Workplace Bullying Articles

Do You Know An Office Bully Like Danny?

Justin Tyme

Danny . . . the Office Bully

Danny has been a bully at work for most of his 30 year career. He's worked at several different locations and moved on because the people he worked with all seemed to have the same problem, "They're all idiots. Don't know what they're doing."

For a short time he was a manager, but was removed. His fellow managers seemed to have the same problem as the other people Danny worked with, "They're all idiots. Don't know what they're doing."

He fools some people . . . for a while. Eventually, most people see that the problem is not with the people whom Danny worked with, but rather Danny, himself.

Danny could have been a good employee. He is knowledgeable. He's not hesitant in seeking answers. He holds people accountable. And actually, he's been known to go to bat for the people he works with.

So, what's the problem? Danny doesn't listen to people. He has no use for their opinions. Once he has formed a solution in his mind, he closes out any other type of communication. He shouts down opposition. And no matter what, Danny is always right. The other people are always wrong. When there is a problem he runs to management to present his side first . . . and Danny has been known to lie to cover his own misdeeds. But even bad managers are getting weary of his antics. Danny was a union representative on a safety committee. Because of his attitude and offensive comments to management, the committee felt that they would be more productive without him. They were.

How has Danny survived? Well, he does get things done and most people don't complain when they get bullied. But in a changing world, a world that is becoming more respectful at work, people will start to complain.

Most attempts to address workplace bullying come from other parts of the world, but workplace bullying is slowly becoming an issue in the United States as well. Just because it has not been mentioned, does not mean that it is not a problem. Many aspects of workplace bullying can be covered under various existing laws, and with an increased focus on the issue, organizations should take precautions to protect themselves by studying the legal risks associated with bullying.

"The purpose of bullying is to hide the inadequacy of the bully and has nothing to do with "management" or the achievement of tasks. Bullies project their inadequacies onto others to distract and divert attention away from their inadequacies. In most cases of workplace bullying reported to the U.K. National Workplace Bullying Advice Line, the bully is a serial bully who has a history of conflict with staff. The bullying that one sees is often also the tip of an iceberg of wrongdoing which may include misappropriation of budgets, harassment, discrimination, as well as breaches of rules, regulations, professional codes of conduct and health and safety practices."
-- Tim Field

There are bully/harassment prevention programs available, but it usually takes a problem on-the-job for organizations to implement protective measures.The workplace is for teamwork, not for bullies. Training can help the situation and protect employees from the workplace bully.

Currently, Danny has found a job in an out-of-town office by himself. It's a seven day a week job, so someone relieves him two days a week. They never see each other. Danny now has less interaction with fellow employees and the general public. Working by himself he may be able to survive until retirement, unless he finds more people to bully. And, there have already been complaints.

Unfortunately, the workplace bully like "Danny" discussed below (who may not even realise they are bullies) isn't exactly rare. Yelling at employees, having angry fits and making people feel useless certainly doesn't encourage a happy workplace. Scaring or harassing people to make them "get the job done", may end up back firing! Not to mention bring down workplace rapport. For more information on Workplace Bullies visit http://www.stop-bullies.com/.

Justin Tyme is an internet reporter and published author. He writes for print media and industrial video productions and is a contributor to Ideas and Training (http://www.ideasandtraining.com) and Human Resources Radio (http://www.humanresourcesradio.com).