Sad to say I’m an expert on this subject.
I don’t know what it is that makes people who are educated, prestigious, or highly paid think they are better than others. I think the root of being a jerk is always believing you are correct.
Every day I work with jerks who think that their view of the world is the only view of the world. For example, one person raised his voice at me because he said I didn’t have my facts. The truth was that he didn’t have his facts, but it wasn’t the time to argue about facts.
I have noticed when you argue about facts and point out that someone is wrong in their facts they can’t accept that. To them, a source is reasonable not because of what they say but because they want to believe them. To me, you don’t have the right to believe something unless you have considered the possibility that you are wrong.
Let’s go back to the topic here. Dealing with jerks. People are this way because they can’t see any other way than their way to do something. They love to tell you what to do. In fact, the more ignorant someone is the more they demand you do it their way. An example to illustrate this. I had someone tell me how to set up a desk for someone and when I disagreed they said do it that way anyway. When that person came they hated what the other person had done, and changed it back to how I had it.
- Forgive them for being a jerk. Let them be whatever they want to be and do your job.
- Reduce the frequency that you talk to them. It helps to reduce the speed at which you respond to them.
- Give them gifts to confuse and soften them up. Bring food for the department. This makes jerky people happy.
- When they abuse and disrespect you remember it is not you they are mad at, but themselves. Unfortunately, this has happened to me several times, and it ultimately led me to leave those companies.
- Look for another job. Ultimately if the boss is a jerk you have to get out of there.