Work jerks How to cope with difficult bosses and colleagues

Anyone who's ever been employed has likely experienced the misfortune of having a bad boss or coworker. This guide by consultant and blogger Carnachan breaks down the "jerktypes" commonly encountered in the workplace, and how to identify them. Throughout each chapter, Carnachan shares profiles from different employees she's coached in her decades of consulting, and what was helpful (or futile) in their case. She provides advice on everything from minor annoyances (the loud chewer) to truly toxic situations (sexual harassment). Rather than pointing fingers, Carnachan suggests it's also an opportunity for exploring our own biases and invites the reader to complete a brief worksheet in each chapter to identify which harmful traits they might also exhibit that could be corrected. Finally, Carnachan tackles the difficulties that come from a pervasive toxic work culture where there's no readily identifiable solution, and provides recommendations for how those can be addressed. Readers will easily relate to the dozens of profiles presented. Additionally, the recommendations are transferable to many different work environments. VERDICT A smart, concise guide to dealing with difficult coworkers that can be useful to managers and employees alike.--Jen Clifton

An organizational consultant highlights unsavory characters found in the workplace. Carnachan's well-organized, exhaustive study of "Jerketypes" is simultaneously unsettling and reassuring. The fact that she can identify so many jerks in the workplace may be disturbing, but her reasoned counsel for how to cope with them should have a calming effect on most readers. The author applies her decades of experience as both an employee and a coach/consultant to identify nine broad types of jerks, breaking them down into subsets. Some of them, such as "The Narcissistic Jerk," seem more dangerous than others, like "The Jokester Jerk," but all of them are worthy of exploration. In each chapter, Carnachan identifies the characteristics of one type of jerk and offers detailed suggestions for dealing with the culprit. The author covers interactions with difficult or exasperating individuals who may be bosses, co-workers, or subordinates. Carnachan includes richly described anecdotes that appropriately illustrate the behavior of each Jerketype. Several of these vignettes are drawn from the author's coaching experience. For example, in discussing the "Gang Leader," one form of Narcissistic Jerk, the author relates the story of Samantha, a skilled worker who "was an absolute misery for her manager, Ashley, because of her sarcastic and critical comments about management." Carnachan explains how she worked with Ashley to create a "performance improvement plan" for Samantha, who, it turns out, eventually resigned. "Lesson learned," writes the author. "Ashley appointed a new lead from her existing staff who had excellent interpersonal skills and good technical skills." These illustrative tales enrich the book and make for engaging reading. There is also an opportunity for self-reflection using worksheets included by Carnachan and designed to identify if readers might be Jerketypes. A chapter called "When the Jerk Is a Toxic Work Culture" discusses workplaces more broadly, defining several typical dysfunctional cultures and potential actions to take. A closing chapter reinforces a key overarching theme: "Remember that the only person you can change is you and what you say and do really does affect others." Eye-opening, insightful, and filled with practical advice about office jerks. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.