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Published Aug 2, 2022

706: Tessa West | How to Deal with Jerks at Work

Social psychology expert Tessa West delves into the nuances of navigating toxic workplace dynamics, offering practical strategies for building robust networks, dealing with difficult colleagues, and safeguarding your professional contributions amidst jerks at work.
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  • Kiss up / Kick down

    The "Kiss up / Kick down" type is prevalent in competitive environments, where individuals behave differently based on the presence of authority figures. shares her experience in sales, where colleagues would sabotage others to get ahead, such as hiding popular shoe sizes or stealing customer names 1. These individuals excel at gaining soft power by offering to handle tasks for overworked bosses, thus controlling the narrative 2. They are adept at reading the room, knowing who to impress and who to undermine, making them particularly two-faced 3.

    They really get away with kissing up and kicking down because they know who our safe targets.

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    Their opportunistic nature allows them to thrive in zero-sum environments, often at the expense of their peers.

       

    Credit Stealers

    Credit stealers are sly individuals who often take credit for ideas shared with them in private, particularly by bosses who have run out of ideas. notes that these individuals can also grant credit to others in public settings to maintain a positive image 4. To combat this, she suggests developing a strong "voice" at work, ensuring that ideas stick to their rightful owner by becoming an invaluable resource to the boss 5. This involves having unique skills and insights that others lack, making it difficult for credit stealers to undermine one's contributions 6.

    The best career advice I ever gotten, even in academia is have skills others don't have, so people need you.

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    By cultivating these skills, individuals can protect themselves from credit theft and ensure their ideas are recognized.

       

    Free Riders

    Free riders are team members who contribute little but benefit from the team's success. explains that these individuals often thrive because they are likable and find teams willing to compensate for their lack of effort 7. To address this issue, she recommends setting clear expectations and consequences for not meeting them, while also highlighting the positive aspects of the free rider to encourage engagement 8. Despite evidence of their lack of contribution, free riders often deny their behavior, making it crucial to have a structured plan to manage their involvement 9.

    There's always an Angela.

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    By implementing these strategies, teams can minimize the impact of free riders and maintain productivity.

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