If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it's not a goose.

I recently read a blog post from a well-known, respected expert on the topic of workplace bullying, Kathleen Bartle.  She has developed a new term for bullying behaviors in the workplace, especially in higher education:  Strategic Abrasive Behavior.  I am personally and professionally offended by her view, and what follows is the response I sent to her through LinkedIn.  [It will make more sense if you read the post first; click on her name above.]

 

I have worked my entire career in higher education.  I have witnessed (or have been the target of) the behaviors you describe.  But I must respectfully disagree with the term you've assigned to them. 

Bullying is strategic.  Bullying is abrasive.  Bullying is aggressive.  Bullying is humiliating and soul-killing.  Bullying is rooted in wielding power and control over another with the intent to harm and/or humiliate. 

People who bully are extremely insecure, and when questioned or stood up to, they will strike out with a powerful vengeance with no regard for the other person.  So when this "person in power" no longer has a target to abuse--because the recipient of the venomous, insidious behaviors has no choice but to leave the environment--The Powerful One will find another target.  It's a dysfunctional strategy to claw their way to or keep themselves at the top because they subconsciously believe they don't have the skills, expertise and knowledge to do it on their own.  They have to make others look and feel bad so they can look and feel good. 

Bullying is always situational, whether it be in a school, on a college campus or in the workplace.  But regardless of where these behaviors take place, it is never personal for the bully (they have an incapacity for empathy), but is always ABSOLUTELY personal for the target.

Let's call these behaviors exactly what they are:  Bullying.  To minimize or recategorize them with another fancy name is a slap in the face for everyone who's been on the receiving end.  And targets have been slapped around enough.

QUESTION:  What do you think of Kathleen's view?

(c) 2013 Robyn M. Posson.  All Rights Reserved.

Types of Bullies

 

Carolyn Laithwaite is an expert on workplace bullying.  She's done a lot of research of how bullying behaviors affect millions of working adults every.single.day.

 

She came up with a list of the types of bullying, because in all honesty, adults can misconstrue behaviors which actually fall into a bullying category.

 

Since I couldn't say it better, here are the categories Carolyn coined which apply to college campus environments.

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Sadistic, narcissistic bully

Lacks empathy for others. Has low degree of anxiety about consequences. Narcissistic need to feel omnipotent. May appear to have a high self esteem but it is actually a brittle narcissism.

Imitative bully

May have low self esteem or be depressed. Influenced by the surrounding social climate. May use whining or tattling or be manipulative.

Impulsive bully

He/she is less likely to be part of a group. His/her bullying is more spontaneous and may appear more random. He/she has difficulty restraining him/herself from the behavior even when authorities are likely to impose consequences. He/she is also likely to be bullied.

Physical Bullies

Physical bullies are action-oriented. This type of bullying includes hitting or kicking the victim, or, taking or damaging the victim's property. This is the least sophisticated type of bullying because it is so easy to identify.

Verbal Bullies

Verbal bullies use words to hurt or humiliate another person. Verbal bullying includes name-calling, insulting, making racist comments and constant teasing. This type of bullying is the easiest to inflict on others. It is quick and to the point. It can occur in the least amount of time available, when no one else is around and its effects can be more devastating in some ways than physical bullying because there are no visible scars.

The lack of visible scars often leads people to think that the victim is exaggerating and so cutting off support that the person needs as there is no visible trail for others to follow.
The effects of bullying on a victim can be a good clue also any other reports about the bully, talking to co-workers and discussing it with the bully looking at how they behave when confronted with whats happened. The last needs to be done with care as it may make matters worse for the victim.

Stressed, impulsive or unintentional bully

Occurs when someone is under stress or an institution is undergoing confusing, disorienting changes. This is the easiest to redirect.

Cyber bully

This includes hateful emails and cyber stalking. Some feel that employers who monitor employees' email are using intimidation but this position can be debated. If it is used unfairly, it can be seen as intimidation.

Subordinate bully

Bullying perpetrated by subordinates (such as boss being bullied by an employee, professor bullying a student).

Serial bully

An individual who repeatedly intimidates or harasses one individual after another. A victim is selected and bullied for an extended period of time until he/she leaves or asserts himself/herself and makes a complaint to the campus Judicial Affairs Office. 

The bully sometimes deceives administrators and faculty by being charming while the victim appears emotional and angry.

Since there are often no witnesses, the account of the bullying staff member is most likely believed.  The bully may even convince the organization (or university) to get rid of the troublesome victim. Once the victim is out of the organization, the bully usually needs to find a new victim. This is because the bully needs someone on whom he can project his inner feelings of inadequacy. The bully may prevent others from sharing negative information about him by sowing conflict.

Secondary bully
Others in the social group start to react to bullying by imitating or joining in on the behavior. This can lead to institutional bullying. Even if the primary bullying individual is removed, the secondary bullies may fill in the gap because they have learned that this is how to survive in this organization.

Pair bullies

Two individuals, sometimes people who are having an affair, or who are just peers collude to intimidate others. The participation of the second individual may be covert.

Gang bullies

The primary bully gathers a number of followers. He may be a loud, highly visible leader. If he is a quieter sort, his role may be more insidious. Some members of the group may actively enjoy being part of the bullying. They like the reflected power of the primary bully. If the primary bully leaves the organization, and the institution does not change, one of these individuals may step in to fill the shoes of the primary bully. Others of the gang join in because they feel coerced. They fear that if they do not participate, they will be the next victims. Indeed some of these individuals do become victims at some point in time.

 

QUESTION:  Do you recognize anyone around you who behaves in these ways?  Do you recognize yourself in any of these categories?

(c) Robyn M. Posson 2013.  All Rights Reserved.