How to deal with ‘a**holes’: Stanford Professor

Robert Sutton provides guidelines, and evidence-based tactics to overpower bullies

A Stanford professor, Robert Sutton, has been researching for over a decade or so, about “a**hole behaviour” and has come up with a decisive list of strategic methods to face “people who treat you like dirt,” as elaborated in his new book.

Sutton, professor of organisation behaviour and engineering, has recognised four major types of “a**holes” found in the workplace and more.

The way he provides guidelines, and the evidence-based tactics for overpowering them, guaranteeing such intimidate-types can’t really suffocate and irritate another.

Chapters such as “mind tricks to protect your soul” and “make a clean getaway” are included in the book.

Talking to the Mail Online, Sutton explains that the basic definition of the modern day a**hole is basically “someone who leaves you demeaned, disrespected or de-energised.”



First comes those, who are so despicable that they don’t even feel the need to realise their acts – those who are really into their own worlds.

Sutton elaborates the need of bashing and telling such kinds of a**holes that they really are acting like an a**hole, or else they will never realise it, hence no progress will be made eventually leading them to irritate you for the longest time.

Later, there’s the ridiculed “Machiavellian” type who do not even try to pretend otherwise. These are those a**holes, who will steal your food and ask for a drink as well.



However, the most treacherous are the Judas as**holes, which Sutton explained as the most “tactical competent” type as they will trap you into false security stating that they are your friend one minute and the other minute, they’ll be your worst enemies.

The A**hole Survival Guide follows on from the Cook’s first book which is known as The No A**hole Rule, which was published in 2007.

This originally appeared on The Independent.