a post by Michele Hellebuyck for the World of Psychology blog
Bullying is often considered something we think about when recalling moments from our childhood. We automatically turn to the experiences of youth in middle school or high school.
But as adults we also experience bullying, and despite a change in environment and age, the look and feel of the bullies are the same. They are individuals who have been given, and have assumed, the power to decide if you will be rewarded as an insider or mistreated as the outsider.
In the workplace, bullying behavior can often appear to be acceptable and supported by an organization’s culture or rules. Andrew Faas, the author of The Bully’s Trap: Bulling in the Workplace writes that, in most organizations, those in power are expected to have bullying traits: assertive, demanding, and detached. Additionally, he argues that whether these traits are used to intimidate or control others depends on workplace culture. Bullies grow in power in organizations where rules are unclear or optional, people are punished for speaking up, and rewards are given based on whether you are well-liked. In these work environments, one person or a set of people can behave as bullies without running into any problems.
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