How to handle your work jerk

In this edition of Author Talks, McKinsey Global Publishing’s Raju Narisetti chats with Tessa West, an NYU associate professor of psychology, about her new book, Jerks at Work: Toxic Coworkers and What to Do About Them (Portfolio, January 2022). Whether it’s a freeloading coworker or a credit-snatching boss, everyone has had an encounter with a jerk at work—sometimes, the jerk might even be you. Tessa West shares strategies for maneuvering these tricky interpersonal situations. An edited version of the conversation follows.