When I speak about my book, The Buddha Walks into the Office, I am often asked the same question: “What do I do about the jerks I work with?” I think we all have jerks in our lives; it could be in the office, at home, or in our social circle, but there are always people with whom we end up in conflict in some way. Meditation can help us become more aware of our own suffering, our own habitual patterns, and the ways that we might actually manifest as a jerk in the world at times. As a result, we can learn how not to give into those impulses as quickly, and because we are so aware of the quality in our own actions, we can start to see it more clearly in others. With compassion and empathy we are able to recognize that everyone around us falls prey to strong emotions like we do, such as anger, jealously, and pride. Through this understanding it becomes easier to manage conflict with others.

By