By: Tamara Schweitzer
Based on concepts from Robert Sutton's new book, The No Asshole Rule: Building a Civilized Workplace and Surviving One That Isn't, find out if you would be considered one of Suttton's "assholes."
Below is a list of 12 common everyday actions that assholes use, or as Robert Sutton likes to refer to it, "The Dirty Dozen." Score yourself based on how frequently, or how little you think you commit the following actions at work.
1 - Never
2 - Once a year
3 - Once a month
4 - Once a week
5 - Daily
- How often do you dish out personal insults?
- How often do you invade the "personal territory" of others?
- How often do you start uninvited physical contact with coworkers?
- How often do you use verbal and non-verbal threats and intimidations?
- How often do you make sarcastic jokes or teasing remarks?
- How often do you send out withering e-mail flames?
- How often do you intentionally demean people's status in front of others?
- How often are you the instigator of public shaming or "status degradation" rituals?
- How often do you interrupt people in a rude manner?
- How often do you make two-faced attacks?
- How often do you give coworkers dirty looks?
- How often do you ignore others as if they are invisible?
SCORING DISCLAIMER: The results of this quiz are not scientifically founded, but they are based on rigorous research done on bullying and psychological abuse in the United States and the United Kingdom. Professor Sutton's hunch is that if you scored....
Under 13: Not quite an asshole. You understand proper workplace etiquette, but you aren't perfect. You have some slip-ups every now and then; just make sure you keep them to a minimum and only when you're having a really bad day.
Under 25: Borderline asshole. Another mean move could put you over the edge. Your coworkers are developing hateful feelings towards you. Redeem yourself now while there's still time.
Between 26 and 45: Asshole alert. You have officially turned into a jerk and your negative demeanor is affecting everyone around you. You may want to start looking for a new job because you are probably in hot water with your boss.
Over 46: Extreme asshole. What's wrong with you? Didn't your mom teach you how to treat anyone right? You won't get anywhere if you continue to act the way you do. The polite thing to do is to dismiss yourself before your band of enemies team up and resort to drastic measures.