Do you have an office jerk or have you worked with one? What does that worker do that drives everyone nuts? Post a comment in this story, comment on WTOP’s Facebook Page or use #WTOP on Twitter.
Neal Augenstein, wtop.com
WASHINGTON – Every workplace has at least one — the office jerk.
Identifying and short-circuiting the jerkiness is key to maintaining a productive, peaceful and fun job environment.
Office jerks can be broken down into four categories, according to the Chicago Tribune: The One-Upper, The Loud Talker, Meeting Motormouth, and Mac the Knife.
The One-Upper always has to describe why he is more deserving of praise than you. The defense: take away the opportunities to one-up you. Don’t bring up topics he’ll try to do you one-better.
The Loud Talker usually sits right next to you. Any topic, any time, always at top volume. ‘Noticing’ out loud (and in the presence of others) that the person is speaking loudly sometimes shames them into silence. Temporarily.
The Meeting Motormouth can monopolize gatherings with wandering tales of personal accomplishments and societal observations. This person is usually nice enough. The defense is to jump in a bit earlier.
Mac the Knife is the most dangerous jerk, according to the Tribune. He’ll stab you in the back for personal gain, destroying trust you’ve developed previously. You rarely see Mac the Knife coming, so the only defense is listening to previous victims.
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