5 Books to Help You Deal with Work Drama

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If you’ve ever found yourself in the middle of office drama, you know that a toxic work environment and company politics can instantly drain your energy.

perhaps tension in your workplace takes the form of a gossipy co-worker, a bullying boss who flies into a rage when you’re two minutes late for a meeting, or a scheming colleague who engages in power plays and politics from the office.

You are reading: Books on how to deal with difficult coworkers

Sometimes office hassles seem harmless, like when your cube-mate leaves smelly leftovers in the fridge for weeks. But in the long run, a toxic workplace can have serious and long-lasting side effects, hurting your productivity and putting you on the fast track to burnout.

That’s why it’s important to learn how to cope with irritations in a healthy way. When the drama seems overwhelming, it can help to turn to experts and thought leaders who have been through this kind of situation before. And while you may not know these leaders personally, several of them have written books that, in addition to being entertaining and relatable, can teach you a lot about how to deal constructively with workplace drama.

here are five of the best.

1. the promise of a pencil: how an ordinary person can create extraordinary change by adam braun

This book chronicles the audacious transition of Adam Braun, the founder of Pencils of Promise, from a well-paying but unfulfilling job to founding an organization that has built more than 300 schools worldwide for disadvantaged children.

braun has to work up the courage to navigate through well-known personalities and corporate politics to pursue his philanthropic work full time. By transferring the lessons and skills he learned in his corporate work to his successful nonprofit organization, Braun demonstrates how he can turn a challenging situation into a positive and constructive one. his story is an inspiration if you find yourself stuck in an environment full of drama and aspire to do something more meaningful.

2. Crucial Confrontations: Tools for Resolving Broken Promises, Violated Expectations, and Misbehavior by Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron Mcmillan, and Al Switzler

At one time or another, we’ve all wished we had a model for dealing with high-stakes, emotional office scenarios like broken promises or unfulfilled expectations. this book provides you with that framework. You’ll learn how to implement a structured, repeatable process for dealing with tense situations, such as confronting an employee who can’t seem to make it to work on time.

The book outlines key skills rarely taught in college or business school, such as how to foster greater personal responsibility among teammates and how to give praise when things are going well to keep everyone motivated .

3. the no asshole rule by robert l. sutton

There’s no question that arrogant jerks in the workplace are toxic and demoralizing. In this book, Sutton explains how to protect yourself from bullies who demean, criticize, and drain the energy of others. You know who they are: the people who throw dirty looks during meetings or start arguments over email for no good reason.

4. Am I the only sane one who works here? 101 solutions to survive office madness by albert j. bernstein, doctorate

While you can’t control the office drama around you, you can keep it from getting you down. This book offers a no-nonsense, practical approach to dealing with difficult people, from slackers to chronic excuse-makers. You’ll learn how to apply step-by-step strategies for dealing with annoying co-workers in real life, and you may even be able to recognize where and how you went wrong in the past.

5. tina fey’s bossy pants

Although Tina Fey’s office drama enviably involved the antics of stars like Jimmy Fallon, Alec Baldwin, and Tracy Morgan, it was an office drama nonetheless. Fey’s memoir tells the story of how she came through in the face of gender bias, the glass ceiling, and being passed over for well-deserved opportunities. A key ingredient to fey’s standout success is how she works to set aside politics and challenges while staying focused on her goals.

offers this key advice when dealing with a tough co-worker: “ask yourself, ‘does this person get between me and what i want to do?’ If the answer is no, ignore it and move on.” his energy is better used doing his job and outdoing people that way. then when you’re in charge, don’t hire the people who were jerks to you.”

When office drama strikes, seeking help outside the walls of your company can give you a break. These great reads will arm you with practical strategies you can keep in your back pocket to use when challenging situations arise, equipping you to stay calm and defuse tension. Ultimately, this will put you on the path to a happier, healthier, and more productive work life.

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