No Asshole Rule: Post #6 - Avoiding Them

How to Avoid Jerk Poisoning: Best advice is to not join organizations or relationships with jerks in the first place. Sutton quotes Leonardo da Vinci: “It’s easier to resist in the beginning than at the end”—sound social science. In fact, when people invest a lot of time and energy, it gets harder to leave even an abusive relationship. Tough to rationalize, but true. Before taking a new job, do a job shadowing as a way to catch the culture. If you see signs of jerkdom, stay away. Avoid seeing coworkers as competitors or enemies, lest you set up a poisonous dynamic between you and them. Finally, just stay away from meeting with them, asking them questions or otherwise engaging with them. Note: See the Self-Test to see if you are a jerk on pp. 121-3…as funny as it is telling!