Toxic people: decontaminate difficult people at work without using weapons or duct tape

241 Pages·2007·1.1 MB·English

by  Marsha Petrie Sue

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TOXIC
PEOPLE
DECONTAMINATE DIFFICULT PEOPLE AT WORK
WWITITHHOOUUTT UUSSIINNGG WWEEAAPPOONNSS OORR DDUUCCTT TTAAPPEE
MARSHA PETRIE SUE
John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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Praise for Toxic People
“This may be the best book available on how to deal effectively
with really difficult people. It could save your sanity and maybe
even your career.”
—Brian Tracy, author, The Power of Charm
“I guarantee you will see people you know in this book. While
there are many books on leadership and personal accountability,
this one truly resonates in reality and practicality. Toss the duct
tape and get the book. I did.”
—Jack Stroud, Executive Director,
Vorys Sater Seymour and Pease LLP
“Toxic people—how about toxic patients! As a plastic surgeon, my
goal is to make people look better, but most especially feel better
about themselves. Most times I succeed, but when I fail, I can en-
counter the toxic fumes of everyday life. Petrie Sue’s book candidly
reveals how toxic personalities redirect their venom into business
and professional relationships, and she teaches us how to avoid let-
ting those issues interfere with a successful outcome. A must-read
for anyone in the people business.”
—Martin Bell, MD, JD, North Valley
Plastic Surgery
“Petrie Sue’s book makes one thing very, very clear: If you’re letting
toxic people make you miserable, then they’re doing it with your
permission. Wow! What an eye-opener!”
—Joe Calloway, best-selling author,
Work Like You’re Showing Off!
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“Petrie Sue’s ideas on changing your responses to your personal en-
vironment so that life becomes more pleasant are practical, and
they do work. I know!”
—Johanna Cogle, Principal, Queens
Academic Group, Auckland, New Zealand
“You will never again need to think, ‘How do I handle this situa-
tion?’ Petrie Sue’s book provides easy-to-remember specific solu-
tions for dealing with all types of negative or stressful people. Her
formula of TLC—take it, leave it, or change it—can improve your
professional and personal life forever. Don’t let deadly toxic people
contaminate you anymore.”
—Tracee Lee Curtis, CFA, CFP
“Rather than simply suffering the consequences, read this practical
book and learn specific, sane skills you can use to deal positively
and effectively with toxic people.”
—Mark Sanborn, author, The Fred Factor
and You Don’t Need a Title to Be a Leader
“Freedom from conflict will never happen unlessyou buy and read
Petrie Sue’s new book, Toxic People. It’s loaded with practical, en-
tertaining ideas to turn those toxic relationships into productive
ones.”
—Dr. Tony Alessandra, best-selling author,
The Platinum Ruleand Charisma
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TOXIC
PEOPLE
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TOXIC
PEOPLE
DECONTAMINATE DIFFICULT PEOPLE AT WORK
WWITITHHOOUUTT UUSSIINNGG WWEEAAPPOONNSS OORR DDUUCCTT TTAAPPEE
MARSHA PETRIE SUE
John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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Copyright © 2007 by Marsha Petrie Sue. All rights reserved.
Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey.
Published simultaneously in Canada.
Wiley Bicentennial Logo: Richard J. Pacifico.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or
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their best efforts in preparing this book, they make no representations or warranties
with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this book and
specifically disclaim any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data:
ISBN 978-0-470-14768-9
Printed in the United States of America.
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
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Contents
Preface ix
Acknowledgments xiii
Chapter 1 A Hair in Your Biscuit 1
Chapter 2 Doesn’t Work Well with Others 17
Chapter 3 The Steamroller 27
Chapter 4 The Zipper Lip 35
Chapter 5 The Backstabber 43
Chapter 6 The Know-It-All 49
Chapter 7 The Needy Weenie 59
Chapter 8 The Whine and Cheeser 69
Chapter 9 Planning for Toxic Spills 77
Chapter 10 Plotting Toxic Cleanup 99
Chapter 11 Listen Up! 111
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