Tausi Insider

Most of us work with a jerk—toxic people who seem hellbent on making our lives, well, hell. But here's the good news: You don't have to be completely beholden to their poisonous ways. It turns out toxic coworkers often operate by the same tired playbook. And once you identify and understand what type of work jerk you're dealing with, you'll have more ammo to neutralize them. In her book, Jerks at Work: Toxic Coworkers and What to Do About Them , NYU psychology professor, Tessa West, lays out some of the most common archetypes of toxic coworkers and then offers strategies for confronting them and taking back your peace of mind. Here are four common foes. Related: 12 Ways Successful People Handle Toxic People 1. The Kiss Up/Kick Downer These poisonous people have one singular goal: "To climb to the top by any means necessary," West says. Kiss Up/Kick Downers (KUKDs) operate strategically. They mistreat or sabotage the people on their level or belo...

Ignoring or minimizing negative realities can have consequences for mental and physical health. Delmaine Donson Registered social worker Sarah Ahmed commonly comes across people who are struggling or unhappy in their jobs, but can’t name or validate their experiences. “They’re quick to negate that by saying, ‘Well, I’m grateful I have a job,’” says Ms. Ahmed, who co-founded the Toronto-based private mental health practice Wellnest. This, she says, is a classic example of how “toxic positivity” can hamper one’s personal or career growth. When employees get the message at work that only positive feelings are acceptable, people can feel as though their only option is to look on the bright side. “The term toxic positivity refers to the belief that no matter what, you always look for the silver lining when things go bad or sour,” Ms. Ahmed says. “It’s almost turning a blind eye … to be like, focus on all the good things that have come up, or focus on all the things you’re going to learn o...