep bullying at bay. You're not the problem, even though the bully claims that you are. A culture of competition, fierce independence and winning at all costs can turn anyone into a dangerous jerk. It's common worldwide and affects both men and women. The vast majority of cases come from people aiming their venom at those with less authority/power in an organization.
Such a policy should be kept in mind when hiring, promoting and firing employees. Robert Sutton's book is written in a conversational style and is supported by occasional studies. Playground bullies will become workplace bullies.Nice advice: "Treat the person right in front of you, right now, in the right way."More advice: As a target, do whatever you can to distance yourself from the bully and the situation. What pressure is s/he under. (Self-examination is something a bully does not do, preferring to jettison his/her shadow onto other people).The best predictor of future behavior is past behavior. The bully is the problem. Sutton stresses the cost of bullying - employee turnover, absenteeism, reduced effectiveness, lower job satisfaction, reduced commitment, high stress levels, burnout, and health issues. There are guidelines to help a victim calculate the costs being inflicted on the organization because of bullying.Around 25% of employees experience bullying.
Management should be convinced that such a policy would be good for the organization. Having read a number of other books on the subject of bullies, I agree with this fundamental theme. Go with the flow. In a healthy environment the bully is the victim, eventually causing his/her own downfall. Reframe the situation- you are not the victim.
The author does a financial workup of the costs one company incurred while employing a bullying, placing it at $160,000. Twenty-five percent of victims leave the workplace to escape bullies while 20% of witnesses do.Nasty interactions have five times more impact on the workplace than positive ones.This book, along with others, emphasizes that "the only thing worse than too much confrontation is no confrontation." Bullies will usually keep at it until stopped or the "victim" leaves.One chapter is devoted to self-examination. Am I a bully. Basically, if your organization creates a policy against bullying, and backs it up, bullies will have no place to hide. It may be necessary to expect less from a certain few at work.
Sutton reminds us that happiness reflects the difference between what you expect and what you get. Avoid self-blame. Look for small wins. Stay in touch with supportive people.Bullies have three blind spots1.They assume their nastiness has been instrumental in their success2.They assume their tactics for gaining power are also best for leading people3.The defensive measures of "victims" create an illusion that the bully is effectiveAs stated earlier, I agree with Sutton's main theme: creating a healthy workplace culture will keep bullies from surfacing.
Organizational culture is important. Try to empathize with the jerk. It stands to reason that the flatter an organization is, the less likely bullies will operate in it. Are you getting pushback from your actions.
See the situation as temporary. In general, a very approachable read.--Jack Bender, author of Disregarded: Transforming the School and Workplace through Deep Respect and Courage
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