Welcome to the PITA Blog!

Do you work with a pain in the ass?

That person you work with, the one who’s always complaining about something, taking credit for your work, or constantly bragging about himself. You’ve tried to be nice and give him the benefit of the doubt. But come on: He’s being a pain in the ass and he’s making your life at work miserable. Short of gluing down all of his desk accessories or tattling to the boss, how will you cope?

Through entertaining stories and real-life work situations, The PITA Principle describes the different kinds of PITAs (Pains in the Ass) you might encounter at work—from the Crusty PITA, who hurls negativity in all directions; to the Royal PITA, who thinks he or she is entitled to special treatment. Then Drs. Orndorff and Clark expose possible motives for your coworker’s annoying ways, offer practical strategies for understanding each type of difficult coworker, and share ways to get along with them—and better yet, get the most out of every PITA.

You’ll chuckle when you realize how many of your colleagues actually match up with the PITA menu. And you’ll begin to see that maybe even you—yes, you—can be a PITA at certain times. After assessing your own challenges, you will master the tools to get along and get ahead that will lead to more success—and perhaps a little more sanity—in your career.

Ultimately, you’ll join the ranks of a different kind of PITA: Professionals Increasing Their Awareness—people who are courageous enough to look at themselves honestly, realize that no one is perfect, and be open to exploring ways to address their interpersonal and communicative deficits.