Work Place Bullies

[easysurfer]

Reading about the Miami Dolphins investigation about bullying makes me think back about bullies at the work place.

Sure, they aren't extreme as in the case of Richie Incognito/Johnathan Martin, but they could be pretty crazy.

The last placed I worked at, there was this person who thought someone had made her boss so she'd tried delegating tasks to people. Her immediate boss was too afraid to tell her to back off. No need to say, not the best climate to be in.

 

[Walt34]

One of the blessings of working in a law enforcement environment is that these people, who are ready, willing and (for the most part) able to take on the most hardened criminals on an instant's notice, have little tolerance for idiocy and bullies. Even high rank provided little insulation before being called out. It never became an issue where I worked.

 

[scrabbler1]

Back in the 1990s I had a coworker my age (30s) who acted like a 10-year-old. She went out of her way to embarrass me several times, sometimes in front of my subordinates which was unforgiveable. I had to report her to HR to get her to stop. Thankfully, she left the company in 2000 but I made sure to take the day off on her last day in case she decided to go all out embarrass me. She actually tampered with my PC (in front of others, only my immediate boss tried to undo her tampering) to play a recording of her sick laugh when it booted up, a "going-away present" for me. What a rotten woman.

 

[bbbamI]

During the early years of my w*rking daze, I had the misfortune to work with a bully.

One day I decided enough was enough...yada yada yada...she changed her ways.

 

[comicbookgujy]

I work with a work place bully and I developed anixety and panic attack because of this bully. I reported this bully but management and HR won't do anything about it because this person produce revenue. So I try to suck up 5 more years and retire at age 45.

 

[robnplunder]

The only bullies I worked with are my current boss and one of his underlings. They are from the same cookie cutter (culture with clear cut hierarchy enforced, spoiled "kids" from well to do family).

 

[LitGal]

Yes, I kept trying to figure them out (having known several over the years). It seemed they were usually compensating for something: failing marriages, personal problems of other sorts (financial, emotional, immaturity, a sense of entitlement), jealousy of co-workers, and/or professional incompetence (including a limited work ethic).

I decided that some folks would rather come to work and create drama than actually get their work done.

What is truly sad is when supervisors do nothing to stop it. Then it can start to infect the workplace......creating more bullies who are free to intimidate others.

So sad. And truly a waste of what could be a collegial culture. And when it's a school, everyone loses.

 

[John Galt III]

I've seen plenty of bullying in the workplace. In the old days a manager would stop it, and the bully would know he (or she) was in trouble. Nowadays it seems the person being bullied is expected to handle it by him/herself, and contacting HR to help out is seen as a sign of weakness and even incompetence on the part of the person being bullied.
Also, it seems that multiple layers of bosses allow or even encourage the bullying, and joke about it around the lunch table. No wonder there are so many disgruntled workers acting out, as seen on the evening news.

 

[Co2012]

During the early years of my w*rking daze, I had the misfortune to work with a bully.

One day I decided enough was enough...yada yada yada...she changed her ways.

I, too was in that situation. I was new to the job and too intimidated and afraid to make waves for fear of being fired. But you do reach a breaking point. When I reached mine, it seemed everyone was glad I stood up to the bully and I made a lot of new friends--even the bully.

 

[Donzo]

My megaPharma had plenty of backstabbers and bullies. Over time I got good at avoiding them. It seemed like the company encouraged this kind of negative behavior - just like they encourage competition. So glad to be free of that crap

 

[tryan]

My first job as an engineer in megacorp .... worked maybe 2 weeks ... still triing to figure out who everyone was. Sitting with a group of 10 or so other engineers; I ask a question and the bully - a woman - quips "your so stupid!". So I look at the rest of the engineers and ask "When did we elect the QUEEN BEE !?". Everyone starts laughing. She turned BRIGHT RED and stormed off ... never crossed me again.

 

[bbbamI]

I, too was in that situation. I was new to the job and too intimidated and afraid to make waves for fear of being fired. But you do reach a breaking point. When I reached mine, it seemed everyone was glad I stood up to the bully and I made a lot of new friends--even the bully.

Good for you.

I believe most bullies have chips on their shoulders. Now, this chip does not have to be knocked off...sometimes with face to face direct questions and statements, the chip will fall off on its own.

It's been my experience as time goes by, a bully still annoys me, but it's easier to shrug her/him off and go about my business like 'Frank'...

You Don't Scare Me - Phil Hartman - Sinatra - YouTube

 

[rodi]

No current bullies - but my boss is the master of passive aggressive belittling and digs.

2 years, 6.5 months till my drop dead retirement date... I keep reminding myself.

(I'll go sooner if offered a severance or if the market keeps performing like it has.)