Identifying The Workplace Bully.

The following paragraphs will maintain that bullies, whether in the workplace, the community, the church, or in the home, just like alcoholics, are attention grabbing deceivers whose word cannot be trusted. They will be so wonderful at lying that others are 'taken in' by what they say. It appears that bullies assume entirely that what they say is the truth, even if confronted with indications to the contrary. It is true that one lie requires another to cover the first, and so on, until you are embroiled in a complexity that defies escape. They have been so engulfed in difficult or embarrassing situations of their own making, that, in order to get out of it, resort to deception.

Some of these situations are so complex that escaping from them requires great skills. And the trickier it is for them to get out of their predicament, the more aggressive they will become. This "survival instinct," when utilized by the average person will not be used to cause hurt; but when helpful to the workplace 'terrorist,' there isn't any acknowledgment of the discrepancy concerning what's morally right and what's morally wrong, the plan being to hurt the target, even to the point of seriously damaging his health. There is a ruthlessness about bullies that is frightening, and a callousness that is terrifying.

The 'modus operandi' of the workplace bully as they choose the target, is basically that they, the targets, are perceived to be dissimilar to the others; this might show itself in their being better looking, slower workers, possess superior certificates, well-liked by others both within and outside the workplace, and even successful. The list is vast; if a target is to be given "the treatment," then any pretext will do.

Of course, bullies usually are not recognisable by their outward appearance; the word, 'bully,' is not written on their faces, to ensure that most individuals can see exactly who they are and keep away from them.

Are there any clues as to how they might be recognised? The one certain way of identifying the bully is to observe how his/her acts towards others. With such evidence before you, you don't need me to explain to you the kind of character a bully definitely is. In my interactions with workplace victims, and listening to their stories and experiences, the one adjective that was used most often to illustrate the kind of individuals they and the activity really are, was 'evil.' Alternative connected ideas are: actual evil; utterly evil; decadent; bad; disgusting, corrupt.

Now you understand what that means. The conduct you've witnessed and experienced from these people can be evil. You have been exposed to evil and wickedness. You've passed through the harmful result of that kind of evil. Your daily life continues to be shattered; your health has long been challenged; your profession is jeopardised; plus your family and marriage were not left unscathed.

Victims Defined

Workplace bully may be defined as "the repeated, malicious, health-endangering mistreatment of one employer (the Target) by one or more employees (the bully or bullies). These may be at a more senior level in the management chain, or even non-stipendary board members in voluntary charitable organisations.

The person to be given "the treatment" is not just chosen at random, but is selected according to several well-defined criteria.

First, they are usually people who are good at their job. Usually, they are people who can do the job that the perpetrator cannot do, at least, not with the same proficiency.

Second, the Target is chosen because he can usually get on well with other people. He is a winsome individual that others like to be around.

To go no further, the Targets of workplace bully are found to fall into either or both of these two categories. The two professions that are head and shoulders above the others in this regard are teaching and nursing.

Bullies work a personal agenda in which exercising negative control over another human being is placed above meeting the needs of the organisation. That control is suffocating to the individual, and eventually to the organisation. The aim is to so cramp the Target that he cannot perform his tasks efficiently, thus leaving him vulnerable to disciplinary action. As a result of the bully's campaign of terror, the Target's health (physical and emotional), his social support structure, and his career us placed in jeopardy.

The modus operandi of the Bully is to start working against his Target on a one-on-one basis; but this soon progresses to bringing as many others on board as possible, thus providing a measure of 'cover for the perpetrator. He believes in safety in numbers.

Just a brief word on why I prefer to speak of the victim of workplace bully as a Target, rather than as a victim. The term, 'victim,' can be disempowering because it carries with the sense of helplessness and powerlessness. It is a passive term and describes someone to whom something terrible is done. This is not to question or deny that something terrible had been done to the recipient of this anti-social behaviour.

However, the term "Target" carries with it the idea of someone bring placed in the sights of another who had the intention of causing serious harm to this individual. He I'd being targeted by another for harm, and the targeted person does not know that this is happening. Only when 'strange' things start to happen does the Target begin to realise that something nasty is afoot. By the time he is fully cognisant of what is taking place, he has been so depleted in his inner reserves that his health takes a serious blow, and down he goes.

Targets are not to blame for what another is doing to them. They are the unfortunates who have run into psychopathic individuals who are too lazy to identify their own personal deficiencies or their lack of self-esteem. A Target virtually 'drifts' into the pathway of the bully's 'cross hairs' and hopefully get back out again before the shots are fired. Hence, Target status can be temporary, orbit can continue for years.

Finding out about this anti-social workplace behaviour is a necessary prerequisite for a bullying Target if he is to make sense of what is bring done to him. The report below can be accessed by clicking the link which will then take you to my website.