A “work jerk” isn’t just someone who expects perfection. It’s the high achiever whose nervous system runs at lava-like temperatures, who’s chronically stressed, and demonstrates urgency as a personality trait. It looks like hair-trigger impatience, micromanaging, sharp feedback, and an automatic reflex to see others as obstacles rather than partners. Work jerk behaviors teach people at work to focus their energy on managing you and your reactions instead of doing good work.

People act out for countless reasons: a toxic work culture, impossible standards, or private stress that bleeds into work (an article for another day). None of those reasons makes treating others poorly acceptable. 

If you’re a work jerk who is also a leader, the impact can be huge. Your tone and word choice signal “risk levels” to your team because you control performance evaluations, if they get promoted, project access, and sometimes even professional standing. Being the “leader work........

© Fast Company