bullying Archives - Liz Kislik

How to Deal with a Colleague Who Threatens You

“I won’t oppose you now, but if anything goes wrong, I’ll go toe-to-toe with you.” My colleague was already standing practically toe-to-toe with me — and besides being much taller and stronger than I, he... Continue reading

Are You Tired of Being Condescended To?

In the past 10 days, three people from different organizations have complained to me about a boss or colleague who’s behaved condescendingly toward them. Not one of the three is a slouch, or a junior... Continue reading

How to Save Yourself from Being Manipulated

This piece was originally posted three years ago, on 6/27/17. Sadly, it's still relevant. 6/20/20 One of the particularly interesting things about the recent testimony from fired FBI Director James Comey in front of the... Continue reading

Have You Ever Worked with Anyone Like Donald Trump?

Trump. The very name encapsulates his behaviors: to outdo, undermine, outmaneuver, and win. The word isn’t exactly synonymous with teamwork, collaboration, or shared success. Not surprisingly, it’s tough working with someone who has Trump’s aggressiveness... Continue reading

Don’t Be a Leader Who Makes People Powerless

If you manage others, you may find it hard to believe that your subordinates aren’t comfortable engaging with you about the work and the workplace. But don’t assume it’s because they’re apathetic or weak. Leading... Continue reading

You’ll Need to Have Courage and Be Direct If You’re a Bully’s Boss

As a manager, you might not know that you have a bully reporting to you. Depending on a bully’s style, you may never observe an inappropriate interaction yourself. In these difficult times, employees often stay... Continue reading

The Bully Pulpit, Part V: Can the Group Bring a Bully Into Line?

Can a work group resolve a bully problem without the intervention or support of senior management? Several readers raised this question with the concern that it can be inconvenient, impractical, or downright useless to try... Continue reading

The Bully Pulpit, Part IV: The Grand Bully, An Odd Illustration

Because I’ve been writing about bullying for the last few weeks, I’ve been noticing behavior which, although it may not seem so bad at first, can rise to the level of bullying if it’s repeated,... Continue reading

The Bully Pulpit, Part III: A Bevy of Bullies

Have you ever been bullied at work? You might be surprised at the wide variety of bullying styles, from raging and being overt about their use of power to demure and definitely under the radar.... Continue reading

The Bully Pulpit, Part II: How the Bully Operates at Work

Workplace bullies may not realize that other people think of them that way. They tend to think they’re just trying to get business results that they deem reasonable, important, or necessary. Their sense of “getting... Continue reading

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Tag: bullying