“A bully isn’t a man
A bully isn’t a lady
A bully is anyone whose actions are shady
Belittle, be mean, the bully is keen
To be the one who thinks they are the star on the screen
No matter the gender
There is a way to a happy ender
When the bully speaks or writes
Find a way to reply with “return to sender” ” Dr. Seuss Braathe
My attempt at being Dr. Seuss above is a way to explain that bullying knows no gender, no boundaries and no limits in the level of ignorance. People try to throw their mental muscle and titles around, no matter what the level in the organization.
Bullies come in all shapes and sizes. Books like the No Asshole Rule and Good Boss, Bad Boss profile how bullies can infiltrate and frustrate any workplace to the point of extinction and cause unnecessary turnover.
Anyone who feels they can throw their weight around at work because of their position of authority needs to be dealt with swiftly. Very often, bullies at work will project their own neuroses at others, calling people aggressive, hostile, mean in order to attempt to threaten people or make them feel like they are in the wrong.
As a survivor of workplace bullying, I know what it is like to deal with people who like to accuse you of the very things that a bully does in the workplace. Be mindful of the terms used, social cues, body language that someone who is being a bully is showing, and you will help diffuse or prevent bullying from happening in the first place.
