A workplace bully:
- is charming in public; seduces the victim with charm in order to dominate and control.
- spreads rumors in private to reduce his/her victim’s power and damage his/her reputation.
- is apparently supportive in private but exposes his/her victim’s mistakes in public.
- distorts reality to make him/herself look good and the victim look bad.
- is hypocritical; says the right things but is exploitative and manipulative.
- is evasive, does not provide straight answers, gets angry when confronted.
- is pompous and self-righteous, inflates his/her importance.
- is passive-aggressive. Withholds information, creates isolation.
- plays the victim and blames others for his/her pain and suffering.
- pretends to care and humiliates the victim under the guise of caring.
Symptoms of possible bullying:
- high turnover
- high use of sick time by employees
- increased stress-related disabilities.
Possible strategies for dealing with workplace bullies include:
- be empathetic to the bully, listen to his/her perspective.
- offer coaching to the bully to change his/her behavior and view of reality.
- increase organization's awareness of bullying behaviors.
- use care in hiring to avoid potential bullies; look for new hires who are capable of empathy.
- use care in promotion practices to avoid rewarding bullying behavior.
- make managers accountable for interpersonal as well as business results.
- provide training in interpersonal skills for managers.
Adapted from a presentation by Camilo Azcarate, Nicholas Diehl, Howard Gadlin, and Patricia J. Lynch at the April 2006 International Ombudsman Association Conference.