Spotting A Workplace Bully

Lately, there has been an increased awareness of bullying and the damage it can do. Although most of the stories in the media focus on bullying as it relates to kids and teenagers, bullying can happen to anyone. In the workplace, bullying is still alive and well and many people don't even realize that not only is it wrong, it can also ruin a company.



Many of us have worked with people who seemed to enjoy tormenting others. For them, it's a game and the success of others makes them feel threatened. In fact, a 2010 survey found that 35 percent of employees have experienced workplace bullying. That's a lot of people and I think that in 2012, the number will be higher.



So how can you tell if you're working with a bully, or just a jerk? Often, they are one and the same, but according to the Workplace Bullying Institute, there are four types of bullies. Although the best bullies adopt several of these styles and switch between them, they can all be broken down to one of the four types.

• The Screaming Mimi is the fist-pounding, vein-bulging maniac who publicly tries to make an example of others, using fear and humiliation as management tools.
• The Constant Critic gets employees behind closed doors and rips them to shreds. The irony is this bully targets people because of their competence.
• Jekyll and Hyde is the smarmy, passive-aggressive type. This bully has an ingratiating style that wins favor with management, and then uses rumor and gossip to destroy others’ reputations.
• The Gatekeeper is a decision-maker who undermines you by denying what you need to succeed because it makes him or her feel powerful. She undermines important elements like budgets and deadlines, setting up others to fail.

If you recognize your boss, a co-worker or even yourself on this list, you'll want to find ways to make the bullying stop. You should report the bullying, when it happens, to your boss or human resources. Ask the company what their policy is for dealing with bullying in the workplace.  For employers who recognize a manager in this list, understand that bullying can only harm a company. These types of managers may brag that they get results, but they spread negativity and fear, which costs you good employees and even scares off new talent. The best and the brightest won't want to work for a bully.



Have you ever been bullied at work? What did you do about it? Please share your thoughts and experiences in the comments.