This was one of the original values:
The facing page has this text: No matter how smart you are, or how good you are at narrowly defined tasks, there is no room for you here if you’re an asshole.
This is a similar value to that I’ve seen at a few companies, such as Google’s: Don’t be evil.
I think this is one of those values that has held true over time. We try to be professional and respectful with each other. We don’t want to offend others or treat them poorly. The Oxford dictionary has this definition: “a stupid, irritating, or contemptible person.”
I probably stretch the limit of this at times, but I’m not trying to be out of balance with my pressure on others to do better work alongside my respect for them and my desire to be positive. I might not always get the balance right, but I am willing to apologize if I’ve stepped over the line.
I don’t think of anyone at Redgate as being an a**hole, which is a nice feeling. Hopefully, I’m not one.
I have a copy of the Book of Redgate from 2010. This was a book we produced internally about the company after 10 years in existence. At that time, I’d been there for about 3 years, and it was interesting to learn a some things about the company. This series of posts looks back at the Book of Redgate 15 years later.
Voice of the DBA 
If RedGates actually has this in print then kudos to you guys for few companies have the balls to be this kind of honest about life/reality. Overly effeminate HR Departments have turned the business world into a weaker version of its former glory, a time when if some man was a a-hole he got called out for it. Today its form HR-632b accompanied by a meeting where they politely say don’t do that again. Googles “Don’t be evil” is there “former” motto. They had to change b/c even that was too risky; might offend someone. Today not only do we have more and too many a-holes but the society in general is to scared or too lawyered up to say anything to the a-hole about their being an a-hole so kudos to Redgate for not bending the knee.
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Lol, we still use this. We actually had this on a table menu at a recent event. I’ll add a shot to the post.
I do think HR is helpful as there have been plenty of people who take advantage of power or their outgoing nature to offend or abuse others too much. I am all for treating others respectfully, but finding a balance. Some things will offend you. Let’s not do it all the time or constantly, but let’s also understand that’s a part of life.
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Fortunately, unlike Google’s value which seems to have not only gone by the wayside but reversed itself, my experience with dealing with Redgate is that no one there is an asshole.
And there’s a big difference between being, shall we say, a forceful or loud person and being an asshole.
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That’s great to hear
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