When The Boss Is The Bully

I was amazed to find the other day that Working American has an annual contest for the worse boss. Aptly titled "My Bad Boss" some of the entries are astounding. There’s one story about a boss who demoted the office manager when it rained at the company picnic. Really? What a bully.

There are two types of bullies in business. Successful ones and unsuccessful ones. There are leaders who instill the fear of punishment, scorn, and humiliation in their subordinates. Yes, fear can be a powerful motivator, driving people to avoid the sting of punishment and public humiliation.

Robert I. Sutton, PhD states that " . . . followers are driven by both the "sticks" of punishment and humiliation and the "carrots" of hard-won warmth and recognition. One of his "key lessons" in being an effective asshole, "If you demean your people to motivate them, alternate it with (at least occasional) encouragement and praise. Alternate the carrot and the stick; the contrast between the two makes your wrath seem harsher and your occasional kindness seem even sweeter."

RIS posed the question: Why do so many people act like assholes and believe it is generally effective even though there is so much evidence that it is a downright stupid way to act?" Great question and one that begs, no needs, to be answered! When you are in an environment where employees run like cockroaches when they see the boss coming, it's just not healthy! *If anyone out there has an answer to the aforementioned question, please share the answer with me!*

Hey You. Yes, I'm talking to You! Being impolite, rude, nasty, mean, etc. is not crucial to your success.

While bullies inhabit the middle ranks of large concerns, they are positively thriving at small companies. "There are lots of bad bosses out there,' says Atlanta-based management consultant Neil Lewis, Ph.D. "In smaller companies the quality of management is not as good as at large companies. They're not professional managers."

Bullies do a lot of damage in organizations. They make subordinates run scared. They put people in a protective mode, which interferes with the company's ability to generate innovation. Remember, organizations that drive in compassion and drive out fear attract superior talent, have lower turnover costs, and have less dysfunctional internal competition. Companies can gain a competitive advantage by giving their people personal respect, and training them to be effective and humane managers.

So, what do you do when the boss is a bully? Who do you complain to? Even more important, do you complain? It's a delicate situation for everyone involved. For HR, first and foremost provide the distressed employees with an avenue to discuss the allegations. Allow them to realize that they have been heard. A distressed employee needs the opportunity to vent and you need to provide an environment of calmness and provide assurance that is it okay to vent.

Communicate to all employees the expectation to comply with the values of the organization. Make it everyone's responsibility to keep your workplace free from bullying and harassing behaviors.