The Asshole Survival Guide Book Summary - The Asshole Survival Guide Book explained in key points
Listen to the Intro
00:00

The Asshole Survival Guide summary

How to Deal With People Who Treat You Like Dirt

4.1 (80 ratings)
15 mins

Brief summary

The Asshole Survival Guide by Robert I. Sutton is a practical guidebook on how to effectively deal with difficult people in the workplace. It offers tips on how to identify, deal and survive difficult personalities in professional and personal settings.

Table of Contents

    The Asshole Survival Guide
    Summary of 6 key ideas

    Audio & text in the Blinkist app
    Key idea 1 of 6

    Assholes are people who cause emotional unease, and some are worse than others.

    What makes someone an asshole? The author asked people to share their experiences with assholes in the workplace, and some pretty repellent behaviors emerged: a boss who only invites his favorite employees to the office Christmas party; someone who constantly interrupts others; and a coworker who, after flashing a warm smile, leans in and whispers, “I’m going to take you down.”

    Of course, some assholes are worse than others, and knowing how to separate the annoying ones from the more serious cases can be very useful.

    So the first question you can ask yourself is this: Do encounters leave you feeling oppressed or demeaned?

    As the poet laureate Maya Angelou once put it, “At the end of the day people won’t remember what you said or did, they will remember how you made them feel.” And when we mentally categorize someone as an asshole, it’s usually after that person has made us feel hurt, discouraged or unsettled.

    Understanding how someone makes you feel is the first step toward gaining some control of the situation and learning to lessen the impact they have on your life, especially when it’s someone you work with. You can then prepare yourself, anticipate certain responses and even consider how your reaction may be linked to past events in your life.

    If you find yourself facing these oppressive or demeaning encounters, the next question to ask is whether this person is a temporary or a continual asshole.

    If your boss is usually a gentle, kind person but transforms into a raging asshole every once in awhile, he may be using a leadership strategy since such behavior is shown to be effective.

    In a study of coaching in college basketball, researchers found that when mild-mannered coaches turned aggressive during a halftime pep talk, it regularly sparked a boost in performance. On the other hand, coaches who were always unpleasant didn’t have the same effect during their angry halftime speeches.

    So there are excuses for your boss being a temporary asshole, but there’s no excuse for being a permanent one.

    Want to see all full key ideas from The Asshole Survival Guide?

    Key ideas in The Asshole Survival Guide

    More knowledge in less time
    Read or listen
    Read or listen
    Get the key ideas from nonfiction bestsellers in minutes, not hours.
    Find your next read
    Find your next read
    Get book lists curated by experts and personalized recommendations.
    Shortcasts
    Shortcasts New
    We’ve teamed up with podcast creators to bring you key insights from podcasts.

    What is The Asshole Survival Guide about?

    The Asshole Survival Guide (2017) is a guide to how you can identify and deal with the assholes of the world. People who treat others badly come in all shapes, sizes and levels of awfulness, and the author provides the tools we need to recognize them, fight back and avoid becoming assholes ourselves.

    The Asshole Survival Guide Review

    The Asshole Survival Guide (2017) is a book that offers practical advice for dealing with difficult people while maintaining your sanity. Here's why this book is worth reading:

    • With its real-life examples and relatable stories, it provides insights into the challenging behaviors of difficult individuals and offers strategies for handling them effectively.
    • The book offers a step-by-step guide to dealing with assholes in various settings, helping readers navigate conflict and maintain their well-being.
    • Through its humorous tone and relatable anecdotes, the book manages to engage readers, making the subject matter surprisingly entertaining and relatable.

    Best quote from The Asshole Survival Guide

    Fantasies about dramatic exits are good fun – but acting on them may hurt you more than your tormentors.

    —Robert I. Sutton
    example alt text

    Who should read The Asshole Survival Guide?

    • Workers with a hostile boss or colleague
    • Readers interested in social or cognitive psychology
    • Managers who want to create a happier work environment

    About the Author

    Robert I. Sutton is a professor of management science at Stanford University, where he has contributed several articles to publications such as Harvard Business Review, the Financial Times and the McKinsey Quarterly. He is also the best-selling author of The No Asshole Rule and Good Boss, Bad Boss: How to Be the Best and Learn from the Worst.

    Categories with The Asshole Survival Guide

    Book summaries like The Asshole Survival Guide

    People ❤️ Blinkist 
    Sven O.

    It's highly addictive to get core insights on personally relevant topics without repetition or triviality. Added to that the apps ability to suggest kindred interests opens up a foundation of knowledge.

    Thi Viet Quynh N.

    Great app. Good selection of book summaries you can read or listen to while commuting. Instead of scrolling through your social media news feed, this is a much better way to spend your spare time in my opinion.

    Jonathan A.

    Life changing. The concept of being able to grasp a book's main point in such a short time truly opens multiple opportunities to grow every area of your life at a faster rate.

    Renee D.

    Great app. Addicting. Perfect for wait times, morning coffee, evening before bed. Extremely well written, thorough, easy to use.

    People also liked these summaries

    4.7 Stars
    Average ratings on iOS and Google Play
    34 Million
    Downloads on all platforms
    10+ years
    Experience igniting personal growth
    Powerful ideas from top nonfiction

    Try Blinkist to get the key ideas from 7,500+ bestselling nonfiction titles and podcasts. Listen or read in just 15 minutes.

    Start your free trial

    The Asshole Survival Guide FAQs 

    What is the main message of The Asshole Survival Guide?

    The main message of The Asshole Survival Guide is how to deal with difficult people and protect yourself from their toxic behavior.

    How long does it take to read The Asshole Survival Guide?

    The reading time for The Asshole Survival Guide varies, but it typically takes several hours. The Blinkist summary can be read in just 15 minutes.

    Is The Asshole Survival Guide a good book? Is it worth reading?

    The Asshole Survival Guide is a worthwhile read for anyone dealing with challenging individuals. It provides practical strategies and insights to navigate difficult situations.

    Who is the author of The Asshole Survival Guide?

    The author of The Asshole Survival Guide is Robert I. Sutton.

    What to read after The Asshole Survival Guide?

    If you're wondering what to read next after The Asshole Survival Guide, here are some recommendations we suggest:
    • The Peter Principle by Laurence J. Peter and Raymond Hull
    • Talking to Crazy by Mark Goulston
    • The No Asshole Rule by Robert I. Sutton
    • Uncommon by Mark Divine
    • Difficult Conversations Don't Have to Be Difficult by Jon Gordon & Amy P. Kelly
    • Start With Why by Simon Sinek
    • Ultralearning by Scott H. Young
    • Negotiation Genius by Deepak Malhotra & Max H. Bazerman
    • Born For This by Chris Guillebeau
    • The New Menopause by Mary Claire Haver