The asshole factor

My father always told me to avoid assholes at all costs, no matter how rich or powerful they might be, because I would catch their nastiness and impose it on others. I worked in an academic department at Stanford where we openly talked about the no asshole rule and used it in hiring decisions. I had published other articles in HBR , longer and more well-researched ones, but nothing had provoked such a strong response. The first example was the most common, and it reflected the pain that people feel when they are treated terribly, whether they are models, engineers, or CEOs who feel abused by their boards. And when I have done such damage to people indeed, all of us are capable of being assholes some of the time , that is what I call myself.

Find them before they friend you. My company has a No Asshole policy. When i applied, displayed on their website was the policy as part of their core values. So during my interview, i brought up the policy. It got me thinking about what it takes to be an asshole. Is it an attitude?

Sometimes I write carefully crafted pieces that rely heavily on references and calm, logical progressions. Sometimes I take historical documents and insert my interpretation and reaction to them. Sometimes I provide links to other stories all centered around a common theme. Multiple times a day I am reminded of a belief I have held for many years.

Sutton , based on a popular essay he wrote for the Harvard Business Review. It sold over , copies and won the Quill Award for best business book in The theme of this book is that bullying behaviour in the workplace worsens morale and productivity. A rule is suggested to screen out the toxic staff—the no asshole rule. The author insists upon use of the word asshole since other words such as bully or jerk "do not convey the same degree of awfulness".