In an office space, there are all different types of roles that exist – there can be the noisy one, the quiet one, the crazy-socks wearing one, the nosy one, the know-it-all; the roles vary, but the phenomenon of the office jerk exists in almost every case. If you don’t recognize it in your work environment, there is a higher chance this to be you. So, is it possible that you are the jerk at work?

Note: If you are not sure what the main traits of the “real office jerks” are, here are some examples that can guide you on the way. The popular office jerks are arrogant, rude, intimidating; they are negative in their comments towards their co-workers, they don’t follow the rules but expect the rest of the team to obey them; they are never straightforward and try to undermine the others.

The following signs will help you identify the real jerk in the team (even though we truly hope there isn’t one in your dream team!):

They blame others for their own mistakes. The office jerk never takes responsibility for their own actions and tries to pin the mistakes on other team members. They focus on finding excuses for the situation not to finding solutions for it.

They lose their temper and often raise their voice. This happens so quickly, sometimes even before they have heard all arguments from the other side. The effective communication is impossible with people, who fire up fast and for no particular reason, so the rest of the team may avoid them just to avoid unnecessary confrontation.

They approach the relationships with the other team members with the thought of what is it in for them. They can be nice when they want something and can change their behavior completely when there is nothing in return.

They like to look tough and in order to do so tend to intimidate others. Intimidation makes them feel powerful this is why they often confront the other team members sometimes even in a personal level.

Recognize any of these in yourself? Well, that means it is time for a change!