TOOL - Signs of workplace harassment/bullying

Apart from the direct sign of complaints being raised, signs of workplace harassment/bullying may appear indirectly. These signs may not always be linked with workplace harassment/bullying and need to be considered within the overall workplace environment.

Indirect signs of workplace harassment/bullying may include:

• changes in human resource management trends, for example:
  • increases in levels of absenteeism and staff turnover
  • increases in the use of employee counselling services
• workers leaving the organisation reporting dissatisfaction with working relationships
• negative results from organisational climate/worker opinion surveys
• the breakdown of relationships between workers, customers or management
• workers becoming withdrawn and isolated
• poor worker morale and erosion of loyalty and commitment

Measures including a workplace harassment/bullying policy, complaint handling system, open communication and training and education can be effective in preventing workplace harassment/bullying from occurring.

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7 Deadly Sins of BAD MANAGERS - What Managers & Supervisors Must Avoid in the Workplace

Every supervisor has his or her flaws, some more egregious than others. Here we look at a few of the most pervasive mistakes that bosses make, plus how to avoid them.

No boss is perfect, but some are less perfect than others. While it is impossible to satisfy every employee's needs throughout their career, certain types of managerial behavior are almost guaranteed to rub workers the wrong way. Whether it's seizing undeserved credit, imposing unrealistic workloads or simply failing to listen to employees' concerns, a pattern of bad management can lead to significant declines in performance and may even cost a supervisor his or her career. This makes it vital to promptly correct such mistakes or, better yet, avoid them in the first place.

"Few things incite a frothing, wild-eyed rage like asking people to talk about bad bosses. People aren't just annoyed by poor leadership — they sputter and snarl as they describe their superiors, lusting for the chance to hit that bad boss with a perfect, withering insult," CNN.com explains. "It's a little scary, then, to realize that we're all likely to occupy a leadership role, from motherhood to mogulhood, at some point in our lives. When we blow it, our imperfections will be magnified by our authority."

A surprising number of managers display archetypal forms of bad behavior. According to a Florida State University survey last month, many employees believe their superiors embody one of the seven deadly sins:

• Wrath — 26 percent said their boss has trouble managing anger;
• Greed — 27 percent said their boss pursues undeserved rewards;
• Sloth — 41 percent said their boss lazily pushes work onto others;
• Pride — 31 percent said their boss craves undeserved admiration;
• Lust — 33 percent said their boss needs to have his or her ego stroked every day;
• Envy — 19 percent said their boss is jealous of others' successes; and
• Gluttony — 23 percent said their boss hoards resources that could be useful to others at work.

"Employees with leaders who committed these 'sins' contributed less effort (40 percent less), felt overloaded as a result of forced responsibility for their supervisor's work (33 percent more), were less likely to make creative suggestions (66 percent less) and received fewer resources to effectively do their job (60 percent less) than those without this negative type of leadership," Christian Ponder, a research associate at Florida State's College of Business who worked on the survey, said.

While the most common faults seem to be obvious, it can be surprisingly difficult to recognize bad managerial qualities in oneself. Cultivating a sense of discernment to better spot negative employee reactions is an important skill that can distinguish a good boss from a mediocre one.

"The most crucial test of a boss is self-awareness. The best bosses are in tune with how the little things they say and do impact people, and they are adept at adjusting to bolster both performance and dignity," Bob Sutton, a professor in Stanford University's department of management science and engineering, notes at AMEX OPEN Forum. "Several studies, including one by the College Board, suggest that the more incompetent a boss is, the more out of touch he or she is likely to be."

There are several signals in the workplace that can point to bad tendencies in a manager. BNET lists some of the common signs of a managerial problem, including:

• Your team is underperforming. Bad management trickles down and eventually affects the rest of the organization, causing your workers' performance to deteriorate.
• Your own boss is putting on the pressure. When a senior manager notices a subordinate manager is having trouble, he or she might start paying a lot more attention to that person. If your supervisor turns on the heat, it may be a sign that something is wrong with your management style.
• Your allies start to drift away. When your work friends or supporters start distancing themselves from you, it's a strong signal that things are not going well for you at the company and others know it.
• Your employees are miserable. A group of consistently unhappy employees usually means a bad manager is in their lives. Pay attention to how your workers are doing to get a clear gauge of your own performance.

While there's no single measure that can turn someone into a good boss, recognizing negative behaviors and working to mend them can be a crucial step in rebuilding employees' confidence in your abilities and providing a better work environment for your colleagues.

"Who you are shows up most clearly in the relationships you form with others, especially those for whom you're responsible," Harvard Business Review explains. "It's easy to get those crucial relationships wrong. Effective managers possess the self-awareness and self-management required to get them right."

This means that spotting when you're engaged in one of the "deadly sins" of bad management and paying close attention to your workers' needs, your own boss's expectations and the way others treat you within the company are necessary stages in becoming a better manager.

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What Makes A Great Leader? ... Listen, have a heart, be inspirational, don't Bully, don't harass or be arrogant ...

The secret to being a great leader isn't to bully or harass your underlings - it's to be a sensitive listener.

Researchers say the best politicians, businessmen and managers stay in touch with their followers and support those they lead. Their findings also revealed most leaders have a natural shelf life and that over time they tend to become so isolated they fall out of favour.

Good leader, bad leader: Baroness Margaret Thatcher was a good leader while William Hague was bad because he lost credibility over his beer boasts

The study sheds light on the rise and fall of some of the most influential leaders of the last 100 years, including Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher.

Prof Alex Haslam and Dr Kim Peters, psychologists at Exeter University, have spent the last year distilling the wisdom of 85 self-help books and biographies.

They discovered most leaders have seven secrets to their success and that most of those are surprisingly 'touchy feely'.

The most common of these was to be sensitive to followers, a trait cited by 57 per cent of the books. More than half of those studied were 'positive and inspirational', while 48 per cent treated followers with respect, the researchers told the British Science Festival in Birmingham.

Other so-called secrets included meeting staff expectations and avoiding arrogance.

Dr Peters said the findings clashed with conventional ideas that the best leaders were driven individuals with domineering personalities.

'Actually, it's someone who is always looking to their followers and who is concerned about their relationship with them,' she said.

The researchers identified a 'leadership trajectory' which eventually sees leaders fall from grace. This happens when, instead of recognising that their success depends on keeping a good relationship with their followers, they begin to believe their own hype and the decline in popularity begins.

Good leaders must also hide the fact they are trying to be 'one of the people'.

Former Tory leader William Hague lost credibility when he boasted about drinking up to 14 pints a day as a teenager.

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Great Leaders Must Swap Bluster For Soft Approach ‎ Former South African president Nelson Mandela and wife Graca Machel with former British prime minister Tony Blair. Mr Blair and Mr Mandela were among 81 leaders analysed by researchers at the University of Exeter.

BECOMING A great leader is less about bluster and command and more about caring and sharing, according to a new analysis of the psychology behind “leadership and followership”.

It also shows that, no matter how popular, all leaders have a shelf life. The study of 81 “leaders” from Hillary Clinton to Attila the Hun, and from Tony Blair to Santa Claus, was one of the topics discussed on the opening day of the British Science Festival.

Prof Alex Haslam and Prof Kim Peters of the University of Exeter described their analysis of 85 books about the world’s greatest leaders, putting their findings into a soon to be released book, The New Psychology of Leadership.

The analysis provides insights into what makes a successful leader, and offers seven “leadership secrets” that can help achieve this.

Prof Haslam said leaders gain power and hold power not by being rough and tough, but by being recognised as one of the people. Leadership is a process of “social identity management” that counts on a leader’s ability to create in followers a sense of being “special” and a feeling of belonging to the group, he said.

“The real secret about leaders is it is not about me, it is about the group.” While ultimately it is all about power, getting there is about getting cosy with the followers. “Emotional connectivity is important for leaders because it shows they are part of the shared group,” said Prof Haslam.

Margaret Thatcher hardly seemed to depend on emotional connectivity, and yet she also depended on her support group, those who disagreed with the power of the trade unions and those who backed an approach suited to the middle class.

Tony Blair was also particularly good at making an emotional connection, said Prof Stephen Reicher of the University of St Andrews. Successful leaders ally themselves with those they represent, all the time remaining ordinary members of the group, he added. “They are extraordinary in feeling ordinary.”

They also, however, tend to follow a familiar trajectory, said Prof Reicher. Early success as a popular leader often begins to make them think they know better and have all the answers, in effect losing contact with the group. “Leadership has a shelf life. The risk is they begin to believe in themselves, and lose the sense of us.”

US president Barack Obama has faltered in the polls because of this, said Prof Peters. He assumed power with a close emotional bond with the voters. Yet he failed to see and respond quickly enough to strong public anger about the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. This has broken his link with the public, she said.

Those with leadership ambitions also need to be convincing when attempting to connect with the people.

Former Tory leader William Hague failed miserably in this regard, Prof Reicher said. “He was the quintessential ‘other’, he was a geek politician.” The baseball cap fooled no one.

Choosing the greatest leaders was likely an impossible task, said Prof Michelle Ryan of Exeter. “It depends on who is deciding. There is no one greatest leader,” she said.

The participants were slow to suggest a top three, but Prof Haslam tentatively offered former South African president Nelson Mandela. He was extraordinary compared to other leaders in that he also knew when to bow out, “exiting gracefully”, Prof Haslam said, adding that it could be difficult to make people leave when their connection with the public was lost.

The science festival got under way in Birmingham yesterday and continues into the weekend.

Ruling class how to command

A STUDY of world leaders by Prof Alex Haslam and Prof Kim Peters of the University of Exeter has established seven “leadership secrets” for success:

1 Be sensitive to followers;
2 Be positive and inspirational;
3 Treat followers with respect;
4 Work hard for the group;
5 Meet or exceed followers’ expectations;
6 Support followers;
7 Don’t be overbearing or arrogant.

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Also see 'Bullies at the Top - What happens when the bully is the Prime Minister of your country? 'Rudd outburst an abuse of power'

The Daily WarZone - Strategies to Survive the Workplace Warfare of Toxic Cliques

The antagonism starts at high school. Which peer group were you in? Were you a stoner, a geek, a jock, a mean girl or one of the elite, the in-crowd cool set that suavely operated above the rules?

Whichever clique you joined, in the office you may still be haunted by past alliances.

"When reacting to toxic cliques," says executive coach Stefanie Smith, "old feelings from long-ago school days may creep back into our psyches. We're only human.

"But you're a professional now," Smith adds. "So be careful to judge your best response based on present circumstances not past unresolved memories."

Gang warfare
Take sides in a divided workplace and you will be pitted against a gang of colleagues, Smith notes. So, if you are toying with taking a stand, ensure the commitment will be worth it down the track or forget it.

"Respond analytically, not emotionally," Smith says, adding that you should nevertheless resist the urge to play the referee unless your job is curbing conflict.

Divide and confide
If you are already entangled in a corporate civil war, step back and hear both sides, Smith says. Sort through the options and issues. If you have a strong view on the dispute or can inject valuable insight, then go ahead, express yourself, she says.

Again, however, talk to combatants separately - avoid getting marooned in the middle. "The last thing you want is to be caught in the crossfire. Instead, talk to each side from behind the battle lines or stay away altogether," Smith says.

Align with Switzerland
Author and consultant Barry Maher champions a similarly dispassionate tack that he calls the modified Switzerland approach. According to Maher, you want to be seen as ultra-neutral - above getting sucked into the maelstrom.

"It's not that you think you're better than the combatants; it's just that you're focused on other things, like reaching your goals and getting the work done and seeing the good in people, instead of trying to tear them down because they're in the enemy camp," Maher says.

Spread the love
Be cordial with everyone, Maher suggests. Remember that anything you say about anyone may well get back to that person and draw you into the quagmire.

The Switzerland approach sets you up as a potential impartial arbitrator if down the line you decide that you can help resolve the feud, Maher says, echoing Smith. He adds that if the conflict turns so sour that it interferes with doing or enjoying your job, it might be time to move to a firm where the air is less toxic.

The art of war
Partisanship apparently brings only one benefit. "You'll have someone to eat lunch with every day," writes employment analyst Dave Saunders in an online post.

Despite the guaranteed social gain, Saunders says aligning with a tribe is "a very dangerous political move" that may well backfire. Subsequent gossip, name-calling and isolation can be devastating, Saunders writes.

Avoiding alliances is "the single best thing you can do to ensure your rise in your company", he adds before going on to warn of what happens when an enemy gets promoted above you. Imagine the awkwardness.

If, despite the consequences of involvement, dodging conflict strikes you as the easy way out - cowardly even - note that the darling of corporate strategists and military tacticians, Sun Tzu, endorses avoidance.

According to The Art of War author, "winning without fighting" is a key principle for managing every confrontation.

Pacifism carries the day.

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THE BAGGAGE OF BULLYING

Workplace bullying can trigger post-traumatic stress disorder similar to that suffered by people who have been in combat situations, according to psychologist Dr Noreen Tehrani.

"Both groups suffer nightmares, are jumpy and seem fuelled by too much adrenalin."

Melbourne psychologist Christopher Shen says in extreme bullying cases victims experience trauma that requires professional support and advice.

If you are being bullied, phone WorkSafe Victoria on 1800 136 089 or WorkCover NSW on 136 089 or visit worksafe.vic.gov.au or workcover.nsw.gov.au.

Interview - Tips for dealing with 'Mean Girls' - Women Bullies at Work

Tips for Employers to Safeguard against Workplace Bullying!

Bullying is alive and well not only on the schoolyard, but in the workplace. Workplace bullying is a type of harassment that has been estimated to affect 37 % of today’s workforce according to a recent Zogby International survey. This survey has further found that 72% of the perceived harassers are bosses. Harassment might arise from discrimination over gender, age, and position in the company, and race. Those bullies are generally in power and believe that this power and status justifies insensitive treatment towards others that are “inferior” or not “in their league.” They often justify their actions as “just kidding” and believing others should just “take a joke.”

The effects of workplace bullying have repercussions throughout the workplace, as an atmosphere of basic safety and trust is violated. Physical and emotional health is affected, and can result in unmanaged stress, absenteeism, and low workplace morale. The problem is, this type of abusive behavior is not necessarily illegal, and although 13 states have proposed “healthy workplace” legislation, none of these bills have passed.

The following are the top ten tips for safeguarding your workplace from bullying!

1. REALISE THAT COMMUNICATION IS KING! It is the key to job effectiveness. It has been a long accepted phenomenon that the reasons why people fail at their jobs are not due to poor job or technical skills, but it is because of poor communication skills. Providing your employees with knowledge through seminars and coaching helps to provide key tools for communication.
2. Educate yourself on Workplace Bullying. Realise that workplace bullying is often not blatant – it can be a subtle type of communication that is condescending, insidious controlling and disrespectful. For example, rhetorical questions are unacceptable – such as “Why aren’t you listening to me?” “What’s wrong with you?” “How many times have I told you that?”
3. Ensure all employees know the difference between Assertive and Aggressive behavior. Knowing the guidelines of each can make it easy to identify workplace bullying. Assertive statements are characterized by “I” statements where one is honest, yet tactful and respectful to others, while Aggressive communication has a “you” focus in which one is dominating, controlling and judgmental. All too often people in charge think they can be “bossy” since they are bosses.
4. Understand that bullies are not “bad” people – they lack awareness and skills, and are often well meaning in their intensity to “get the job done.” Some very well could have some emotional instability and unhealthiness. Do not hesitate to share concerns, document concerns, and provide EAP assistance or coaching to the valued executive who have difficulty taming their intensity.
5. Have zero tolerance for Workplace bullying! Give resources to help the bully firstly understand that they are behaving in an unacceptable manner and offer them tools, help to build better skills. Don’t be non-assertive and look the other way! Provide a clear written policy of what constitutes Workplace Bullying and what are the consequences for bullying behavior. Make sure all employees are aware of the policy and have a “refresher” memo or reminder periodically.
6. Provide a clear channel of how one reports bullying or if they suspect bullying which is confidential and discreet. Ensure there will be no fear of repercussions if a complaint is shared. All too often employees fear retaliation and think that if they complain to human resources or others in management, they are not guaranteed confidentiality and their jobs could be in jeopardy. The fear that the complaint will be leaked is one of the most common factors that prevent employees from addressing the bully, and fear of reprisal is paramount.
7. Help employees identify their rights. They have a right to be treated with respect, the right not to be demeaned and disrespected. You might offer employees a “bill of rights” in writing as to how they can be expected to be treated. Show them you care about them being treated fairly.
8. Realise the importance of a sense of control in the mental wellness of your employees. Those who feel like they are controlled and have little say in their lives at work develop resent and poor work morale and performance. A perceived lack of control leads to “learned helplessness” in which employees have a victim mentality and see “no way out.” This leads to anxiety, poor work performance, absenteeism, and increased use of sick time.
9. Unmanaged workplace stress is a 300 billion dollar profit killer in businesses and organizations throughout North America. 80% to 90% of all industrial accidents are likely related to personal problems and employees' inability to handle stress. Offer stress management workshops to teach your employees how to manage their stress and not to be “stress carriers!”
10. Do not “assume” that your employees know about workplace bullying. Educate them, offer workshops on this topic, to ensure that they are knowledgeable about what constitutes workplace bullying!

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Agressive and abusive employees and how to handle them

Dodging Landmines

How to Handle an Abusive Coworker




Deal with objective data. Ed Muzio, President and CEO of Group Harmonics, suggests applying the "video camera test." Can you describe the person's behavior as though you're watching it on a TV? Once you can be specific you should approach the coworker in private and discuss ways to improve the situation together.


Coping with an Aggressive Employee



Fear and anxiety can make an otherwise rational employee overreact. Ed Muzio, CEO of Group Harmonics, says to stay issue focused when talking to them--avoid being emotional. Move the discussion to a productive environment so you can offer the employee information, help, and support.


Confronting a Manager who Undercuts your Authority



Ed Muzio, CEO of Group Harmonics, says to approach your manager in private with a specific incident and then turn the conversation into a discussion about how decision-making should work around the office. Although your manager has the ability to fire you, if you let the behavior turn into a pattern, it will get more and more difficult to change.

HEALTH - Your Boss Really Is Killing You - Women May Be More Vulnerable To The Detriments of Stress In Texas

Your Boss Really Is Killing You;

Women May Be More Vulnerable To The Detriments of Stress In Texas

By Patt Carpenter

"You know, I can handle my job. It's my boss that's killing me." Well, it turns out Christine, an administrative assistant for a large Midwestern city government office, may not be far from the truth. According to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, Americans are more likely to suffer a second heart attack if they work a stressful job. Authors Katherine Crowly and Kathi Elster of Working With You Is Killing Me: Freeing Yourself From Emotional Traps At Work, say complaints about bosses are what they hear the most.

To most of us, this seems like common sense. We joke with family and colleagues all the time about it. "Come on," we say when a loved one comes home after a stressful day. "You're going to give yourself a heart attack. Relax!" Workers from high-stress, bustling environments, like those in Austin, Dallas, and Houston, can probably relate. Our comforting words may serve a greater purpose than simple solace, however -- they may amount to life-saving advice.

For women, the news is even more disconcerting. In the United States alone, half a million women under age forty-five perish every year due to heart disease. In Texas, the condition killed more people than stroke and all other cancers, but women are more likely to suffer from it than men, according to the Texas Heart Institute. The statistic is surprising considering that the female sex has been treated less aggressively in the past for cardiovascular conditions. Women were not referred for diagnostic tests as often, according to the Institute, and heart attacks were recognized less of the time due to symptoms that often differ from those experienced by men. By the time many women are diagnosed, the severity of heart disease is usually greater and the diagnosis poorer.

In the year following a heart attack, women have a fifty percent greater chance of dying, and in six years, they're more likely to suffer a second one. Females also carry a 300% greater risk of enduring a heart attack or stroke within five years after experiencing a full-blown panic attack, according to a study recently published in the Archives of General Psychiatry.

So what's going on? Why do women seem so much more vulnerable to the detrimental effects of stress? Dr. Jordan Smoller, co-author of the study on panic attacks and heart risk, speculated that the link between panic attacks, heart attacks, and stroke may be due to heart rhythm problems or a release of stress hormones associated with panic attacks. Older women may also be more prone to the potentially deadly episodes due to decreasing estrogen levels.

Laura Kubzansky, of the Harvard School of Public Health, was not involved in Smoller's study, but conducts similar research. "The body is flooded with hormones that in the short run help [it] cope with the emergency," she said, "but in the long run take a toll."

What could, perhaps, be just as frightening is that nearly fifty million Americans are currently living without health insurance -- including one million women in Texas, according to a 2004 report released by Planned Parenthood of Houston. Lack of insurance is often linked with less access to care, says the Commonwealth Fund, a non-profit agency. So if more women are suffering from heart disease, a condition in which screening is of vital importance, yet many of those women lack adequate access to care due to health insurance issues, the nation has a serious healthcare dilemma on its hands -- and that's only considering the implications of one disease. What of cancer, HIV, obesity, and diabetes? This dire situation is of particular importance for Texas, which has the highest rate of uninsured adults at twenty-five percent, and a growing problem with chronic conditions -- like obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.

One way to reduce risk, with or without health insurance, is to get a grip on stress in the workplace. In an interview with CNN, Crowly and Elster lent the following advice:

(1) Detach and depersonalize from situations you can't control.
If you have a difficult boss, for instance, accept the fact you are not going to change that person. Stress often comes about from expecting something you're simply not getting, so understand what he or she will, and will not, provide. If it's appreciation you're seeking, find it in co-workers or from simply knowing you are doing a good job.

(2) Accept that it may not be your fault.
Life isn't fair, and that sometimes includes the treatment you receive. Maybe your boss is a screamer -- a ranter and a raver, even -- but guess what? It may have nothing to do with you. Accept what you can improve on and do it, but don't blame yourself for another's nasty behavior, even if it comes from your superior.

(3) Find a physical outlet for your tension.
Go to the gym. Take a run, a hike, or a yoga class. Hell, get a massage. Just find a way to get it out! Tension builds up on a physical, as well as a psychological, level. Developing a method of dealing with it will help relax your frantic mind, as well as your clenched body.

(4) Just say "moo."
A "sacred cow" at work is what Crowly and Elster define as that boss -- you know, the one everyone thinks should have been "laid-off" long ago, but has somehow managed to hang on to give you orders. Yeah, that one. What do you do? Blow it off. Give him or her credit for being there and simply move on. Refusing to get wrapped up in negative emotions over the situation may be the only way to function on a professional level.

(5) Campaign for yourself.
Back-stabbers at work will always exist. They cut you out of meetings, into conversations, are always eager to jump in when you're not there, but are oh-so-sweet to your face. Confronting them is useless. Instead, make sure the truth is known about your skills and competencies. Know you're good at what you do, and don't be afraid to show it and to let it be known...diplomatically, of course.

(6) Remember you are in control of your experiences.
No one can dictate how you feel or how you react to situations. Ultimately, this is your responsibility, and there's a great freedom in knowing that no one has the power to upset or anger you unless you allow it. Someone else may hold your paychecks, but they can never hold your emotions.

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