How to Deal with Bullies at Work
Work bullies aren’t much different than school yard bullies. They victimize people they perceive to be weaker and smaller. To feel better about themselves, they try to make others feel like less. They can be outright abusive and violent. Regardless of which what type of bully your are dealing with, you must deal with them toe to toe. Here are instructions on how to deal with bullies in the workforce.
- Difficulty:
- Moderately Challenging
Instructions
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1
Recognize the bully. If you are new to the workplace, or have only had good past experiences, you may have trouble identifying a workplace bully. If have dealt with a bully before, however, you may recognize certain patterns. Workplace bullies may try to get too personal too fast to try to find your weaknesses. They often like to yell and confront others and act unprofessionally. A bully at work may try to separate you from activities, or try to get you to separate others. Before you even realize you are being bullied, you may notice that you dread going to work or feel sick often. They to make a connection as to why you may not want to go to work.
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2
Let the bully know you are aware of their unacceptable behavior. You have to call the bully on their behavior. You can do this without being aggressive. Simply let them know that you recognize what they are doing, as this will solidify your suspicions about abuse if they become defensive.
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Demand the bully stop this behavior. Don’t stoop to the level of playing games with workplace bullies. You have to look them in the eye and say “I don’t like what you are doing (name the offense). This behavior needs to stop.” Be ready for a potential fight if you are dealing with an especially toxic person. For most workplace bullies, however, confronting them will make them stop for a while only to start again later.
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4
Take steps to force the bully to stop the behavior. If the bullying becomes worse, or the bully ignores your demand to stop, you will have to go to the proper authorities and report the person. Before you report them you need to document their behavior, and make a report in writing. This will help you communicate to this person’s boss that they are a problem. If this person owns the business, then you may want to look elsewhere for a job and allow them to self destruct without taking you down with them.
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Deal with the bully as little as possible in the future. Once you have dealt with a workplace bully one on one, it is best to not become to chummy with them. Have business interaction as necessary, and keep them at an arms length at all times.
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Tips & Warnings
Do not let bullies at work get you angry.
Do not let a workplace bully manipulate you into or excluding someone else.
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Comments
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A gang of bullies have harassed me and told lies to management in an attempt to make me look bad. They try to unnerve me and make me doubt myself. It really gets to be too much. Management does not handle it well.
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this is not a rhetorical question...
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in your heart of hearts and with or kids interest above all else, gladys, what percentage of what goes on at the 'beehive on broad' do you sincerely believe benefits students?
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So sad but so true!
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three years newly into this new job - seen and experienced multiple encounters at work - ironically, it happens within enviroment of the administrators and staff that run the schools. It creates a toxic climate of mis -trust, fear, it's just unhealth, non -productive. Here's another approach I learned from growing up in the getto - get your friends to call them too, gang -up on them.... Bullies not tolerated zones.
