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Boss Behavior
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Boss Behavior
Discuss employment-law issues such as family leave, overtime, disabilities law, harassment, immigration and termination.
I had a former employee call me about the boss that took my place. She said that he is harassing her terribly & she is now out on mental stress leave because of it. She told me that he pulled her
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Forums » Topic Forums » Legal Forum » Boss Behavior
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Boss Behavior
posted at 11/18/2010 4:40 PM EST
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Posts: 6
First: 11/18/2010 Last: 11/24/2010 |
You are indeed talking about a bullying boss. Unfortunately bullying is legal in the US, so your former subordinate has no legal recourse. Visit my website www.NoWorkpalceBullies.com or my blog www.NoWorkplaceBullies.blogspot.com for more information about workplace bullying.
This employee is in a real bind - in 60% of cases when bullying is reported it is mishandled and the target is let go (because he or she is seen as the problem or a whiner) or the bullying is made worse by the employer's taking the wrong kind of action. Mediation, for example, will make the bullying worse, not better, because bullying isn't conflict, it's psychological abuse. More about organizational responses to bullying in my most recent e-newsletter, which can be viewed here: http://tinyurl.com/24a2p5d Tell your former employee it has nothing to do with him or her - it is the boss who has the problem. This person should start documenting EVERYTHING. Feel free to have him contact me and I am happy to give him more advice about how to deal with the issue effectively. |
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Boss Behavior
posted at 11/19/2010 4:59 AM EST
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Posts: 32
First: 11/16/2010 Last: 1/3/2011 |
Hi, HRPro -
By no means is every abrasive boss a "bully." In many cases, a boss who comes across as being abrasive has no idea his/her conduct is impacting an employee (or employees) in negative ways. In these types of situations, an executive coach can be very helpful. In her book "Taming the Abrasive Manager," executive coach Dr. Laura Crawshaw explains her approach in great detail. As you well know, interpersonal workplace dynamics can be highly complex. Simply labeling and/or villainizing a person (e.g., labeling someone as being a bully) is not a solution. Identifying behavior that is destructive to workplace morale, productivity and profitability is the first step. Suspending judgment is critical. Communication and thoughtful analysis are essential to discovering solutions to difficult interpersonal issues. I appreciate the difficult role HR professionals have - it can be like walking a tight-rope. Thanks for your comments. Debra |
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Boss Behavior
posted at 11/19/2010 5:00 AM EST
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Posts: 1103
First: 3/16/2007 Last: 8/19/2011 |
Yes they can but a boss driven by performance is only a bully if and when someone is troubled by the boss's drive and feels that it is not being applied fairly. This then results in an overuse of the label "bully" and does nothing more than create even more conflict, unnecessary conflict, in the workplace.
Suggesting bullying is legal in the US demonstrates the focus the poster has. It isn't to teach people how to manage conflict in the workplace, rather, it is to exploit conflict in the workplace for their own profit motive. In short, they channel their energy to exploit a created victim instead of teaching that individual how to improve their performance and also manage everyday natural conflict. |
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Boss Behavior
posted at 11/19/2010 5:06 AM EST
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Posts: 1103
First: 3/16/2007 Last: 8/19/2011 |
Debra writes "Identifying behavior that is destructive to workplace morale, productivity and profitability is the first step. Suspending judgment is critical. Communication and thoughtful analysis are essential to discovering solutions to difficult interpersonal issues. "
Who's behavior? The noncomplying employee who doesn't perform or the boss who is charged with getting the employee to perform? The oversensitive employee who see's every criticism as bullying or the boss who sees a low performing employee, attempts to correct the performance issue and then in turn is targeted by the application of pseudo science and PC thought? I am not suggesting bosses cannot be bully's. I am stating the label of bully is over used and more often than not the issue is a low performing employee who can't manage or accept their own reality. Perhaps the employee could benefit more from conflict management education instead of being enabled by suggesting their boss is a bully. |
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Boss Behavior
posted at 11/19/2010 5:30 AM EST
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Posts: 32
First: 11/16/2010 Last: 1/3/2011 |
Hi again, Janimal -
Thanks for your thoughtful comments and clarification. I'd be the first to admit that, as a field, mediators have not done a very good job of explaining what we do. Yes - mediation can be a form of dispute resolution. However, the role of mediation is actually much broader. In my work, I function as an all-partial third party who facilitates effective communication. Effective communication can result in clearer understanding - which in turn opens the door to discovering ways of interacting that are constructive and productive for the parties. It doesn't necessarily mean the parties will end up in a kumbaya hug (although I have seen that happen!). What it can mean, however, is that people can figure out ways to work together despite their differences - or not. I completely agree that the issues involved are economically and socially systemic. Simply walking away from an unhealthy work situation isn't often an option - particularly if you need to keep a roof over your head and food on the table. With such broad issues underlying our interpersonal relationships, the challenge is finding what part of a situation may be within the control of the individuals immediately involved and go from there. I very much appreciate your thoughts and ideas. Take care. Debra |
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Boss Behavior
posted at 11/19/2010 5:53 AM EST
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Posts: 32
First: 11/16/2010 Last: 1/3/2011 |
Hi, HRPro -
Exactly. Blame is not an answer or a solution. Interaction involves at least two people - and neither may be necessarily "right" or "wrong." Conflict is about how we approach differences. Instinctively, we tend to perceive difference, in an of itself, to mean mutually exclusive. The key to this perception is additional information - and that can most successfully be gained through effective communication. So, it's not really a matter of determining who's right vs. wrong. That determination will always be a matter of perception. What does matter is finding constructive ways to work together regardless of our differences. Having spent my life studying conflict, I agree that it would probably benefit most of us to better understand conflict and our approaches to it. We have options and opportunities to end cycles of destructive conflict that often we simply don't see. Thank you again for your helpful comments. I am learning a lot. Take care. Debra |
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Boss Behavior
posted at 11/19/2010 6:07 AM EST
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Posts: 32
First: 11/16/2010 Last: 1/3/2011 |
Hi, deltac -
I agree that legislation to make "bullying" illegal would be entirely messy. It is certainly not an elegant solution, or a solution at all, by any stretch of the imagination. The solution is not to assess blame. The solution lies in communicating, listening, clarifying, understanding - and finding constructive ways to work together. As I stated in an earlier post, my hope is that people will begin really talking about the "bullying" phenomenon - and, I really believe it is a phenomenon. When people feel they aren't being heard, having a legal cause of action can get attention. That, of course, can be good. On the downside, however, our legal system is adversarial. So, as soon as anyone proposes a law, it prompts people to take sides - often to the detriment of listening to one another. We have a societal issue here that deserves attention and better understanding if we are going to find constructive ways to deal with it. Take care. Debra |
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Boss Behavior
posted at 11/19/2010 7:37 AM EST
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Posts: 2146
First: 2/15/2006 Last: 9/14/2011 |
Honestly, I read a lot of posts on a different forum that is open to the public and has a lot of employees posting their situatons about bosses bullying employees and 99% of them are such that I can see by their posts what the issue is -- low performance, too much time off, their attitude in the postings, etc. In my 20 yr career, I can honestly tell you that I have seen 1 bully boss in any organization that I have worked with. Out of hundreds....
There are those that think they are bullied because the employer expects them to be at work on time consistently. Because the employer doesn't take all the excuses for missed work and productivity. Or they take exasperation and criticism as bullying. Honestly I think a lot of it flows out of the high esteem and entitlement that has gotten way out of control. Parents not wanting the school to discipline their perfect child. People not wanting to be held responsible for their actions/words. No one wants to deal with the consequences of them. Any negative or that goes against what Johnny wants is considered bullying by the boss. I do think there are rare cases of bullying that upper management/HR should take care of but I don't think it is often enough to need a new law and all that goes with enforcing it. jmho |
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