Bullies in today’s world are all over the place. There are bullies at school, there are bullies in the playground, there are bullies at the club, and then there are bullies at work. Out of the various existing ‘types of bullies’, the bullies at work are arguably the last kind anyone would want to deal with. Bullies at work can you make you look bad, take a serious toll on your productivity and generally make your whole life miserable. Sometimes it may seem like nothing can be done about the bully, but remember where there is a will there is a way. To materialize the dream of a work-life free of bullies all you have to do is set aside your fears and take that much-needed first step against getting rid of bullies. As you know what they say, stand up for something or else you would fall for everything. Take your stand now. Read on to know how to deal with bullies at work.
Handling Workplace Bullying
Identify The Reason For The Issue
The first and foremost thing to do when dealing with a bully at work is to identify why the bully has you up against the wall. You will want to work on finding out why the bully is picking on you. You will want to work backwards. Have you been getting in his/her way? Does the bully see you as a threat to his/her chances of promotion at work? These are the kind of questions you should be asking yourself. Sometimes however, the reason for the bully’s aggression may have nothing to do with you. It may be just that the bully has a very strong and dominating personality. Again, the problem at times may not even lie with the bully. It may be you who is suffering from a persecution complex. The bully’s behavior may unjustifiably have you believing that he/she is out to get to you, but in reality, this may not be the case. Once you’ve identified the issue’s source, proceed to face it head-on.
Take The Bully Head-On
This may take a lot of guts but remember what has to be done, simply has to be done. There really are no two ways about it. If you are sure that, the problem does not lie with you, then go right on ahead and initiate a very peaceful confrontation with the bully. However, remember this has to be done in private and not in front of other colleagues. Take the bully aside and with a great sense of conviction and articulation, tell the bully how you feel. Make the bully realize that you do not like the way you are being treated. You’ll never know, the bully might just have a change of heart. If you have done some wrong and believe that is what ticked off the bully, clear the air by apologizing for your wrongs. A confrontation of this sort does not leave room for aggression and will mostly help the bully realize that he/she has been unnecessarily ‘ruthless’.
Escalate The Issue
If talking out the issue with the bully was just a waste of time, if the ‘peaceful confrontation’ did nothing but add fuel to the fire, it’s best for you to speak to a superior. This is the last step to take when dealing with an annoying bully. Go up to a superior and pour out your woes against the bully. Explain why your problems with the bully are justified. Use your rhetoric and ensure the superior sees why the bully should be dealt with firmly. Also, just make sure the superior is senior to the bully, or it will make no sense to complain to the former. Remember, the chances of the superior already knowing about the bully’s tendencies to persecute the innocent are high. It is also important to mention here that you should never discuss your issues with the bully with a co-worker. Doing this may only lead to unnecessary complications.
If talking out the issue with the bully was just a waste of time, if the ‘peaceful confrontation’ did nothing but add fuel to the fire, it’s best for you to speak to a superior. This is the last step to take when dealing with an annoying bully. Go up to a superior and pour out your woes against the bully. Explain why your problems with the bully are justified. Use your rhetoric and ensure the superior sees why the bully should be dealt with firmly. Also, just make sure the superior is senior to the bully, or it will make no sense to complain to the former. Remember, the chances of the superior already knowing about the bully’s tendencies to persecute the innocent are high. It is also important to mention here that you should never discuss your issues with the bully with a co-worker. Doing this may only lead to unnecessary complications.
