Monsters Are Such Interesting People

So, why are monsters interesting?  Why do we seem to view the workplace monsters with fascination rather than disgust?  Why do we continue to tolerate - and in some cases, celebrate - our monsters (bullies and jerks) with such reckless abandon?

My thoughts:

1. Workplace monsters fascinate us because they're able to get away with it.  They buck social norms and make off like bandits.  And they're seemingly never scolded for their bad behaviors.
2. Workplace monsters are interesting because they carry a stronger brand.  If strong brands are either really loved (by upper management) or really hated (be peers and subordinates), then monsters fit the bill.
3. Workplace monsters get our attention because - as Sun Tzu advised - we should "keep our friends close; our enemies, closer."  Whether it's to avoid them or just keep tabs on them, we know that it's wise to keep monsters on the radar screen.

And, as Bugs observed, monsters really are "such interesting people."  Who are your monsters, and why do they interest you?

The Bullied Organization

I  had a chance to chat with blog buddy GL Hoffman (of Jobdig fame) recently.  I've been talking a lot about workplace bullying recently, and since he's in the business of placing people in jobs, his opinions and observations seem perfect for finding out about companies where bullying runs rampant.

CF:  In what kinds of organizations do you see more bullying?

GL:  I think organizations that MAY be more prone, and this is generalizing a lot here, would be male and those organizations that are more locker-room oriented (language-wise, comparison with one another, etc.)

CF:  Are there certain industries or kinds of companies where you've seen these behaviors?

GL:  Maybe sales organizations.  They tend to bully those who can't keep up.

CF:  We've both seen leaders drive the culture of the company.  In looking at the culture, what are some of red flags for identifying a bullying organization?

GL:  Biggest characteristic would be a lack of respect throughout the company, from the smallest detail to the biggest.  And that would be the focus of my attempts at "fixing" the environment.

CF:  If you are dealing with a bullying organization, how do you approach prospective job placement applicants?

GL:  I think I would make sure my candidate is tougher, more thick skinned, and very self assured.

Thanks, GL, for shedding some light on this tough subject, and you are right:  it's very hard to generalize since each company is different.  It's obvious your insights and experience are pretty valuable in this field.  From my observations, besides sales organizations (which focus on fast-paced results), I've also seen companies on the opposite end of the spectrum (low accountability and unpredicatable results) succeed in bullying as well.  Their employees just seem to have more time on their hands to get caught up in drama and think about these kinds of games.

So... what are YOUR observations about companies where "free range bullying" is allowed and encouraged?

Soft and Cuddly... Like Sandpaper

Springboarding from my last post, let's keep talking about bullies.  Since half of the workplace is aware of them or targeted by them, it would be a good idea to dissect bullies a little bit.

This is a topic that makes people uncomfortable, because it is difficult to monitor and fix.  Many employers would rather turn a blind eye to the problem.  However, what that approach causes is absenteeism and turnover.  Last week, Personnel Today's blog nailed the issue:

"You are never going to be able to totally eradicate bullying, but if employers can admit that bullying does go on, then we are going to congratulate them for coming forward - it's not about blaming anyone. We're not going to throw rocks at you, but it makes absoslute sense for employers to understand what is deemed acceptable behaviour in the workplace and what is not."

So, what is deemed acceptable behavior?  How do we identify the activities that constitute bullying?  According to Laurie Pawlik-Keinlen at Suite 101, we define bullying as "verbal abuse, threatening or humiliating behavior, or work sabotage.... Bullying at work is mostly psychological bullying, and includes excluding coworkers from lunches or after-hours get-togethers and spreading lies or gossip."  There is a significant intimidation factor, and perception is the key political game ball.  While all bullying plays off of power, workplace bullying emphasizes the perception of power, and the bully over-emphasizes these perceptions through innuendo or direct intimidation.  The bully also plays off of divide-and-conquer.  The bully strives to go after the weakest of the herd, and successfully singles out potential targets.

For those who have ever been the targets of bullies, my empathy to you.  My first boss out of college was a bully.  I hated going to work, but then I learned how to begin documenting the events.  When I presented the fact that I had been documenting to management (who had, up until that point, sided with the bully), I was suddenly moved to a different supervisor and my workplace experience improved tremendously.  For years following, though, I experienced residual stress every time a manager wanted to have any kind of one-on-one communication with me.  I had let it go on far too long.

Laurie's article also includes some quick tips for dealing with bullies:

Be aware of state or provincial legislations against workplace bullying

Check for stated policy violations

Take time off

Talk to your employer

Formally report the incident(s) with dates and specific behaviors

Nobody needs to remain a target (note, I do not use the word "victim") of a bully.  Next post, we'll cover some of the employment environment issues.

Image from Despair.com

Well, Bully For You

Ouch!

According to a recent Zogby Poll, 49% of American workers have either been witness to or targets of workplace bullying.  Half of us!  This problem is getting interesting... and scary.  It must be a very "silent epidemic" (the article's words, not mine) since 45% claim never to have seen or experienced bullying.  That means we're divided down the middle on this one, since people who fall into the latter group are often scratching their heads about the other half.

I'm not going to dwell on the statistics, although they are fascinating.  I'm growing more and more curious about this from an organizational perspective.  Why do companies allow it?  Is there any recourse for somebody who is a target of a workplace bully?  What kinds of organizations are prone to bullying?

These are some of the questions I hope to answer in the coming posts.  I've worked in many types and sizes of organizations over the past two decades.  Here in Des Moines, there are very pleasant places to work, and there are companies where bullying runs rampant.  There are a couple of the "big box" employers in particular where I know that this problem is a very visible and long-standing part of the culture (as I'm sure there are in other towns across the globe).  When I have a friend or a student who is considering employment at one of these companies, I gently steer them to other alternatives.  And I refuse to contract there, regardless of project or rate.

What about you?  Do you perceive workplace bullying to be a problem?  Why or why not?