The Office Without A**holes

This biography, based on more than 40 interviews with Steve Jobs and over 100 interviews with family members, friends, adversaries, competitors, and colleagues, provides a riveting story of Jobs' roller-coaster life and intense personality. It highlights his passion for perfection, his ferocious drive, and how he revolutionized six industries: personal computers, animated movies, music, phones, tablet computing, and digital publishing. The book explores Jobs' contradictions, his 'reality distortion field,' and the lessons about innovation, character, leadership, and values that can be drawn from his life and career.

In this book, Robert I. Sutton discusses the destructive impact of 'assholes' in the workplace, providing strategies for identifying and eliminating negative influences. He introduces the concept of the 'Total Cost of Assholes' (TCA) and offers practical advice on how to build a more civilized and productive work environment. The book includes case studies from various organizations and provides a self-diagnostic test to help readers identify and manage their own behavior. Sutton also explores the difference between 'temporary' and 'certified' assholes and how to deal with each type effectively.

This book provides a step-by-step approach to having tough conversations with less stress and more success. It covers how to decipher the underlying structure of difficult conversations, raise tough issues without triggering defensiveness, manage strong emotions, and keep balance regardless of the other person's response. The book is filled with examples from everyday life and addresses issues such as race, culture, gender, power, and communication via technology. It is designed to help readers improve oral communication in personal, professional, and public life.