Bullying Boss

By Matt Krumrie, Star Tribune Sales and Marketing

Last update: November 18, 2004 - 10:00 PM

No one wants to be intimidated by their boss.

"A boss that bullies is bad – for you and for the business," says Brian McDermott, of GrowthWorks Inc., a Maple Grove-based training facilitation and consulting company. "You spend 50 to 70 percent of your waking hours at work. The stress of a being managed by a bully can make that time unbearable."

Research by the Gallup organization shows that the top reason employees quit their jobs is because of poor relationships with their bosses. In addition to high turnover, bullying decreases productivity and profits.

If you find yourself in a situation where you feel your boss is a bully, there are some things you can do. Here are some tips from McDermott and Gerry Sexton, co-authors of "Leading Innovation: Creating Workplaces Where People Excel so Organizations Thrive."

Try to discern your boss's intentions. Oftentimes, your boss's hyper-result-oriented manner can feel like bullying. It could be just a poor expression of extremely high expectations. Other times, it is a power play, pure and simple.

- Explore the possibility of a personality style difference. Some people prefer more easygoing interpersonal interactions; others prefer more no-nonsense communication. The difference can feel intimidating. If you are one of these more sociable people, adapting your style to be more direct and to-the-point can be helpful.

- When discussing your boss's behavior with him or her, it is important to keep the focus on the business impact of the behavior. Discussing how the fear created by his or her threatening behavior is negatively impacting business results has more influence than discussing just how it makes people feel.

- Observe whether your boss's behavior is consistently intimidating or is brought on by particular situations or people. Understanding the triggers allows for focused discussions on how to best pre-empt the bullying behavior.

- If, in the end, the bullying behavior represents dysfunctional and harassing leadership, you are left with one of two options: Make a formal complaint to human resources, or join the ranks of the Gallup organization's studies and find a healthier work environment.

Matt Krumrie is a freelance writer from Inver Grove Heights, MN,and has six years of experience reporting on the employment industry.E-mail subject ideas to janelson@startribune.com.

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