Effective Strategies for Dealing with Workplace Jerks

by Jul 7, 2023

Different personalities exist in every workplace, and among them, some individuals can make work challenging for others. These individuals tend to be selfish, aggressive, and arrogant, causing disruptions to morale and productivity in the workplace. Unfortunately, the prevalence of toxic coworkers is increasing, making it a frustrating task to handle them.

Toxic coworkers exhibit various behaviors that can complicate identification. However, they commonly demonstrate traits such as controlling, manipulating, and lacking empathy. They frequently adopt an arrogant and excessively critical attitude, consistently belittling their colleagues. These individuals thrive on drama, creating a negative atmosphere that impacts everyone around them.

Recognizing the impact of toxic behavior on oneself is crucial in addressing the issue. It is important to identify the signs and patterns of toxic behavior and understand how they affect well-being and the work environment. Setting clear boundaries becomes an effective strategy to protect oneself from toxic coworkers. It involves clearly communicating expectations and limits, and assertively enforcing them to establish a professional and respectful work environment.

Maintaining professionalism is essential when interacting with toxic coworkers. It entails focusing on positive conversations and avoiding engagement in their negative behavior. This approach sends a clear message that their toxic behavior is unacceptable and will not be tolerated.

In certain cases, practicing empathy and compassion can be a valuable approach to dealing with toxic coworkers. It involves understanding that they may have their own challenges and vulnerabilities contributing to their behavior. While not excusing their actions, approaching them with empathy can help diffuse tense situations.

I recently had a fascinating conversation with Tessa West, an esteemed Professor of Psychology at New York University, who is an absolute expert in interpersonal interaction and communication. According to Tessa, while there are undoubtedly some difficult individuals in the workplace, most of the time we are dealing with people who have their own vulnerabilities that become amplified in certain situations. This results in a spectrum of behaviors that we encounter.

Are you ready to learn effective strategies for navigating these challenging interpersonal situations? Watch now and gain valuable insights!

Be inspired by Catherine’s TEDx Talk on fostering respect and kindness in the workplace. Explore the significance of being an upstander and taking action against bullying behaviors. Take action now! Explore Catherine’s LinkedIn Learning Course, “Creating a Positive and Healthy Work Environment,” for invaluable insights. Alternatively, contact us directly to learn more about fostering a positive workplace. Empower yourself and transform your professional environment today.

 

Written by: Cleo Tubon

Do you know how much money chronically bad behavior costs your company? Spoiler alert – it’s a LOT higher than you want it to be. Download our data and worksheet to see how it’s costing your organization and what you can do to fix it.

 

Catherine

About Catherine Mattice

Catherine Mattice, MA, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, is the founder/CEO of Civility Partners, an organizational development firm focused on helping organizations create respectful workplace cultures and specializing in turning around toxic cultures. Civility Partners’ clients range from Fortune 500’s to small businesses across many industries. Catherine is a TEDx speaker and an HR thought-leader who has appeared in such venues as USA Today, Bloomberg, CNN, NPR, and many other national news outlets as an expert. She’s an award-winning speaker, author and blogger, and has 50+ courses reaching global audiences on LinkedIn Learning. Catherine’s award-winning book, BACK OFF! Your Kick-Ass Guide to Ending Bullying at Work, was hailed by international leadership-guru, Ken Blanchard, as, “the most comprehensive and valuable handbook on the topic.” Her latest book is Navigating Toxic Work Environments For Dummies (Wiley).

3 Cultural Faux Pas You Might Not Realize You’re Making

Cultural missteps happen to everyone, even the most seasoned leaders and global brands.  Recently, American Eagle launched a campaign featuring actress Sydney Sweeney with the tagline “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Genes.” The pun on “jeans” was meant to be playful, but it...

HR, Are You Part of the Incivility Problem?

You already know what it feels like to be on the receiving end of workplace “drama.” Complaints about rudeness, tension between team members, and employees quietly disengaging are all part of the daily grind. You know it’s expensive. You know it’s draining for you to...

4 Strategies to Infiltrate Civility Into Your Global Organization

At its core, civility is the foundation of a thriving culture. It shapes how people communicate, lead, resolve tension, and show up, especially when challenges arise. Civility doesn’t look the same everywhere, however. What feels respectful in one culture might come...

Is It Okay To Bully AI?

According to a Pew Research Center study, 79% of Americans interact with artificial intelligence (AI) almost constantly or several times a day. Gartner predicts that by 2026, 80% of enterprises will be using generative AI in some form. That means we’re not just...

What Exactly is Civility vs. Incivility?

August is National Civility Month! Civility has recently climbed to the top of search trends, and with SHRM’s #CivilityAtWork initiative, the conversation is gaining real traction. But here’s the question: do you truly understand what civility means in the workplace?...

Is your workforce survey measuring the right things?

Many HR leaders rely on employee surveys to gauge the health of the workplace culture, but not all surveys are created equal. Whether you're using an engagement survey, a Great Place to Work® survey, or another tool, the question is: Are you gathering the right data?...

Conscious Unbossing: Why Gen Z Is Saying “No Thanks” to Leadership Roles

According to DDI’s Global Leadership Forecast 2025, 80% of HR professionals lack confidence in their leadership pipelines. CEOs are just as concerned, ranking “developing the next generation of leaders” among their top four worries. Gen Z is shaking things up. They’re...

The Workplace Culture Model Every Leader Needs to Know

We all want a workplace where people feel seen, heard, and valued. But building that kind of culture takes more than good intentions and inspirational posters. It demands a clear-eyed look at how people behave, how leaders lead, and how the organization itself either...

From Desperation to Determination: Reflecting on 16 Years of Growth

I just got an email from a spammer offering SEO help for my very old website — www.NoWorkplaceBullies.com. I hadn’t thought about that site in ages, so I typed in the link... and there it was. The original website I built the day I started my business — though it...

Sick of HR getting the blame for bullying? (For Dummies Excerpt)

As I was writing my upcoming book, Navigating a Toxic Workplace For Dummies (Wiley), I was reminded about all the research on workplace bullying that indicates HR gets the blame for bullying, HR is not helpful, and, in fact, according to the research, most often makes...