When you experience the perplexing games of a toxic manager or coworker, it is helpful to know the bully or jerk category they fit within. Bully DNA is amazingly consistent, regardless of the organization.  It helps to be prepared, if not predict, their behavior before you experience your next toxic encounter.

Knowledge is power if you want to survive a toxic workplace.

According to our good friend Dr. Gary Namie, founder of the Workplace Bullying Institute, based in Bellingham, Washington, there are four categories of toxic bullies scouring the workplace.  Dr. Namie developed these descriptive four categories after exhaustive research and his very own close encounters with the inhumane kind.  According “Busting the Workplace Bully” by Kie Relyea, The Bellingham Herald, the four types are the Screaming Mimi, the Two-Headed Snake, the Constant Critic, and the Gatekeeper.

• Screaming Mimi is “the fist-pounding, vein-bulging maniac who chooses a public setting.” She yells. She cusses. She points her finger in your face. Think of her as the sales manager who shrieks at you in a meeting.

• Two-Headed Snake is the “smarmy Jekyll and Hyde back-stabber.”  He steals the credit for your work. He smiles into your face, then shares private information about you with your co-workers or other bosses. “It’s really about rumor, innuendo and damage of reputation. Their goal is to control others’ impressions of you,” Gary Namie says.

• Constant Critic gets you behind closed doors and tries to erode your confidence in your own competence. He’s the negative nitpicker who accuses you of getting it wrong. He’s not above doctoring documents to pin “mistakes” on you.

• Gatekeeper withholds the resources you need to succeed.

We recommend the Workplace Bullying Institute website to find advice on how to deal with these bullies.

Image Credit: HK Pro Club

Asher Adelman, Founder of eBossWatch, started his company to help people avoid hostile workplaces.  Adelman has undertaken an important and surmounting mission.  Unfortunately, there is a great deal of work yet to be done.  In other words, there is plenty of work for consultants like us who are working to create a nicer workplace.   While serving as one of the panelists who selected and ranked the 25 Worst Bosses of 2009, I read some horrifying accounts of just how toxic the workplace can be.  It’s a jungle out there!  We have included the eBossWatch press release below.

The eBossWatch Worst Bosses of 2009

December 7, 2009 — In the first ever contest of its kind, eBossWatch assembled a panel of workplace experts who selected and ranked the 25 Worst Bosses of 2009 from across the country and abroad.  eBossWatch is a career resource that helps job seekers evaluate managers and potential employers.

The Worst Bosses of 2009 include a coroner, the former NASA inspector general, an NFL head coach, and a candidate running for US Congress.

The eBossWatch highly regarded panel of workplace experts includes:

• Dr. Gary Namie, founder & president of the Workplace Bullying Institute and author of “The Bully at Work”
• Dr. Christine Pearson, professor of management at Thunderbird, The School of Global Management and co-author of “The Cost of Bad Behavior: How Incivility is Damaging Your Business and What to Do About It”
• Kevin Kennemer, board member of the Oklahoma Business Ethics Consortium and founder of The People Group
• Erica Pinsky, workplace consultant and author of “Road to Respect: Path to Profit“

Here are a few of the managers who made The eBossWatch Worst Bosses of 2009 list:

• Alan Parks, manager, US Army Warren Arsenal, Warren, Michigan
  Sued for workplace bullying and disability discrimination by a former soldier who received a Purple Heart and who lost his hand and suffered other serious injuries in an explosion while serving in Iraq.
• Sean Benton, water distribution superintendent, City of Monroe, Monroe, Louisiana
  Benton’s employees recorded a four hour meeting that took place late last year where Benton used hundreds of obscenities and ordered one of the supervisors to physically attack an equipment operator.
• Mike Swindle, supervisor, Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama, Montgomery, Alabama
  A federal jury found Swindle guilty of sexually harassing a subordinate, making lewd comments to her for about five months, and pressing his body against her while propositioning her on at least one occasion.  Other supervisors who the victim complained to either ignored her or harassed her themselves.
• Philip Meeson, CEO, Jet2.com, Leeds, United Kingdom
  Received a warning from Manchester Airport Police after publicly screaming at his own employees in front of hundreds of customers lined up at the airline’s check-in counter, ignoring a sign that warned passengers: “Abusive behavior towards staff will not be tolerated.”

Asher Adelman, founder of eBossWatch, said, “It is shocking to think that such horrific experiences still occur in the American workplace.  Nobody deserves to be subjected to a hostile work environment.  This contest demonstrates how important it is for job seekers to Google potential bosses and to research potential employers on sites like eBossWatch.”

The entire eBossWatch Worst Bosses of 2009 list is available at eBossWatch.com.

About eBossWatch

eBossWatch was launched in 2007 to help people avoid hostile workplaces.  eBossWatch is a popular career resource that enables people to rate their bosses in a professional and non-libelous manner so that job-seekers can evaluate prospective employers and avoid workplace bullies.

eBossWatch has been featured in many media outlets, including ABCNews.com, Fox News, Forbes, TheStreet.com, Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times, New York Post, Houston Chronicle, Seattle Times, San Francisco Chronicle, and The Orange County Register.

More information about eBossWatch can be accessed at www.ebosswatch.com.

Media Contact:

Asher Adelman
Founder
eBossWatch
contact@ebosswatch.com

______________________________________________

Graphic Credit:  Graphic obtained from The Smarter Wallet

Workplace jerks are dangerous to your health. Long-term exposure to psychological mistreatment at the hands of a jerk or bully typically leads to a number of harmful medical conditions, according to the Workplace Bullying Institute, an organization dedicated to the eradication of workplace bullying.

Nausea, tremors of the hands and lips, feeling uncoordinated, chills and profuse sweating, gastrointestinal disorders, rapid heart-beat, rapid breathing and increased blood pressure, chest pain, uncontrollable crying, and headaches are some of the stress symptoms one may experience when subjected to the health-harming treatment of a workplace jerk, according to research by the institute.

If faced with a workplace jerk or bully over a long-term basis, an employee’s prognosis is not good, especially if that jerk is their boss.  Some of the resulting physical conditions experienced by targets include hypertension, heart attacks, post traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression, neurotransmitter disruption, immunological impairment leading to more frequent infections, fibromyalgia, diabetes, skin disorders, and finally, suicide.

Despite all these horrible side effects of jerks in the workplace, it is not illegal to act like a jerk at work, unless the behavior is related to sexual harassment. Too many organizational leaders are willing to allow inhumane behavior, which leads to toxic company cultures where employees work only to earn a paycheck as opposed to building a great life where they enjoy their career. There are a number of reasons for this, including: (1) employers do not know how to confront the office jerk, (2) leaders are afraid of the jerk, (3) the top leader is a jerk, (4) organizations believe the jerk, even with all his/her flaws, is considered indispensable, and (5) managers consider the jerk’s target a weak person who deserves such treatment.

CEO’s rarely see the jerk’s behavior, because bullies are very clever in their approach. Those who engage in psychological violence are experts at causing fear down the corporate ladder while massaging egos up the ladder in order to protect their own career.

Why should a CEO adopt and model a Jerk-Free Workplace? Jerks make you sick and the resulting medical care, absenteeism and presenteeism, lost productivity, employee turnover, and poor public relations exposure is extremely expensive. To counteract employer-provided health costs, there has been an increasing movement to champion healthy workplaces by encouraging exercise, good nutrition and wellness education. Since improved employee health leads to lower health care costs and increased business performance, many organizations are willing to make substantial investments in wellness programs, as well as provide financial incentives to healthy employees.

But before building that onsite gym, subsidizing health club memberships or installing a comprehensive wellness program, the CEO should first take action on behalf of the company’s employees by implementing a Jerk-Free Workplace. It is doubtful exercising, nutrition and wellness education will nullify the compounding, daily effects of jerks who routinely mistreat their targets in the workplace.

There are a growing number of employers who see the advantages of creating civil work environments with rules of engagement where jerk behavior is not allowed. These companies typically require each employee and leader to sign a code of conduct. Jerks are expelled if they do not change their ways. Some organizations have even publicly adopted and publicized their Jerk-Free Workplace status.

I predict there will be a growing trend of employers adopting the Jerk-Free Workplace model because it makes solid business sense and ultimately, it is the right thing to do.

Kevin Kennemer is president of The People Group, a consulting firm committed to improving employee lives, business performance and society through positive people practices. Kevin is also a board member of Tulsa CASA and OKEthics. Kennemer may be contacted at kevin@thepeoplegroupllc.com.

When I get up in the morning, my goal for The People Group is to help organizations create work cultures where employees feel safe to be productive, innovative, healthy and profitable. The good news: there is no lack of potential clients who need help. The bad news: our nation is filled with company cultures mired in political infighting with out-of-control, jerk bosses and uncivilized behavior where employees leave the office each day anxious, depressed and beaten down.

There is no question in my mind why the family unit is in danger, and the health of the American worker is likely at its worst in recent history.

Why am I so passionate about the creation of great workplaces?  Why do I consistently admonish business owners and executives to treat employees with trust and respect? It is related to my unfortunate encounter with a sadistic, cruel and bully boss who routinely yelled, screamed, cursed and threw temper tantrums. When he didn’t get his way, or I expressed opinions that upset his tiny world view, he would go ballistic. He was like an evil two-year-old baby inside a fifty-year-old body.

This workplace psychopath was also known for heavy consumption of alcohol, and would regularly drunk dial employees at home to ferociously complain about their latest manufactured failure.

Unfortunately, without knowledge and information about workplace bully behavior, I allowed the son of Satan to affect me personally, which ultimately resulted in detrimental costs to my health. At the time, I didn’t realize targets of bullies are typically bright, successful and well-respected individuals.  I thought there must have been something wrong with me to be treated in this manner. Sadness, darkness and pain eventually took over my life and caused unbelievable torture.  The mental anguish eventually led to a number of physical conditions that were costly to me personally and financially.

So, back to my question of why I am so passionate about the topic of work culture and creating great workplaces.  No one should be subjected to the hurt and shame of a workplace psychopath. I do not want anyone to experience what I experienced.  Workplace bullies should not be allowed to continue their goal of destroying their subordinates and coworkers.  Rather than focusing on organizational success, bullies focus on personal survival by torturing their fellow employees.  This reasoning only makes sense if you are a psychopath.

How do you know a bully boss has crossed the line?  How do you determine the jerk is simply having a bad day or is a certified bully?

The following list of injurious behaviors, called “The Dirty Dozen” and published by the McKinsey Quarterly, will help you identify enemies in your midst.

The Dirty Dozen

1. Personal insults
2. Invading coworker’s personal territory
3. Uninvited physical contact
4. Threats and intimidation, verbal and nonverbal
5. Sarcastic jokes and teasing used as insult delivery systems
6. Withering e-mails
7. Status slaps intended to humiliate victims
8. Public shaming or status degradation rituals
9. Rude interruptions
10. Two-faced attacks
11. Dirty looks
12. Treating people as if they were invisible

ATTENTION A**HOLE BOSSES!
Sid Citrus launches campaign to be crowned your King.

Orange Rebel Productions today announced the launch of a new comedy web series, Sid Citrus: A**hole Boss, in partnership with inaugural corporate sponsor, The People Group. “Sid’s goal in life is to be universally acclaimed by his peers as the King of all corporate assholes. Sid Citrus already stands head and shoulders above every other jerk boss out there,” laughs writer-director Fred Emmer. “Or rather I should say, he floats.” Sid Citrus is an orange. A floating, philandering orange to be exact, who wears a tie, including Saturdays. And he’s not very nice.

“I laughed my head off when Fred gave me the script. I immediately knew we had to get this made,” recalls workplace consultant Kevin Kennemer, principal of The People Group. “That Sid Citrus, what an absolutely amazing jerk!” The first three webisodes tell story of how rookie cube dweller Brett comes to realize that his floating orange boss is a bully and an a**hole and that standing up to him can lead to lethal consequences, literally. “Of course Sid as a character and the story events are beyond farcical,” says Emmer. “But we actually are trying to say something.”

“The issues are real and I deal with them every day,” adds Kennemer, whose consulting practice specializes in helping corporations put people friendly practices in place. “Incivility in the workplace creates huge costs no company can afford to ignore. The effects of psychological mistreatment on
the workforce is brutal and allowing it to go on is immoral. I think Sid Citrus makes the point with humor.”

Fred explains Sid Citrus’s origin. “A friend of mine had recommended Kevin’s blog to me and after reading a few posts I couldn’t believe how candid he was in condemning a**hole behavior in the workplace,” said Emmer. “It hit me viscerally and I was thinking about his post as I strolled to the fruit bowl in the break room. Someone had left a Sharpe marker by the bowl. Two minutes later, Sid Citrus was born,” stated the writer-director from Tulsa, Oklahoma.

One school of thought is that every organization should have one a**hole. That might be okay if the asshole is kept around so their behavior can be used as a bad example, and if they are not too high in the organization. Kind of like an object lesson in a**holeology. But most organizations aren’t
that sophisticated. Inevitably corporate a**holes wind up breeding like rabbits, eventually poisoning the entire organization.

“I’ve already heard it from my wife, don’t be a Sid,” says Emmer. “He’s not even real and he’s already helping me put a check on my own behavior. I hope we can spread this around,” states Emmer. “Don’t be a Sid.” Sid Citrus: A**hole Boss can be viewed at: www.youtube.com/sidcitrus and at www.SidCitrus.Com.

About Orange Rebel Productions
Orange Rebel Productions is a Tulsa based media production company specializing in viral
video production for the web.

About The People Group
The People Group is a Tulsa based consulting firm committed to improving employee lives,
business performance and society through positive people practices consulting. The company
was founded on the premise that positive people practices result in better organizations.
The People Group proved that a leadership team that adopts, models and promotes positive
people practices benefits business, for people, for customers and society.

Kevin Kennemer, The People Group founding partner, provides a short article on A Word About the Term A**hole.

Media Contacts

Fred Emmer | Writer-Producer | Orange Rebel Productions | 918.519.6206 | sidcitrus@gmail.com

Kevin Kennemer | Founder & Partner | The People Group | 1.888.797.9992 | kevin@thepeoplegroupllc.com

Throughout my life I have chosen not to engage in the use of profanity. It stems from my devoted faith in God and respect for others taught to me by my parents.  However, in our YouTube movie series, Sid Citrus: A**hole Boss, we have purposefully adopted the term.  There is no other term that properly grabs the attention and isolates the severity of the psychopathic actions of the highly toxic and abusive manager.

Although I am not completely comfortable with the use of the term in our movies and in my writings, I am even more uncomfortable with the terribly costly psychological abuse occurring every day at the hands of corporate assholes, a.k.a., jerks and bullies.

According to the Workplace Bullying Institute, prolonged exposure to workplace psychological abuse leads to debilitating anxiety, panic attacks, clinical depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), gastrointestinal diseases, high blood pressure, diabetes and even suicide.  The affects of long-term psychological abuse in the workplace can set-off a tidal wave of physical and mental health conditions that can forever alter the target of the corporate a**hole’s wrath.  Bottom line, the unchecked, health-harming treatment that continues with the complicit approval of company leaders is more offensive to me than the term, a**hole.

We understand there is a certain amount of resistance to the term.  Realistically, when the word is used in a movie it would, at worst, provoke a PG rating.

The more important issue is not the term but our unified actions to eliminate such health-harming behavior against targets all across American workplaces.

To learn more about the high cost of these workplace deviants, read Stanford Professor Robert Sutton’s book, “The No A**hole Rule: Building a Civilized Workplace and Surviving One That Isn’t” and Workplace Bullying Institute Founder Dr. Gary Namie’s book, “The Bully at Work.”

Working diligently and faithfully to create a civilized workplace.

Respectfully,

Kevin Kennemer
Founder & Partner
The People Group
Certified Great Workplace

Workplace bullying is a very real problem. People like you and me deal with the brutal effects of psychological mistreatment every day.  Someone recently asked the following, very important question. It is important to share the question and my answer to TPG Blog readers.

Question

I have some questions on workplace bullying.  From the websites and advice given by many advocates, the victim is told to leave his/her job if things don’t improve. Why?  It would seem there is an inequity here.  The victim is punished financially for being victimized by his/her coworker. What legislation has been introduced (and not passed) that protects a victim’s rights?

Answer

Dear Friend, thank you for your questions. Allow me to respond based on my actual experiences and research.

Bullying is Legal: It is perfectly legal to bully employees in the United States as long as it is not racial or sexual based discrimination.  It is not illegal to be a jerk in the office.  In fact, in some business environments, tyrants tend to be rewarded for their behavior although it has been proven their behavior is destructive, not productive.

What should I do? One might think going to Human Resources would help you resolve the problem.  In most cases the bully has political power and influence and Human Resources has overwhelming sided with bullies and management, rather than the target of abuse.  HR will likely turn their back on targets unless the abuse is tied to illegal discrimination.

Why should I consider resigning? The long-term effects on bullying targets are treacherous.  Anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, gastrointestinal disease, headaches, autoimmune diseases, and the list goes on.  In addition, the target can have a difficult time working a full-time job after prolonged exposure to the psychological mistreatment at work.  Many times the best thing for the employee is to put themselves first and resign.

Confronting the bully: No doubt the target should confront the bully before resigning from their position.  It helps to bring someone with you during the confrontation.  You need to tell the bully you will not stand for further behavior that is unacceptable.  If the bully tries to attack you verbally, simply walk away and tell them you do not have to be subjected to this behavior.  If he/she stops future bullying, that is great.  If not, you probably should find another job if you can.

Resources: Besides the resources on my website, I highly recommend you read the book, “The Bully at Work” by Dr. Gary Namie, a good friend and absolute expert on the topic.  His website is also full of useful information.  http://bullyinginstitute.org

Legislation: The Workplace Bullying Institute keeps track of this information.  There are currently 12 states that have introduced legislation to prevent workplace bullying.  http://workplacebullyinglaw.org

Are you dealing with a bully at work? You are not alone. More than 37 percent of workers are also in the same situation.

One of the most effective actions you can take is to call out the bully.  Once you look at the reality of the situation, it allows you to identify and properly name the mistreatment occurring at work.  Work should not hurt.  Name it and confront it.

Your inclination will be to tough it out, think you are the problem and try to perform your way out of the bullying situation. However, workplace psychopaths don’t play by the rules.  Long-term exposure to bullying is harmful to your health and typically leads to anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and a host of other medical issues.  Unfortunately, bullying is legal in the United States.

The following BNET video is a terrific resource to help you understand the importance of acknowledging the situation.

Video: Calling a Bully a Bully

These signs are from “You know you’re being bullied when…” by Dr. Gary Namie, Workplace Doctor and Founder of the Workplace Bullying Institute.  We are incredibly grateful for the exceptional work of Dr. Namie worldwide.

1. You attempt the obviously impossible task of doing a new job without training or time to learn new skills but that work is never good enough for the boss.

2. Surprise meetings are called by your boss with no results other than further humiliation.

3. Everything your tormenter does to you is arbitrary and capricious, working a personal agenda that undermines the employer’s legitimate business interests.

4. Others at work have been told to stop working, talking or socializing with you.

5. You constantly feel agitated and anxious, experiencing a sense of doom, waiting for bad things to happen.

6. No matter what you do, you are never left alone to do your job without interference.

7. People feel justified screaming or yelling at you in front of others, but you are punished if you scream back.

8. HR tells you that your harassment isn’t illegal, that you have to “work it out between yourselves.”

9. You finally, firmly confront your tormentor to stop the abusive conduct, you are accused of harassment.

10. You are shocked when accused of incompetence despite a history of objective excellence, typically by someone who cannot do your job.

11. Everyone — co-workers, senior bosses, HR — agrees (in person and orally) that your tormentor is a jerk, but there is nothing they will do about it (and deny saying what they said later when asked to support you).

12. Your request to transfer to an open position under another boss is mysteriously denied.

Written by Dr. Gary Namie, Founder, Workplace Bullying Institute.

It is perplexing why women who are beaten by their husbands return to their abuser.  It seems the best solution for the wife would be to leave the toxic environment and find a place of safety, especially if children are involved.  It is my understanding abused women linger in the relationship due to low self-esteem, self-blame and depression.  The quality of life outside the abusive home is a big question mark and the fear can be paralyzing.  In addition, the abuser can be a charming con-artist who fools the outside world that he would never be abusive.

Employees in abusive employment situations are not that different.  A psychologically abused employee will question the quality of life outside their toxic work environment.  Will work-life be better somewhere else?  Maybe it is my fault the boss berates me in front of my coworkers, thinks the confused employee. It is hard to imagine life outside of their current company.  Mortgage payments and bills continue to arrive and force us to work in unmanageable situations.

Furthermore, we are not a nation of quitters. The act of quitting will not be found in the latest motivational best seller or seminar. Leaving a toxic boss and work culture, on the other hand, may be exactly what you need to do when the odds are stacked against you.

Learning this important career lesson was difficult. It is not in my nature to quit.  My inclination is to hang on and try to reverse a bad workplace situation. Helping organizations dissolve toxic environments is encoded in my DNA.  Working for or dealing with workplace bullies, overly aggressive Type A’s, passive aggressive Type B’s, brutal alpha males and females, corporate assholes and outright jerks has had a sadistic hold on me.  Even in the midst of misery I seek to solve problems.

Accept my advice: It does not pay to be Dr. Phil at work.

An abused spouse cannot reform their partner.  Targets of workplace psychopaths will not reform their perpetrator.  Don’t get sucked in and feel sorry for the abusive boss and all their mental or emotional problems. Traumatic Bonding and Stockholm Syndrome are very real issues.

According to Dr. Nikolai Bezroukov, Traumatic Bonding, also known as Stockholm Syndrome, may be defined as the development of strong emotional ties between two persons, with one person intermittently harassing, beating, threatening, abusing or intimidating the other.

When the perpetrator is your boss, pay close attention to the detrimental affects on your life. Staying in your position can cause severe health and family issues.  Look at your options.  There are companies that have Great Workplace Initiatives who have fired all their jerks and abusers.  There is a better place to earn a living and live your life.

Knowing when to quit is an important strategy if you find yourself in a toxic work environment or abusive employment situation.

Now read “Twelve Signs You Work for a Toxic (Bully) Boss” by Dr. Gary Namie