No, you don't have to be a jerk at work

I can't stand this article about being a jerk at work for two reasons:

1. It's an obvious click bait headline
2. I took the bait and clicked it

Thought I was better than that. Oh well, live and learn.

The author quotes that sometimes it's, "important to be a jerk at work" and believes that, "it's a skill that you should develop as you get further along in your career."

I call total BS on that front. Further down the article the interviewee summarizes her definition of a "jerk" and so I looked up the definition too. The one I found described the term as, "a contemptibly obnoxious person."

Fine, no probs. If you think it's a strength to be a jerk at work then add "a contemptibly obnoxious person" to your resume, or get someone to endorse you as a "a contemptibly obnoxious person" on LinkedIn.

There's a massive difference in being a strong, honest, focused leader/manager than choosing to be a jerk sometimes. Don't really think that helps anyone at the end of the day.

John.