That Difficult Coworker is Just a Character in Your Success Story with Tessa West

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The WorkWell Podcast™

Jen Fisher

120 episodes

2 weeks ago

The WorkWell Podcast™ is back and I am so excited about the inspiring guests we have lined up. Wellbeing at work is the issue of our time. This podcast is your lens into what the experts are seeing, thinking, and doing. Hi, I am Jen Fisher, host, bestselling author and influential speaker in the corporate wellbeing movement and the first-ever Chief Wellbeing Officer in the professional services industry. On this show, I sit down with inspiring individuals for wide-ranging conversations on all things wellbeing at work. Wellbeing is the future of work. This podcast will help you as an individual, but also support you in being part of the movement for change in your own organizations and communities. Wellbeing can be the outcome of work well designed. And we all have a role to play in this critical transformation! This podcast provides general information and discussions about health and wellness. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on this podcast. The podcast owner, producer and any sponsors are not liable for any health-related claims or decisions made based on the information presented or discussed.

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That Difficult Coworker is Just a Character in Your Success Story with Tessa West

The WorkWell Podcast™

51 minutes

2 months ago

That Difficult Coworker is Just a Character in Your Success Story with Tessa West

That Difficult Coworker is Just a Character in Your Success Story with Tessa West

In this episode of The WorkWell Podcast™, Jen Fisher speaks with Dr. Tessa West, Professor of Psychology at New York University and author of "Jerks at Work: Toxic Coworkers and What to Do About Them" and "Job Therapy: A Psychologist's Guide to Finding Your Most Fulfilling Job Yet." Her research reveals surprising patterns about difficult workplace relationships and career satisfaction.

Episode Highlights:

The five types of workplace jerks: Kiss Up/Kick Downers, Credit Stealers, Free Riders, Bulldozers, and Gaslighters
Why gaslighters are the most psychologically damaging but also the rarest type of workplace jerk
How to strategically document and address problematic workplace behavior without making it personal
Why confronting office jerks alone is often the biggest mistake people make
The surprising truth about "toxic rockstars" and whether you really have to put up with them
The five sources of career frustration: identity crisis, drifted apart, stretched too thin, runner-up, and underappreciated star
Why "follow your passion" is terrible career advice and what to focus on instead
How to use the Working Week Audit to identify your true workplace stressors
A fresh perspective on work-life balance as psychological integration rather than time management

Quotable Moment:

"We all are jerks. When we're tired, when we're stressed, when we're overwhelmed, we probably all got to know this person pretty well during the pandemic. Learn to identify what your inner jerk is and start looking for those red flags, and you'll be a better person for it." - Tessa West

Lyra Lens:
In this edition, Keren Wasserman, Senior Manager of Organizational Development at Lyra Health, explores how workplace jerks thrive by manipulating systems - and how understanding those systems is key to overcoming them. She highlights that when we take back our power through actions like building connections and amplifying other voices, "we not only shift the power dynamics, but also improve the quality of the work itself." Keren also connects Tessa's job-person fit framework with burnout research, offering a workplace version of the Serenity Prayer to help us recognize "our needs and what we can change about our environment.

Resources:

This episode of The WorkWell Podcast™ is made possible by Lyra Health, a premier global workforce mental health solution. Learn more at Lyrahealth.com/workwell.