What to Do with Bad Guys, and How Not to Become the Same?



07/16/2015 6:07 PM


Have you ever been in a team with an upstart who kept on the alert the whole team? Cooperation with such people affects productivity, overall atmosphere and self-esteem of each team member. After all, the effect of upstarts’ behavior is cumulative because negative interactions affect our moods more strongly than positive ones. Robert Sutton of Stanford University in his book ‘The No Asshole Rule: Building a Civilised Workplace and Surviving One That Isn't’ tells about how this kind of people interfere with the team and what to do with them.



Almost everyone occasionally behaves like a scoundrel. Among them there are even professors at Stanford University. An author and business school professor Robert Sutton pleads guilty of many crimes such a kind. For example, once angry at the employee, who suspected (wrongly) in the intent to take office in the group, Sutton sent her insulting e-mail. He put her superiors and subordinates in CC, as well as other members of the teaching staff. She just said, "You made me cry." It was all a big mistake, for which the professor is still ashamed to this day. That happens. Under certain circumstances, each person has the potential to act as a scoundrel. It is important not to become a "Certified one" who are constantly causing harm to others.
 
The hallmark of teams and organizations, which are controlled or attended by bad that they permeated the atmosphere of fear, hatred and desire for revenge. In organizations, built on terror, the staff constantly look back, trying to avoid accusations and humiliations. Even knowing how to help companies, they often simply afraid to do it.

Scoundrels that offend people often themselves become victims of their own actions. Employees who are permanently mentally and physically devastate others, undermining the effectiveness of their own, setting up management and colleagues against themselves and weaken their social connections. People who amused himself by consuming power at others - suck all the juice out of their career.

Before you accuse a person and put a label of an incorrigible tyrant on them, try to understand the situation and look at it from all sides. Sometimes it happens that some reserved or unfriendly, but decent staff are easily mistaken for certified scoundrels. Of course, there are people with whom that method does not work: the more you get to know them, the more you get proof that they are typical bad guys. But it is better to make conclusions based on accurate facts, not on frivolous submissions.

Limit contact with scoundrels, to reduce the chance of contracting the "scoundrel fever". In addition, the tactics of evasion of communication with these people reduces the damage caused by them. The longer we remain surrounded by scoundrels, the more prone we are to becoming exactly the same.

If you feel that the atmosphere around you is penetrated by the actions of scoundrels, gather belongings and leave the room immediately. Quit or stay away from the bad guys as far as possible.

The difference between the ways a person deals with the powerful and without any real power people, is the best measure of human nature. Would you like to surround yourself with people of integrity?

based on ‘The No Asshole Rule: Building a Civilised Workplace and Surviving One That Isn't’ by Sutton Robert I.


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