What are bullying behaviors, anyway? Bullying is described as repetitive, consistent behavior that harms, intimidates, offends, degrades or humiliates an employee, possibly in front of other employees, clients or customers. Since the behaviors are repetitive and varied they can exact a tremendous toll on the victim before they even realize the harm being done. By learning to recognize and then document behaviors that at first may seem mildly “disrespectful” and random, individuals can overtime recognize when bullying has occurred.
That definition is packed with meaning and if you have been a “victim” of bullying I invite you to take a deeper look at the implications personally. For me, it has taken deep introspection to realize that I had become a victim and have endured severe harm. Healing the wounds caused by bullying, such as lower self-esteem, and lack of confidence, takes time. If you’re an employee who has been bullied I’d love to hear from you. You can email me confidentially at deborah@lifeworktransitions.com
In the next blog, I’ll talk about the specific behaviors, which individually might not be considered “bullying” but taken together in a repetitive manner designed to harm others does indeed constitute bullying. I now understand that my work for over 30 years helping people find and create their meaningful work, has been and is… healing work. My next steps are to own it and share it with others.
