Good Reads: The Next Generation of Work

From the Indianapolis Star: "Today's age groups express their values and perceive work differently:

• Valuing family: Older men show they value their family by working long hours to make lots of money. Younger workers like to show they value their family by spending more time with them.
• Experience: The older generation tries to maintain its clout by emphasizing experience, which it equates with knowledge. The younger generation values experience not "just because," but by analyzing whether anything was learned or gained from it.
• Respect: Older workers want to be held in higher esteem than their younger peers, because they are older or earn more. Younger people also want esteem and to be listened to, but they have no expectation that they should be deferred to in decision-making.
• Work ethic: Older workers believe younger employees don't want to put in the hours necessary to get ahead. Younger workers are willing to put in the time for their jobs, but they're uninterested in having a lot of "face time" at the office."

To attract the best and brightest of coming generations of workers, companies and managers will likely have to adjust their expectations of what the work day, work week, and work life look like, using communications technology and infrastructure, allowing flexible work schedules that still get the right work done the right way.

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Good reads: "Leader Machines", Fortune, Oct. 2007

In this article, Geoff Colvin demonstrates the power of a leadership-building culture. Instructive excerpts:

"Your competition can copy every advantage you've got -- except one. That's why the world's best companies are realizing that no matter what business they're in, their real business is building leaders. Here's how the champs are doing it."

Fortune teamed with Hewitt HR outsourcing/consulting, and RBL Group to study how companies develop leaders, and which are doing it best. The top "academy companies" --those whose employees move on to top leadership in many best-performing large corporations -- include GE and Procter & Gamble "Says Hewitt's (Robert) Gandossy: 'companies that provide people with opportunities to learn and grow become talent magnets, drawing scarce talent in droves.' By continually attracting the most promising graduates and then developing them, these firms become higher-performing organizations, enhancing their ability to attract the best -- a self-reinforcing cycle that makes the company more dominant every year." Traits shared by the top companies for leadership development:

Invest time and Money:

"At GE, Immelt reviews the top 600. Bill Hawkins of Medtronic (No. 12) spends 50 percent of his time on people issues, and many of the other CEOs reported similar percentages -- making it the largest commitment of time they have." The University of Michigan's Noel Tichy, an acknowledged authority, says checking a CEO's commitment is as simple as looking at the CEO's calendar. "Yet the CEO's time is only the beginning. As those who report directly to the boss see what the focus is, they also become devoted to developing talent, as do their subordinates. It's called the cascading effect.(...) Virtually all of them evaluate executives partly on how well they're developing people."

Identify Promising Leaders Early

GE starts on day one, and many discreetly observe interns to see how they get others to work for and with them.

Choose Assignments Strategically

Eli Lilly (No. 13) president/COO John Lechleiter offers this model: Approximately two-thirds of leadership development is from experience, one-third from mentoring and coaching, and a bit from classroom training.

Develop Leaders Within Their Current Jobs

Divisions struggle when bosses move on after 18-24 months. Nokia (No. 3) and Eli Lilly (No. 13) report great success with current programs that use short-term work assignments and additional assignments outside employees' fields of expertise to develop managers within their current assignments.

Be Passionate About Feedback and Support

Companies on the Fortune list "combine frequent, honest assessment with plent of mentoring and support. So when people are told what skills they need to improve, they're also offered programs or coaching for doing it."

Develop Teams, Not Just Individuals

Immelt says the GE he grew up in did primarily individual training, and that it led to problems. "He'd attend a three week program at Crotonville, but back at work 'I could use only 60 percent what I'd learned because I needed others -- my boss, my IT guy -- to help with the rest.' And maybe they weren't onboard."

Exert Leadership Through Inspiration

How well does it work to make people do what you say by firing and promoting? A.G. Lafley of P&G says, "The command and control model of leadership just won't work 99 percent of the time." Which is why P&G runs a development program called "Inspirational Leadership." American Express similary has "Leadership Inspiring Employee Engagement" and it is mandatory for every VP and above.

Encourage Leaders to be Active in Their Communities

Leaders, the company, and the community can all impact on another in positive ways, benefitting all.

Make Leadership Development Part of the Culture

"Developing leaders isn't a program; it's a way of living. For example, honest feedback has to be culturally okay. At many companies it isn't. Devoting significant time to mentoring has to be accepted. Working for nonprofits has to be encouraged, not just tolerated. Such cultural norms can't be dictated; they have to be in the air." ------ "Good as these companies are, not one of them is satisfied with the way it develops leaders. They all have plans for improvement, mostly by involving more people, working more with teams, and refining their views of what skills tomorrow's leaders will need. None are scaling back." (emphasis added)

Does your company have a culture of leadership development?

Krissi Barr (an alumna of P&G, #2 "Top Company for Leaders") can help. Call her at 513-470-8980 or e-mail krissi@barrcorporatesuccess.com. Or for more information, please visit our website.

Coaching -- What executives say

Executive coaching has become a popular leadership development technique. A research study by Christine Turner, published in the Ivey Business Journal, asked executives themselves what benefits, if any, they've received from executive coaching. Turner was guided by questions like: What are the benefits of executive coaching? What are its limitations? What factors are critical to its success? The executives typically cited these goals: to fine-tune their vision for their business, empower and motivate staff, improve communication and listening skills, and become more confident and assertive.

The benefits of executive coaching as a leadership development tool were:

• Continuous one-on-one attention

Since executive coaching takes place over an extended period of time, it becomes a great way to not only acquire but ingrain learned skills. Coaching achieves results superior to attending a course, reading a book, or having a discussion.

"Executive coaching works for the 'leadership, performance, personal effectivenss and 360-degree development (she) wants... Coaching provides a consistent, long-term development that gets embedded and becomes part of your routine."

• Expanded thinking through dialogue with a curious outsider

"Dialogue, fuelled through powerful questions, is at the heart of the coaching process. In coaching conversations, executives think out loud, become more reflective and gain access to their own tacit knowledge and unexplored ideas. The coach's role is to act as a sounding board, confidant, partner, challenger and catalyst for change."

• Self-awareness, including blind spots

"The expression 'no pain, no gain' is true for coaching; it is not easy to be challenged out of your business-as-usual comfort zone." The value is not for a coach to be really nice, or another friend. The value is having someone who sees what you don't see, and says what others won't.

• Personal accountability for development

One can learn proper form in a one-time fitness course, but quickly lose the way by cutting corners, using poor technique, or skipping workouts. Executives, like athletes, benefit from the ongoing personal training that creates momentum and ensures accountability for development and achievement of goals.

• Just-in-time learning

Because it is personal and situation-specific, coaching provides learning on the spot for special situations and new challenges.

Limitations of coaching...

To have the best possible experience with executive coaching, clients need to ensure that their coach offers:

• Defined methodology

Coaching is popular, and many non-expert, non-trained coaches are offering services. Those coaches can be a waste of time, money, and energy, "paid friend" who informally advises, rather than guiding clients to develop new skills and capabilities that generate lasting results. Be careful. Do your homework. Ensure that your coach has extensive business experience, proven methods, and a solid track record. (To read about Krissi Barr's extensive experience and career, please visit http://www.barrcorporatesuccess.com/kbarrbio.php. For real results of clients, please go to: http://www.barrcorporatesuccess.com/success.php)

• Defined shared language

Executive coaches must be familiar with the language of business, and be able to not only speak it well, but offer real-world business expertise. Again, do your homework, and define terms upfront.

• Clarity of focus

While an executive coach can offer brief situational guidance on personal matters, the focus should always return, quickly, to business skills and business results. Executive coaches are not therapists or medical practitioners. Any ethical coach should refer clients to professional therapists for highly personal or dysfunctional situations.

• Continuity between sessions

There should be an "arc of learning" and a defined pattern of progress, follow-up, and ongoing goals. If a coach cannot define, organize and follow a plan, he or she cannot help you do so.

• Measurement of results

Measurement is an important means of making sure that you do what's important, do what matters, to achieve your long-term objectives. When you try to reach a destination, you do so with mile markers and an end destination in mind. Anything else is an aimless stroll through the countryside!

Krissi Barr of Barr Corporate Success is a respected and celebrated executive coach and business consultant offering individual and team coaching. In her twenty-year business career, she achieved amazing results for companies she worked for, and for more than 5 years has independently offered coaching that helps others achieve outstanding results.

For more information, visit Barr Corporate Success.

Getting Past "But..."

A successful career in sales requires not just a tough skin or ability to withstand rejection. The most successful sales reps are able to not just withstand rejection, but also to examine rejections and objections to identify customers' very real needs and concerns. Initial objections from customers aren't simply "no," but a jumping-off point, the beginning of the conversation. Any information the customer offers is a means to discovering and understanding their needs, priorities, and anything in your company's performance with room for improvement.

When are Objections Beneficial? Always!

Objections are a natural part of the buying process. Appreciate them! They show that the customer is actively interested, or he/she wouldn't be wasting their time talking about it. Objections allow dialogue about questions and doubts, give information for strategic moves in the future and the direction of your company's product and service development. They provide an ideal starting point to educate the customer about your products, your service, and your willingness to go the extra mile. Objections reveal the customer’s concerns. When objections are handled well, the result is a good relationship and enhanced trust between customer and sales rep.

Process for Handling Objections:

Step 1 - Encouraging

Draw out the objection. Listen. Don’t try to answer right away. Acknowledge it without interrupting and let the customer express his or her reservations completely. Show empathy and put yourself in their shoes. Empathy defuses antagonism and resistance, transforming confrontation into mutual problem-solving. (Seven habits -- seek first to understand, then to be understood.) Be patient. Your turn comes when the customer feels heard and understood. “I can see how you would be concerned about that.” “I’d feel the same way if I had your responsibility.” “Can you tell me more about that?”

Step 2 - Questioning

Ask questions to clarify the objections and draw out the underlying reservations. Frequently, the real objection is different from what the customer first expressed. (Just as in your personal life -- someone may seem angry about the dishes, but it may go back a few days to when you forgot to make an important call... all anger is not caused by the immediate stressor. ) Don’t interrupt and assume you have it all wrapped up, launching immediately into a "counter." “And then what?” “What are your biggest reservations”? "What other concerns do you have?"

Ask open-ended questions that lead to an informative response, rather than yes/no questions.

If you've ever worked as a telephone market researcher, you may recognize the direction,

"Ask until unproductive."

That's when the agent waits for you to finish, recording all that you say, and then asks, "What other words would you use to describe the dishwashing detergent...?" And they continue to ask until you say, "Can't think of anything else!" Ask those questions again and again until they are unproductive (but not annoying), to be sure you get to the source of any objections, reservations, or negative feelings. You may even see a physical relief of tension in the shoulders of your customer. Who among us isn't less stressed when we feel truly heard, listened to, and understood?

Step 3 - Confirming (Mirroring)

Check your understanding of the objection/problem before responding. Repeat to the customer, using his or her own words in a summary, the concerns that were expressed, demonstrating that you truly understand any problems before you try to provide a solution. Responding too quickly, with incomplete understanding, will undermine your customer's trust.

Step 4 - Providing

Respond to the objection/problem. Answer the objection as specifically, completely, and informatively as possible. Objections and their appropriate responses usually fall into the following categories: Misconception, Skepticism, Real Drawback and Real Complaint.

Misconception

- The customer does not understand the product or service or is misinformed (often with complex products). The customer needs more information, targeted directly to his or her level of expertise, to help them make a purchasing decision, and you are the educator. Approach: Clarify, teach, explain, and resolve. Example: “If I understand correctly, your concern is that our product won’t handle X… and it’s important for you to have a machine/service that handles X… As you can see from our proposal, we can handle X, because our product/service does the following, in this way...”

Skepticism

The customer is not convinced your product will do what you claim. He or she is being cautious or probing for more information. Approach: Prove it. Give solid evidence such as examples, statistics, references, and trials. If needed, ask for sample situations in which the customer will need your product or service and demonstrate how it will function. Generic info may not provide all the information your customer needs, and your creativity and genuineness -- or lack thereof -- will make or break this sale. Customers who are extremely satisfied will be good, objective references for difficult circumstances. Example: “If I understand you correctly, you aren’t sure our people will be available when you need them. We realize that it’s important for you to have weekend service, and others may have promised it but not provided it. Our techs are on call 24x7, and are highly trained reps, not third tier. You know, if it would help to speak with a customer who uses this service, we've been providing that sort of service for Bill Smith over at Acme Industries for 3 years now. Please feel free to call Bill. It might really ease your mind to talk to him about the arrangements we made for them.”

Real Drawback

- Customer has a valid point about some disadvantage, such as price, delivery, or operating specs. Approach: Don't be blindly defensive and make vague references to quality. Show the big picture, then get specific on how certain advantages your product or service provides will outweigh those disadvantages. Lower prices often come at the cost of lower quality or reduced service. You can elicit information about costs that come with the lower price, and demonstrate how those costs are greater than the additional cost of a higher-price, higher-quality product. Try to find out very specifically how any drawback affects the customer, and reason through the benefits that may outweigh those drawbacks. Example: “Yes, our price is higher. I can see why you would be concerned about that. We have had other customers who were also concerned. But they found that the savings both in time and total dollars (combined with the knowledge that they had a reliable resource on hand) far outweigh their initial concerns about price.”

Real Complaint

The customer has had an experience that created an unfavorable impression. That impression stands in the way of moving forward with this account or a purchase. Approach: Show immediate empathy, action and responsiveness. Example: “I'm so sorry that happened. So you felt the last representative wasn’t clear about the service policy, and that you got stuck? That's no good for you or for us, and we will work to make there are no repeats. One idea to make sure nothing like that happens again... let's go over this written scope of work together, to make sure we're on the same page about terms and expectations before you buy. If you have any questions, I'll be happy to answer them."

Step 5 - Checking

Confirm that the objection has been resolved. Ask outright if your response was satisfactory. If not, go back to encouraging the customer, and asking questions to draw out the more objections or unaddressed concerns. Continue working with the customer until the objections are addressed to the 100% satisfaction of the customer. Sales aren't just about products or services, but about relationships with customers. The steps above are all about maintaining that relationship, and responding positively to the fact that the customer is talking to you, sharing concerns with you, and moving toward the customer allowing you to resolve those concerns through a SALE.

Objections are opportunities -- seize them!

Great sales techniques often require real-life practice, roleplaying, and follow-through for long-term results. Krissi Barr of Barr Corporate Success teaches several energizing, invigorating programs that teach concrete and actionable sales techniques, generating Amazing Performance(TM) from your sales program. For more information, please feel free to call Krissi at 513-470-8980 or e-mail krissi@barrcorporatesuccess.com! Return to Barr Corporate Success

Make More of Your Time!

You will never find time for anything. If you want time, you must make it. Charles Bruxton

When you pack for a family vacation driving across the country, do you fling your luggage into the back of your car, allowing it to fall however it may? Of course not! You would run out of room!

Instead, you carefully choose the luggage you use so that it will fit in your trunk, pack accordingly, and leave a little room for souvenirs. When you've assembled everything you need to take, you put the big luggage in first, and fit smaller items around it, compactly placing everything so you'll have as much room to move around in the car as possible. You prioritize, compartmentalize, make decisions, and maximize use of space.

Maximizing use of space is much like maximizing use of time. Do you pack your day as thoughtfully as you do your car?

Probably not. Most of us don't. But if you've packed for a big trip, you DO have within you all the skills and practices you need to make the best use of your time.

Some simple time management techniques can increase our output while reducing our stress. Time flies and you are the pilot. Fortunately, some simple planning tips -- some of them counterintuitive -- can help us use our time carefully.

Tips for getting the most out of your day.

Don't work late into the night.

It saps energy and makes you less productive the following day. Surveys show that working late at night causes you to go to bed with a mind racing, recounting today's events and planning tomorrow's, and makes you less likely to get restful sleep. The habit of working late at night also gets built into your schedule and reduces your sense of urgency to finish tasks earlier in the day.

Arrive early, and leave on time.

You can not only boost your productivity, but improve your work-life balance, since family members are impacted more heavily by absence in the evening than leaving earlier in the morning.

Limit the length and number of meetings.

Frequent and uncontrolled routine meetings without defined agendas are a huge time waster for all concerned. Purpose-driven meetings with clear agendas should result in clear accountabilities, and defined follow-up dates, allowing you to focus on tasks that bring the greatest results.

Set aside uninterrupted project time.

Anything that interrupts you and breaks your train of thought costs you time, in the long run. Hang a do-not-disturb sign on your door, turn off your cell phone, route landline calls to voicemail, and turn off "new e-mail" notices.

Make Monday count.

Build some momentum by getting off to a good start Monday, working on individual tasks and digging in on important projects, which helps the rest of the week flow better. Fridays are a good day for staff meetings that to set group agendas that will be addressed by each person on Monday, with a brief follow-up Monday afternoon.

Prepare the night before.

Choose, set out, and, if needed, iron tomorrow's clothing. Pack kids' lunches, set the timer on the coffeepot, and have your packed work bag by the door. You can even preserve morning momentum by filling up your gas tank on the way home, or at lunchtime, rather than in the morning.

Don't over-plan.

The average person can only realistically plan about 50 percent of his or her day. We all generally underestimate the amount of time a task might take by at least 20 percent, and tend not to anticipate and allot extra time for interruptions and other delays. When we overplan, it later costs us time rolling tasks over to the next day and adjusting our daily planners.

Get specifics.

When someone says, "as soon as possible," define exactly what that means, and why. Sometimes, people operate in default crisis mode. Their "as soon as possible" may not be the same as yours -- does that mean drop everything because we need this now, or that we only have a couple of weeks to get X done? Find out, or you will allow unnecessary stress and time pressure to hijack your day.

Our clients often seek our advice on time management, and in addition to these tips, there are more specific steps you can take to produce Amazing Performance(TM). Give Krissi a call at 513-470-8980, or e-mail her, krissi@barrcorporatesuccess.com, to find out how Barr Corporate Success can help you.

We'll leave you with a (brutal) quote that might inspire any of us:

"Don’t say you don’t have enough time. You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Helen Keller, Pasteur, Michelangelo, Mother Teresa, Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson, and Albert Einstein." H. Jackson Brown

Let's Get to Work!

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Job Satisfaction on the Wane?

The Conference Board reports that U.S. worker job satisfaction has declined 14 percent in the past two decades, and is still in a declining trend. According to a TNS survey of 5,000 U.S. households, the percentage of workers satisfied with their jobs, by year, was:

• 61 percent (1987)
• 59 percent (1995)
• 51 percent (2000)
• 52 percent (2005)
• 47 percent (2006)

The figures are no cause for alarm, necessarily, but indicate a troublesome trend. Why do we pay close attention to satisfaction trends? Because each employee's job satisfaction statistically correlates with whether he or she will quit, and his or her absenteeism rate. And overall satisfaction rates strongly correlate with productivity and profitability. Management Malpractice reports, “...The decline in job satisfaction is widespread among workers of all ages and across all income brackets. Half of all Americans today say they are satisfied with their jobs, down from nearly 60 percent in 1995.

But among the 50 percent who say they are content, only 14 percent say they are "very satisfied."

This report, which is based on a representative sample of 5,000 U.S. households, conducted for The Conference Board by TNS, a leading market information company (LSE: TNN), also includes information collected independently by TNS.

"This information reveals that approximately one-quarter of the American workforce is simply 'showing up to collect a paycheck.' The survey finds that job satisfaction has declined across all income brackets in the last nine years.” from Management Malpractice."

Satisfaction and profitability aren't a dichotomy, but instead are linked reflections of the underlying effectiveness of leadership practices.

If you suspect that your employees are simply showing up to collect a paycheck, all is not lost. Much can be done, with adjustment of management styles, assessments to get the right people in the right seats, and amazing performance goals.

Barr Corporate Success can help drive teams and individuals to outstanding profitability and job satisfaction. Call or e-mail today! Return to Barr Corporate Success For more data and analysis of worker satisfaction, causes, and effects, please see : http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/12/13/business/workcol14.php, accessed 8/4/07. U.S. Job Satisfaction Keeps Falling, The Conference Board Reports Today. Source: The Conference Board, Feb. 28, 2005 http://www.conference-board.org/utilities/pressDetail.cfm?press_ID=2582, accessed 8/4/07. http://www.managementmalpractice.com/in_the_news.php

"The No As*h@#!@ Rule"

We apologize for using a word that may offend the sensibilities of some. We'll alternate between the vulgarity, and the more accepted "jerk." We hope that after reading, you'll agree it's worth discussing.

As you can tell from the length of the post, we like the book. Read it!

Stanford University professor and Robert Sutton has not only legitimized the word "asshole" in business conversation -- he's made it practically unavoidable.

"It all started in 2003 with a half-serious proposal that I made to Harvard Business Review, when their senior editor Julia Kirby asked if I had any suggestions for HBR's annual list of 'Breakthrough Ideas.' I told Julia that the best business practice I knew of was the 'no asshole rule.'"

Despite Sutton's expectation that no such title would ever be published by HBR, the article was embraced, and drew so much media attention that he followed it up with the frank, amusing and well-researched book, very directly titled The No Asshole Rule: Building a Civilized Workplace and Surviving One That Isn't. If you're actively dealing with a jerk, read it. You may find help with your current situation, and at worst, will better be able to recognize and avoid assholes in the future.

Sutton offers welcoming reassurance to anyone who has ever thought, "I don't care how productive this guy/woman is, it's just not worth it to put up with him/her."

Experts agree, and for sound business reasons. Assholes are not worth it. Sutton shows that whatever numbers the jerk generates in terms of individual sales or productivity, more comprehensive metrics prove that jerks take a tremendous toll on morale, overall productivity, and unnecessary turnover.

A partial list of factors Sutton suggested we consider when calculating TCA (Total Cost of Assholes)

• Distraction from tasks, the effort devoted to avoiding unpleasant exchanges, recovering from them, avoiding blame.
• Damaged sense of safety and an environment of fear that discourages "discretionary effort," suggestions, risk-taking, learning from own and others' failures, and honest discussion.
• Reduced motivation and energy at work.
• Stress-induced physical and emotional illness.
• Potentially impaired mental acuity.
• Continual and ongoing bullying transforms targets into assholes.
• Absenteeism
• Turnover due to asshole's abusive supervision, plus time spent looking for new job while at work
• Costs of victims' retribution toward the company.
• "Combat pay" for those who stay.
• Time spent "cooling out" victimized customers, contract employees, suppliers, outsiders, and internal employees who are victimized.
• Settlement fees and successful litigation by both victims, and alleged assholes (wrongful termination claims).
• Increased health insurance costs.

When those factors are considered, it becomes apparent that assholes cost more than they are worth. Add in the damage to personal lives, marriages, and other relationships, and assholes become a toxin that must be removed.

Have you experienced or witnessed any of Sutton's "Dirty Dozen"?

These are common everyday actions that assholes use.

• Personal insults
• Invading ones "personal territory"
• Uninvited physical contact
• Threats & intimidation, both verbal and non-verbal
• Sarcastic 'jokes' and 'teasing' used as insult delivery systems
• Withering e-mail flames
• Status slaps intended to humiliate
• Public shaming or 'status degradation' rituals
• Rude interruptions
• Two-faced attacks
• Dirty looks
• Treating people as if they're invisible

If you haven't, then you're among the lucky few. Sutton cites one study showing that 27 percent of workers in a representative sample of Michigan residents experienced mistreatment by someone in the workplace, with one in six reporting persistent psychological abuse. And a 1997 study of 130 U.S. nurses found that an astounding 90 percent reporting being victims of verbal abuse from physicians during the previous year.

If you have, then you're obviously not alone. We empathize. Without real concrete incentive to change, such as forceful intervention from higher-level management or powerbrokers, it is difficult to stop an asshole. While some are unaware of the effect their behavior has on those around them, others may simply not care, or not be able to control themselves.

Sutton writes of several levels of asshole:

• "Temporary assholes" are having a bad day or moment. Miscommunications and frustrating situations can at times bring out the worst in all of us. All of us have probably offended, if only by rolling ones eyes during a difficult meeting. As long as offenses are infrequent, apologized for, and an isolated aberration from usually friendly, respectful behavior, temporary assholes are part of life.
• "Certified assholes" are workplace polluters who "display a persistent pattern of episodes that end with one 'target' after another feeling belittled, put down, humiliated, disrespected, oppressed, de-energized, and generally worse about themselves."
• "Flaming assholes"... 'nuff said.
• "Two-faced backstabbers" are particularly noxious weeds. They "have enough skill and emotional control to save their dirty work for moments when they can't get caught, and are much tougher to stop, even though they do as much damage as a raging maniac."

Sutton proposes two steps for detecting assholes: find those who persistently leave others feeling demeaned and de-energized; then look to see if their victims generally have less power and social standing than the tormentor. The basic hallmark of assholes is "kiss up, kick down." Does the alleged asshole persistently leave the person he interacts with feeling worse about him- or herself?

Hundreds of cross-disciplinary studies have attempted to define practices that lead to greater productivity. Supportive, warm work environments that reward risk-taking and creative thinking are often most productive. Assholes utterly destroy creative, supportive, productive teams and create a contagion of anger, resentment, and bad behavior. The more powerful the asshole, and the longer his or her behavior goes unaddressed, the more widespread the effects, and the harder to recover from.

Sutton writes, "Research on everything from student groups to top management teams reveals that constructive arguments over ideas -- but not nasty personal arguments -- drives greater performance, especially when teams do non-routine work."

Certain industries in particular are haunted by the myth of the "temperamental rock star", which misleads companies into hiring and retaining -- with gritted teeth and clenched fists -- assholes who put up good numbers. They're often considered part of the price of doing business.

Sutton writes, "There is so much evidence that civilized workplaces are not a naive dream, that they do exist, and that pervasive contempt can be replaced with mutual respect when a team or organization is managed right -- and civilized workplaces usually enjoy superior performance as well."

There is hope. The workplace is changing as the nature of our work shifts more to knowledge work requiring good interpersonal relations and teamwork. Owners and management are paying attention. For example, Virgin founder Richard Branson devised a test to avoid assholes; he dressed as a chauffeur and picked up candidates personally. Other companies are actively training HR and other hiring professionals to weed out asshole candidates.

In the meantime, Sutton recommends you ask yourself: "Am I part of the problem, or part of the solution?" Your answer may determine the course of your career.

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Bob Sutton's blog