How to Handle Workplace Bullies

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  1

  Acerebel

  09/05/07 | Report as spam

  When the bully is your boss

  I'm lucky now, because my bosses are good people. But I lived through a period when the bully was my boss; a person who ruled by caprice and whimsy, who had sycophants in the office, who played favourites. This individual, in my view, was the true office psychopath. There was never any "solid ground" - what was good work one week was crap the next. We endured years of the person doing such things as literally putting his/her hand up a inch in front of a staff member's face and saying "tell it to the hand" in a fierce and non-humorous voice, of boasting that he/she was in the know about everything and spending the whole meeting gossiping, of never having any processes or procedures put in place that would allow us to do our work (so that customers were confused as well).
  
  When your boss, who is middle management, is a bully, you're pretty much stuffed; most of those above him/her get the sweetness and almost of those below him/her get the sour, but never when those above are looking.
  
  We found that no technique worked in dealing with him/her, except to wait it out. Some people left, but others of us didn't want to do that. Fortunately, ambition coupled with his/her ability to fool others as much as our executive had once been fooled has seen him/her move on. (It was the worst work experience of my life, and I've been in the workforce for 30 years. You can see that even now, I don't want to identify the gender, in case of payback!)

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  2

  Henryz

  09/05/07 | Report as spam

  RE: How to Handle Workplace Bullies

  I think we still do nothing if the bully if our boss, unless crimes then we can sue the boss.

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  3

  cmattice

  09/05/07 | Report as spam

  RE: How to Handle Workplace Bullies

  Research demonstrates that bullies will poke at anyone around them, and then target those that respond to their behavior favorably ("allow" the victimization to continue). Take a good look at the situation - Are you lacking in conflict management skills? Were you bullied as a child? Are you introverted? Take a good look at how you're responding, and change your behavior accordingly - the bully's sure not changing his or hers. We are not sitting ducks waiting for something to happen to us... empower yourself - figure out the dynamic between you, and modify how you respond.

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  4

  lkhere

  11/17/09 | Report as spam

  RE: How to Handle Workplace Bullies

  I worked for a Teacher's store, PT, as a file clerk. My first week she started screaming at me (yes customers were in the store). I ignored her and her husband got on her. I saw her more as a sad, pathetic case than a stronger, higher, respectful person. She was always loud, especially when she was putting someone down. Stomping around to make sure she was heard. This was a store, where parents brought their children to buy her products and keep her business going.
  You can see the reflection of someone who is bullying....so do yourself a favor and consider the source.