Pay Attention: The No Asshole and No Complaining Rules
July 11, 2008 at 11:28 am | In Book Reviews, Career Development, People, Personal Branding, Success Strategies | 9 CommentsTwo presents came in the mail recently (pictured below). One was “The No Complaining Rule” by Jon Gordon and the other was a combination of two erasers, which was part of Robert Sutton’s promotion for his book, “The No Asshole Rule.” I always enjoy gifts and great reads that are related to workplace issues, such as employee loyalty, retention, recruitment, management and leadership. These two books are some of the best.
Here are the two rules:
No complaining!
There is way too much negativity in the workplace today and it creates a sense of poor morale within corporations. This negativity ends up costing companies billions of dollars and impacts the bottom line because, as we always speak about, personal brands have a direct impact on the corporate brand and visa versa. This impact hurts collaborative teams, their productivity and their mental health.
Gordon showcases a company that uses his “No Complaining Rule” technique in an engaging way that will captivate you as readers. It is a practical strategy to develop positive leaders, organizations and teams. Why invest so much of your time in complaining about work, when you can start to make things right today. As with anything else, it starts with you. Quit complaining and start breathing positive energy into your work environment.
No assholes!
Excuse my language, but yes, that is the name of the book and for good reason. Have you ever had an asshole manager, who doesn’t treat you right? This book is very honest and true to the modern workplace, which is plagued with assholes. Sutton, who is a professor at Stanford University, argues that assholes poison the work environment. He defines an asshole as a person “who deliberately makes co-workers feel bad about themselves and who focus their aggression on the less powerful.”
What started as an article in the Harvard Business Review became a book kept on many employees desks, reminding managers to “chill out.” This is a survival guide for people at work, who are around assholes and want to do something about it.
About the authors
Jon Gordon is a speaker, consultant, and author of the international bestseller The Energy Bus: 10 Rules to Fuel Your Life, Work, and Team with Positive Energy, which has inspired readers the world over. He and his books have been featured on CNN and on NBC’s Today show, and in Forbes, Fast Company, O: The Oprah Magazine, the Wall Street Journal, and the New York Times. Clients such as the Jacksonville Jaguars, the PGA Tour, Northwestern Mutual, JPMorgan Chase, and Publix Supermarkets also call on Jon to get their team “on the bus” and moving in the right direction. For more information about Jon, please visit www.JonGordon.com.
Robert Sutton is Professor of Management Science and Engineering in the Stanford Engineering School, where he is Co-Director of the Center for Work, Technology, an active member of the Stanford Technology Ventures Program, and a co-founder of the new Hasso Plattner Institute of Design. Sutton is the author of “Weird Ideas That Work: 11 ½ Practices for Promoting, Managing, and Sustaining Innovation” and co-author (with Jeffrey Pfeffer) of “The Knowing-Doing Gap: How Smart Firms Turn Knowledge Into Action.” He blogs and writes for BusinessWeek as well.
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I know what you mean re complaining…once branded a cynic or skeptic, you can find yourself out of the loop of influence within a company. But there should also be a “no-BS” rule to recognize the difference between griping and engaged criticism. Sometimes people are openly critical because they care and want to solve problems. We want to engage in the decision-making process of the company. Even after filtering and planning what to say constructvely, the reality is often that the feedback sought when ideas are communicated “down” from Execs is just “what did you like about this?” When people stop complaining, it means they just don’t care anymore. Optimism is made practical by criticism…otherwise, it’s just a lot of hot air.
Comment by Dave Atkins — July 11, 2008 #
My greatest takeaway from this article/review is this from Jon:
I agree with this and I try to make it one of my personal mantras daily. There is too much complaining and negativity that sucks the work ethic and enjoyment out of many people.
Life is good.
Comment by Mark — July 11, 2008 #
I should clarify, the blockquote cite, appears to be Dan’s words paraphrasing Jon.
Comment by Mark — July 11, 2008 #
Of course, as MacArthur said, you are remembered for the rules you break. Sometimes complaint is a necessary step to driving change, as Dave Atkins said above me. The trick is keeping it positive and engaging instead of negative and disengaging.
But sometimes you do have to say, “Wait, this is awful,” in order to get people to step back and realize things need to change.
Comment by Dave Spencer — July 11, 2008 #
Dan,
Great review! And, I agree with all that you highlighted. The “no asshole” rule applies to business, too! If you’re a small business owner and you want to stay committed to your hopes and dreams – then you’ll drift away from that mentality of doing business with ANYBODY, EVERYBODY AND SOMEBODY. You’ll be specific on the niche that provides you the most pleasure and profit.
Firing prospects is a GOOD PRACTICE. Only work with those who value and respect your authentic strength and you feel the same about them.
Just recently (today in fact), I got a reminder of that “no asshole” rule and said a FAST ADIOS to one of those energy drainers.
Choose your connections wisely – in business and in life.
Comment by Maria Elena Duron — July 12, 2008 #
When our project team was assembled, our manager each gave us a copy of “The No Asshole Rule” and it still sits on my desk today. We’ve all had to deal with those kind of people and Sutton does a great job of explaining how to deal with them and get positive results.
Comment by HeyStephanie — July 13, 2008 #
Hmmm … so you were given two free books then write a glowing article about both? Who gave them to you? Why did they put them both in the same package? Can we trust your review to be unbiased?
Bob Sutton came out with the “No Asshole Rule” well before Jon Gordon’s book was titled. The No Complaining Rule, title and cover are obvious ripoffs.
Not only that, but the content of the “No Complaing Rule”, is without substance. Jon Gordon has done a great job of using charisma and marketing to make money off a low-quality “business book.
Bob Suttons book – well written and informative.
Jon Gordon’s book – if you see a copy at goodwill for 25 cents, don’t waste your quarter; buy a piece of gum instead.
Comment by Totally Consumed — July 13, 2008 #
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Pingback by Seachcap SEO Aware Style- Favorite Articles From the Past Year SEO Aware — July 16, 2008 #
I had a great interview this week with Jon Gordon – thought you might enjoy a listen!
http://www.liveonpurposeradio.com/radio/2008/11/24/the-no-complaining-rule/
Comment by Dr. Paul — November 25, 2008 #