Don't Be an Asshole: Workplace Edition
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Simply put, don’t be an asshole
A little nugget of advice about showing up in the world, especially at work, as a better coworker, leader, and overall human being. It’s something we all could use a little reminder about that’s straightforward, simple, and pretty important which is: Don’t be an asshole.
The realities of working with others.
The truth is that the world can be tough. People are tough, and as a result workplaces can be tough. We’ve all worked with someone we just couldn’t gel with. At some point it's inevitable.
When you bring together a group of people with diverse backgrounds, personalities, communication styles, and ways of thinking, there’s bound to be friction.
And here's the thing: despite that reality, you still have control over how you show up. You get to choose how you interact with people, whether you like them or not. And that brings us already back to my main point: Don’t be an asshole.
“You get to choose how you interact with people, whether you like them or not.”
Humans are exceptional at justifying their behavior.
One of the tricky things about humans is how expertly we justify our actions. It’s tempting to think, “Well, I was totally justified in acting that way because they were rude first” or “They deserve it, they’re a pain to work with.” You name any behavior imaginable, I’ll show you someone who believes they are 100% justified in exhibiting it.
We all have many reasons why we can justify bad behavior towards other people, but at the end of the day the only person in control of your behavior is you.
The indisputable truth is that you always have a choice. You choose the words that come out of your mouth. You choose your tone of voice and body language. You choose whether you engage in gossip or passive-aggressive behavior, or speak about someone behind their back.
You fully get to decide how you respond to others, and responding poorly— whether that’s with sarcasm, rudeness, or negative comments behind someone’s back — is you choosing asshole behavior.
“You fully get to decide how you respond to others, and responding poorly — whether that’s with sarcasm, rudeness, or negative comments behind someone’s back — is you choosing asshole behavior.”
How to be a better coworker, leader, and person.
You don’t have to become best friends with everyone you work with, You can work alongside someone that you don’t personally vibe with and still maintain a positive, productive working relationship.
If you don’t like someone, don’t be passive-aggressive. Don’t throw shade behind their back. Don’t snap at them. Those things are all choices — and as tempting as it can be for some people, those are asshole-ish choices.
And this applies beyond the office too. Maybe your food order got messed up, or you had an issue with customer service. You have every right to be frustrated and feel all the emotions, but you also have the power to choose whether and how to express that frustration. You can be upset without acting like an asshole.
“When you move through your day, interacting with others, whether at the office, the coffee shop, or anywhere else — be kind, don’t be an asshole.”
This matters.
When you’re in control of your own behavior, even when things are hard and you feel lots of feelings, it boosts emotional intelligence and self-awareness. It’s about realizing that, yes, you might be upset by someone’s actions, but how you respond is your choice. Are you in control of yourself, your emotions, and the way you engage with others? Own it.
The world would be a better place if more people took this simple approach to heart. We need less drama and more grace. We need more intentionality in our interactions, both at work and in everyday life. So, here’s your reminder: when you move through your day, interacting with others, whether at the office, the coffee shop, or anywhere else — be kind, don’t be an asshole.
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This article was created by Galen Emanuele for the #culturedrop. Free leadership and team culture content in less than 5 minutes a week. Check out the rest of this month's content and subscribe to the Culture Drop at https://bit.ly/culturedrop
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