The TV series Super Pumped: The Battle for Uber kicks off with a dramatic scene where Joseph Gordon-Levitt, embodying Uber’s controversial founder and CEO Travis Kalanick, poses a rather unconventional question to job applicants: Are you an asshole? While the accuracy of this scene remains uncertain, it sparks a fascinating debate about the behaviour of influential founders and CEOs, many of whom are celebrated for their success yet notorious for their less-than-stellar personalities.

Apple’s iconic leader, Steve Jobs, known for his tough and often abrasive approach, not only towards his employees but also within his family. Other prominent figures like Uber’s Travis Kalanick, Tesla’s Elon Musk, Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg, and WeWork’s Adam Neumann have all faced criticism for their behaviour, labelling them as less-than-pleasant individuals. This raises the intriguing question: Why do some of the most successful people exhibit such behaviour and is there a correlation between being an asshole and achieving great success? While no formal study has conclusively answered this question, it’s a topic that captivates many.

Many movies and TV shows inspired by these individuals, including The Social Network, Super Pumped, Steve Jobs, Jobs, WeCrashed, and more, often portray being an asshole as a badge of honour. These individuals wear their abrasiveness as a symbol of their relentless pursuit of success. However, this fictional portrayal starkly contrasts with the real-world dynamics of workplaces. In typical corporate environments, such behaviour is widely frowned upon. So, why do these successful figures seem to get away with it? One possible explanation lies in the correlation people perceive between their behaviour and success. Given the remarkable achievements of these individuals, some admire their rudeness, believing it is an essential part of the formula for success. In doing so, they inadvertently create a cycle that perpetuates such behaviour.

The TV show Silicon Valley perfectly summarises this sentiment with a quote from the character Erlich Bachman, played by American comedian and actor T.J. Miller. The statement underscores the prevailing attitude in Silicon Valley, where assertiveness, and sometimes rudeness, is seen as a necessary trait for navigating the competitive landscape.

If you’re not an asshole, it creates this kind of asshole vacuum, and that void is filled by other assholes.

Erlich Bachman

However, it’s essential to recognise that being an asshole doesn’t always equate to favourable outcomes for companies. Take, for instance, Adam Neumann and Travis Kalanick. Both accumulated substantial personal wealth, but their companies, WeWork and Uber, faced significant challenges. WeWork is on the verge of bankruptcy, while Uber, now under different leadership, struggled with workplace and other issues that threatened its very existence for a considerable period.

Unravelling the connection between being an asshole and business success is a complex task. Success depends on numerous factors, but it’s crucial for society to re-evaluate its attitude towards such behaviour. We should stop glamorising such behaviour and recognise that success isn’t solely tied to being difficult or unpleasant. It’s time to shift our focus from admiring assholes to appreciating those who achieve success while being good human beings.