[How About This Book] Office 'Dola-i' The Law of Conservation of Total Amount... One of 7 Types

Profiling Serial Killers:
Thorough Analysis of Eccentric Types in the Company
Introducing Risks and Countermeasures

The Office Oddballs (Munhakdongne). The title is blunt. But it is an undeniable fact. There are countless companies in the world, and within them exist all kinds of oddballs (eccentrics). If they are subordinates or colleagues, there is some way to handle them, but if the target is a boss with overwhelming authority, it becomes very difficult. If you even resist, the sharp edge of their (personnel) authority will turn toward you. What makes it even harder is that they are not always in the form of devils. Sometimes they are gentle, and in some cases, even show signs of consideration. But it is important to note that all of this is part of the big plan of these eccentrics. If you respond clumsily, you can get deeply hurt, so thorough countermeasures are necessary. The author, a social psychology professor at New York University, compares this to the process of "serial killer profiling." “To understand what drives their behavior, you first have to get inside their heads,” and introduces seven types.

The Strong-Weak-Weak-Strong type is the kind that will stop at nothing to reach the top. Commonly described as someone who is weak to the strong and strong to the weak. They have a high social dominance orientation, enjoy challenges, and prefer multi-layered hierarchies. This type is naturally talented at quickly establishing power superiority. For example, “How about we start by organizing resumes alphabetically? I’ll review from A to D. Tessa, you review from E to I. Let’s do it this way.” Their criterion for judging people is “what can you do for me right now.” They have excellent ability to read the atmosphere and form bonds with those in power using commonalities as a pretext. Academic ties, blood relations, and regional connections go without saying; the author explains that they quickly form bonds just by wearing the same brand of jeans.

The Achievement Thief is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. They act like a good colleague but stab you in the back at critical moments. They help develop colleagues’ ideas and sometimes share their achievements with a humble attitude. But at decisive moments, they steal ideas or diminish colleagues’ contributions in front of the boss to get what they want.

The Bulldozer is the only type whose inside and outside match. They do not bother to sugarcoat their behavior. Usually, they have wide networks and rich experience, often using fear and intimidation to neutralize bosses. Many volunteer for tasks that most avoid, solidifying their position within the organization. For example, learning new software or volunteering for meetings with people everyone else finds annoying. But these actions do not help the organization. They stick to their own way and cause unnecessary conflicts wherever they go. This type does not hesitate to send emails to the company CEO when dissatisfied.

The Free Rider literally tries to get rewards without working. They are adept at finding tasks that look good but require little effort. However, the author points out that this type is rarely fired. They only cause conflicts in 7.8% of cases within the organization. “Generally, they got along well with team members. In fact, they were even friendly.”

The Overcontroller type is the flip side of the indifferent and negligent type. Control tends to focus on the immediate situation, so the more energy the boss spends on short-term missions, the more they lose sight of the long-term perspective. The author points out, “Control freaks affect subordinates’ daily well-being, but negligent bosses affect subordinates’ careers themselves,” adding, “They fail to teach subordinates how to communicate, plan for the future, and make quick and accurate decisions.”

The Gaslighting type is a deceiver. They instill anxiety in others and give the impression that only they can offer special treatment. They often make others dependent on them and treat them like extensions of themselves. In severe cases, they use others to conspire in crimes, often dragging them into fraud or embezzlement that requires teamwork.

It is interesting that the book corrects several misunderstandings about eccentrics in the workplace. The author says that although it seems that social newcomers are usually the victims, that is not the case. He says, “The ability to deal with eccentrics does not necessarily increase with time,” and “Most people have never properly learned how to handle eccentrics.” It is also a misconception that eccentrics are incompetent. The author explains, “There is on average one person in every company who has ability but uses it in a malicious way.” He also points out that the neglect of eccentrics in the workplace is more due to lack of leadership than indifference from leaders. Many become managers not because they have excellent personnel management skills but because they naturally get promoted by producing results in their own work. The author explains, “Many bosses want to help but don’t know how to handle eccentrics.”

The author introduces eccentric types, their characteristics, risks, and coping methods. Although there may be differences in prevalence due to cultural differences, the explanations in the book are sufficient to understand the universal eccentric temperament of humanity. Do you feel there are no eccentrics like those in the book in your organization? The eccentric test at the end of the book is recommended. “Test 1. Could I be the office eccentric?”

The Office Oddballs | Written by Tessa West | Translated by Park Dasom | 320 pages | 17,500 KRW