The Psychology of the Swamp No. 17: If You See Something, Say Something

The bystander in the bully triad must be knowledgeable enough to recognize unethical bully-type communication, coercion, and suspicious activity when working in the swamp water of some political groups. Choosing sides and being transparent after the fact is ineffective, especially if the unethical behaviors of the bully could have reported and diverted. "If You See Something, Say Something" is a phrase used by Homeland Security to raise awareness of foreign and domestic terrorism. But it's also good advice in the prevention and maintenance of bully triad behaviors, which can be extraordinarily costly and increase the risk of conducting business.

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  Finding the Good in the Workplace Bully

The Psychology of the Swamp No. 16: Don't Lie and Don't Be Rude

The chameleons of the political swamp are members of the bully triad or the bully, the victim, and the bystander. Members of the bully triad can switch roles at any time depending on current predators and swamp resources. What would it take to stabilize the political swamp so that effective policy, negotiations, and collaboration flow without the tedium of the toxic exchange of hate, violence, and even avoidance? The answer is don't lie and don't be rude and follow the standing rules of engagement for civility during peacetime and for opposing forces.

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  Finding the Good in the Workplace Bully

Finding the Good in the Workplace Bully

Finding the Good in the Workplace Bully sounds like a misnomer; however, bullies are only using skills and talents inappropriately. It is known that bully manipulation and misuse of power can devastate work teams and organizational culture. What if those same energies and skill were used appropriately and without the unrestrained ego, greed, and self-centeredness found within carefully planned and executed bully events? What if instead of having a talent for setting up dirty alliances and bully intentions, the brutal wit of the bully was reorganized and aligned with the mission and values of the organization? Finding the Good in the Workplace Bully looks at the potential found in the bully and the need to fix the culture before considering termination of the bully.

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The Psychology of the Swamp No. 15: Is Minimum Wage a Form of Bullying?

If the employee is eligible through reward and recognition or performance improvement to receive higher wages, then minimum wage or being underemployed is a barrier for opportunities and not necessarily bullying. It is up to the employee if they want to accept minimum wage or create a strategy for finding the right match for the desired salary with present and future skills and competencies. Many organizations are offering career ladders and education reimbursement so that employees can be in charge of their development and advancement. It is true that there are members of the workforce who are working at minimum wage and are working to their fullest capacity, and society rewards them with financial rewards and benefits and intangibles such as reward and recognition based on unmet needs and employee inputs. At this level, bullying or unfair displays of power occur if the minimum wage worker is not fully informed of their options so that choices are available if society offers realistic strategies for development. For example, not everyone is comfortable with attending college; however, an apprenticeship program or short-term certification may be a better fit for a person's preferred learning styles and goals.

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Finding the Good in the Workplace Bully 

The Psychology of the Swamp No.14: Self-Bullying

Are you the bully in your life? Do you use self-criticism to motivate and to drive busy-work or push toward unrealistic levels of achievement? During your personally-created bullying event do you exhibit avoidant behaviors or fight or flight pursuits as you try to free yourself from the slavery of false-beliefs and unnecessary threats and personal abuse?  Self-bullying is not an effective motivational technique, and it leaves the victim exhausted by trying to survive in the three camps of the bully triad, which are the bully, the victim, and the bystander. Self-bullying is a form of addictive abuse and it a complicated pattern to break. Remember when self-criticism emerges it is a destructive force if not bridled by realistic and unbiased information.

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The Psychology of the Swamp No.13: The Three Camps of Unmet Needs

When bullying occurs, a triad develops or three camps emerge, and these are the bully, the victim, and the bystander. Often we think of bullying occurring during childhood because we believe that children lack the developmental and social skills to avoid becoming members of these three camps. However, bullying events can occur throughout the lifespan because during the lifecourse humans will encounter unmet needs.  Therefore, bullying and being bullied does not necessarily depend on environmental factors and nature, although they are components of how humans manage the process of becoming a bully or being bullied. Unmet needs are the foundation that drives aggression, apathy, and feelings of helplessness and hopelessness. Unmet needs can be lack of the basic necessities of life or barriers to self-actualization. When communities, schools, organizations, and individuals identify and honestly label unmet needs through reflection and assessment and without bias or stereotype allocate resources to resolve those unmet needs, bully triads will dissolve.

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