The Bully-Free Workplace: Stop Jerks, Weasels, and Snakes From Killing Your Organization

Don't Allow Antibullying to Become “Fad of the Month”

Employers commonly commit to large projects and spread them far and wide across divisions until the entire organization is blanketed. Despite the wide distribution, the commitment is paper-thin. There is no credible enforcement in some places. No teams have been trained. And authoritarian managers cling to old ways for fear of losing control. Plant deep roots in every corner of your organization. Make it stick.

A New, Rational Place

The antibullying effort can be prevented from becoming a dispensable fad. It takes time to build the record of employee satisfaction with both the informal and formal resolution procedures. The first formal test of the system is most critical. It must be perceived as fair and free from interference.

As time passes, bullies will quit rather than be held accountable. Some will be censured and abandon their destructive practices. The organization can celebrate its antibullying champions and ambassadors. Eventually, the reward system—who gets promoted, who gains recognition—is rebalanced. The J-W-S fade into obscurity, and the good people become prominent.

Bullying makes the workplace an irrational and scary place to spend your waking hours. With a successful Blueprint implementation, rationality and safety are restored (or put in place for the first time if never a part of the culture before). Over time, “culture” changes for the better, rendering bullying an antisocial behavior.

One Step Ahead of the ...