Book Review: "The No Asshole Rule: Building a Civilized Workplace and Surviving One That Isn't" by Robert I. Sutton (2007)

We've all had to deal with them, and sometimes, we've been them - the workplace asshole. Stanford professor Robert I. Sutton has written a 200-page guide on to how to deal with these jerks that is realistic, honest and useful.

How do you know an asshole when you see one? Sutton says there are two main traits that define the asshole: first, the asshole's target feels worse about him or herself after encountering the asshole than before; and second, the asshole kisses up and kicks down. This type of behaviour, if left unchecked, is costly both in terms of money and morale, as the author illustrates.

So what do you do when you're confronted with an asshole at work? Instead of trying to pretend that you can change the situation on your own, Sutton gives a very practical piece of advice: let it ride. Don't let it bother you and just shrug it off. If this is easier said than done, he says that you need to look for small victories against the asshole, limit your exposure to them as much as you can, and look for places where you can go to vent - but be careful with this last one, because it can become self-perpetuating.

All that said, Sutton recognizes that there are some assholes who are very successful - for instance, Steve Jobs, Michael Eisner and Harvey Weinstein, but overall, the costs of being an asshole outweigh the benefits for the long-term success of organizations.

As a relatively young person in the white-collar world, I often find that people who are in positions of authority over me are more easily able to follow Sutton's advice of "shrug it off" more easily because they are much closer to retirement than I am. I'd be interested in hearing how Sutton would advise those in the 40-and-under-crowd who have a hard time squaring that circle - wanting to be part of something that is worthy of their time and talent, yet struggling to achieve a state of indifference towards workplace cultures that tolerate assholes. After all, if the asshole kisses up and kicks down, as Sutton says, it's often those of us who are establishing ourselves in our careers who have to deal with them most frequently. (What are we going to do, just get up and unilaterally leave a meeting when someone starts acting up?)

In any case, everyone who works with people ought to read this book, or at least, take this exam to determine whether or not others in the workplace may see you as an asshole.

After all, admitting you are one is the first step to recovery.

Overall rating: 7/10