Some people are too nice and others are too mean. In the middle are people who can hold themselves and others accountable and whose behavior cultivates a cultu

Some people are too nice and others are too mean. In the middle are people who can hold themselves and others accountable and whose behavior cultivates a culture of respect and teamwork. In my opinion, assholes are people whose behavior (intentional or not) shuts down creativity and collaboration. The key thing to understand is that companies learn as a team how to get the desired results. This means people need to be able to communicate, to trust their coworkers, to feel comfortable putting themselves out there, etc. Success is made up of thousands of small interactions. Assholes are people who get in the way of healthy team functioning by bullying, trying to be right all the time, intimidating others, etc. Some assholes are smart and have something to offer, but it should be weighed against the cascade of downsides as well.