Bullies in the workplace are by nature very insecure people. Their mission is not to be “discovered” as they delude themselves with a false sense of power as they secretly plot to subjugate their target. Superstar employees are frequently the target of harassment at work.
The insecurity of bullies in the workplace is far-reaching. They feel inadequate socially, behaviorally, and morally. Although they present a public image of superiority, supremacy and bravado, deep down they feel deeply inadequate. Bullies in the workplace, rather than confront their inferiorities, choose to lash out at anyone who threatens their superiority.
When competent, bright, and self-assured people enter the domain of bullies in the workplace, their strategy is to attack rather than avoid. This gives them a sense of power and control, convincing them that despite their profound shortcomings, they still rule.
Bullies at work use a variety of covert methods to sabotage the competent employee. They spread rumors, misrepresent goal achievement, and often take credit for the goal’s work. They gossip about the individual. All of these niceties are used to prop up their shaky self-image.
Bullies at work will often limit the work of their employees. As? Piling unreasonable amounts of work on a goal, tightening the budget, constantly criticizing, and anything else to undermine the goal’s success and sense of competence. Being in control by exercising power is an addiction for bullies in the workplace.
They will be unreasonable in their demands, so they may witness someone else’s failure, giving them an ominous high from witnessing someone more competent fail.
Workplace bullies take on the role of overlord as they demand that the target produce something out of nothing. Workplace bullies enjoy watching the target ‘sweat under the load’. They cover up their own sense of nothingness with their intoxicating, repetitive dose of power.
By constantly criticizing competent employees, workplace bullies don’t feel as alone in their disturbing self-criticism. By undermining the competent employee, workplace bullies convince themselves that they can still subjugate another, despite their brutal self-perception.
Some workplace bullying targets are smart enough to see through the “bullying game” and find ways to outwit their nemesis. Eventually though, they are likely to seek out greener pastures and refuse to put up with the aggravation.
Others, however, who don’t recognize the game or choose not to compete with the bully, are not so lucky. They will try harder and harder to please, but to no avail. Eventually, the bully will wear them down and they will begin to suffer severe psychological damage.
Competent employees who become victims of workplace bullying are often ethical, fair, just, and honorable people. Naively, many of them also expect the same from others. Sadly, they become fodder for hungry workplace bullies hoping to indulge their compulsion for control.
Bullies in the workplace need to be ‘controlled’ by exposing their Machiavellian tactics and seeing them for what they are. Employers and legislators cannot afford to continue to ignore this epidemic in the workplace. They must act now to protect their best and brightest from unnecessary and deliberate ruin.
If you are a superstar and feel like you are becoming a target for harassment in the workplace, know that you have every right to remain the superstar in everything you do. You are more than the low self-image of the bully in the workplace; you’re a superstar’.