Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

Toxic People: Decontaminate Difficult People at Work Without Using Weapons or Duct Tape

Rate this book
Praise For Toxic People "From corporate America to the smallest business owner, this book should be mandatory reading because it provides toxic relief that will put money in your pocket and calm in your personality. A dose of this reading would enhance the success of business school students and smooth out a few bumps in a rocky marriage."
--Richard L. Labrum, Vice President, Wealth Management, Smith Barney

"If you're just sick to death of those people who zap the energy right out of you, Marsha has the cure! In no-nonsense terms, she gives us the prescription for dealing with toxic people. She mixes in the right dosage of personal experience, humor, and practical advice to create a compelling message that is highly relevant in our personal and professional lives. I highly recommend this book to everyone interested in cleaning up toxic behaviors!"
--John Ryan, Vice President, American Express

"Marsha Petrie Sue is the Muhammad Ali of communicators. She can dance and look pretty, and she uses the entire ring, but she knows how and when to land a knockout punch. If you have bad relationships, you'll learn why. This is charm school with live ammunition!"
--David Rawles, founder and President, Career Solutions, Inc.

"Marsha Petrie Sue's 'take the bull by the horns' approach to self-realization and, if so chosen, self-improvement, is the antidote to today's wimpy leadership malaise. She takes readers by their collars, looks them straight in the eyes, and tells them in no uncertain terms that their key to both personal and professional happiness is attainable only through critical self-evaluation and the will to transcend their current situations."
--Randy O'Neill, Senior Vice President, Lancer Insurance Company

"She has done it again! She gives us permission to 'sack the toxic people' who suck out our energy. Take Marsha's ticket to freedom: give yourself permission to send the toxic people on their not-so-merry way!"
--Dr. Geoff Haw, Consultant, Sagacity Services, Australia

"Marsha always finds a way to deliver the most difficult messages in a humorous way (this book is one example). You will be able to apply this book in everyday life and anywhere you encounter people!"
--Tina Aguirre, Senior IT Manager, oil and energy company

240 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2007

8 people are currently reading
76 people want to read

About the author

Marsha Petrie Sue

11 books3 followers

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
11 (14%)
4 stars
21 (27%)
3 stars
23 (29%)
2 stars
15 (19%)
1 star
7 (9%)
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
Profile Image for Maria Sălăgean.
5 reviews
January 28, 2021
O persoană pe care am cunoscut-o cu mult timp în urmă mi-a cumpărat această carte cu gândul că mă va ajuta să adopt o atitudine pozitivă indiferent de persoanele din jurul meu și comportamentul acestora. Poate că în urmă cu 9 ani de zile mi-ar fi fost utilă și aș fi putut trage învățături din ea (când mi-a fost de fapt menită să o citesc), învățături care se dobândesc cu experiența, de altfel. În prezent am citit-o oarecum cu sentimentul că pierd vremea, regăsind foarte multe clișee..totuși am încercat să duc la bun sfârșit "misiunea" persoanei din trecut. Morala: toate lucrurile trebuie făcute la timpul lor.
Profile Image for Gritcan Elena.
916 reviews27 followers
March 3, 2018
nu am ramas super incantata de aceasta carte. autoarea oferă unele abordări, dar nustiu mi sa părut prea multa apa
Profile Image for Tayyab Khan.
2 reviews
January 20, 2022
Helped me a lot when I was going through some relationship with Toxic sorrundings.
Profile Image for Linda Lipko.
1,904 reviews52 followers
January 22, 2015
This was an interesting read. While I don't have toxic people in my work place, there are a few relatives who are very toxic. I now stay away from them. However, as the author notes, when dealing with toxic people in the work place, unless you leave your job, you are stuck dealing with them.

Categorized with catchy names, the author notes the following types of toxic people:
The Steamroller - These are the ones who win by intimidation. They love to control others by subtle put downs. Snake like, they are fast to attack and easily angered. Their snarkiness pays off and having people like them isn't an issue.

The Zipper Lips -- rarely, if ever express opinions. Creating an atmosphere wherein others feel angry at their lack of involvement, the zipper lip controls by the fact that no one can blame him or her if things go wrong.

Others include the backstabber, the know it all and the whine and cheeser....

In previous work environments, and in my personal life, I've experienced the back stabbers. I loathe their manipulative behavior. I really don't invest energy any more in trying to figure them out, ie what happened in their childhood that made them this way. I simply stay the heck away from them.

While this was interesting, I cannot recommend it. I found the authors solutions to the toxic people seemed to be too passive.
1 review1 follower
January 24, 2015
MARSHA PERIE SUE CONSIDERED A COPYRIGHT INFRINGER BY US FEDERAL COURT.

Not only did MArsha Petrie Sue have the audacity to call her book TOXIC PEOPLE when I had written a book of the same title 13 years earlier, on Dec. 9, 2010, she was deemed and is now forever known as a copyright infringer where she did word for word copyright in her TOXIC PEOPLE book. In lay terms people would call this act plagiarism.
On December 9, 2010, Dr. Lillian Glass won a unanimous jury verdict in US Federal Court for copyright infringement against Marsha Petrie Sue (Dr. Lillian Glass v Marsha Petrie Sue Case Number CV 09-08570-RGK (SHx).
I would never recommend that anyone purchase or read a book whereby the person did word for word copying from another person's book and claimed it as her own.
Profile Image for Cyndie Courtney.
1,502 reviews6 followers
January 13, 2017
Wasn't really what I was looking for. I was looking for more research and evidence-based information about toxic individuals, this book lacks citations for even those interesting facts that are cited. Most advice is from authors experience and most of the text is a collection of personal stories and anecdotes. Some who enjoy that style may find it easier to read. Felt that book contained a lot of personal opinions many of which seemed tangential, including parenting advice. Did like the "skill scorecard" as a way for people to monitor their own behavior and make sure they monitor themselves and try to avoid toxic behaviors.
Profile Image for Hillary.
223 reviews
November 19, 2007
Great book on dealing with difficult people in the workplace or in a business relationship. Keeps the focus on what you can control - you. Good thought exercises to go through when you are frustrated with someone else.
Profile Image for Laura.
116 reviews9 followers
July 31, 2008
Interesting look at how you can deflect toxic behavior from others and avoid becoming toxic yourself.
Profile Image for Kathy.
42 reviews2 followers
August 30, 2010
This book did not help with difficult people. The author just wanted people to contact her with her self-absorbing website and phone number. BORING.
Profile Image for Jeanne.
545 reviews16 followers
March 26, 2012
Skimmed most of it. I read it bc I feel like I can be toxic sometimes and I wanted more insight. I don't think I gained too much, though. The solutions seemed overly simplified.
Profile Image for Nico.
67 reviews1 follower
May 26, 2014
I didn't really get anything out of the book. For me it was old information molded into another book.
Profile Image for Jess.
377 reviews
April 13, 2015
Pretty sage and common sense advice about dealing with the leeches of society at work. Basically, you can't change their behavior and you can't run and avoid them all the time. (sadly)
Profile Image for Tran Thu.
4 reviews4 followers
April 9, 2013
Reading the first half is enough :) Kinda 3.5/5.0
Profile Image for Emi.
199 reviews71 followers
April 29, 2015
It's not too bad, but it's not what I need.
Or what I want.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.