How to Handle Workplace Bullies
You know who they are. They’re your star performers. They get results like no one else on your team. Their numbers are consistently above those of their peers. You can’t wait to see what they will accomplish next. But they are also workplace bullies.
Too often, the underbelly of great results is costly behavior. Stars who are driven and focused may pay little attention to the needs of their team and adapt a “results at all costs” approach. They may be overly aggressive, push their team hard, and fail to develop any bench strength. More often than not, they end up alienating peers and direct reports. The trick is their behavior often gets reinforced because they are recognized for their achievements.
These aren’t just “bad habits” but corrosive behaviors that require intervention. Bullying has consequences: increased stress, turnover, and diminished productivity. Those who work for bullies are more likely to quit and more likely to report stress. Addressing bullying for what it is — and the toll it takes — is a critical leadership skill.
Here are five steps to handling workplace bullies and mitigating their harm on your team:
- Explain that performance is more than results. Short-term results don’t compensate for long-term attrition and pain. Leaders often hold back from giving star performers frank feedback when they should be giving them more. Tell your star performer that results that come at costs to team morale and the long-term health of the organization will not be rewarded.
- Show them evidence. Help the bully see the consequences of his behavior and develop the self-awareness to understand his impact on others. Use concrete examples of how he bullies. You may have data as tangible as turnover rates or you may play back to him what you are hearing from his team. Don’t give in to excuses or rationalizations; bullies often think that others are too sensitive or even jealous of their performance. You may find that this is too hard for you to do as his boss. If so, consider hiring an executive coach.
- Give the bully “people goals”. Chances are your bully will argue that his behavior is necessary to reach his goals — goals that you have likely set. In order to focus him on the right behaviors, give him “people goals” that he can aspire to meet as well. These may include reducing team turnover by 50% or increasing employee satisfaction.
- Put your money where your mouth is. The worst thing you can do is urge a bully to transform his behavior and give him a stellar bonus in the same year. If your compensation system is based on hard numbers that don’t show the real story behind the performance, your bully will have no reason to change his ways. If your bully is burning through people or behaving inappropriately, be sure his bonus reflects your dissatisfaction. A smaller bonus will not reform your bully, but it will get his attention.
- Real bullies need to go. No matter how good a bully’s results are, if he is harassing, threatening, degrading or humiliating employees, he needs to go. This behavior will have a deleterious effect on your company’s culture and may be illegal in cases where it involves discrimination (consult your HR or legal counsel). Be sure you have policies in place that allow you to handle the bullying swiftly and that encourage employees to report inappropriate behavior.
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I have worked for one of the worst of all time! He “made his numbers” was the reason that his boss would give me! I watched him go through at least 100 people in 1 year and then give the rest of us 1% raises at the end of the year while saying “nice job”… He would turn red, throw temper tantrums etc. After 5 meetings with his boss, the CIO, I quit! I could tell there was something else going on (contract buyout or something). A friend of mine just did the same thing as I a year ago and they finally put him on “Special Projects”… Very frustrating indeed!
Steve A, we may have worked for the same person… It took me three years to clear my name of the accusations made by this person because the management that followed her followed blindly since she was “management”. After that three years though it was recognized that she lied. Unfortunately she’s still in “management”.
This article speaks of bullies who achieve goals and targets and therefore are intellectually competent.
What about bullies who use aggression because they are truly useless? They often bully around other people who are more adept simply because of their inadequacies and justified self-doubt.
I’ve had the misfortune of working with these types of bullies. They give the actual star performers a hard time like a highschool jock would to a kid in the math league.
I can sympathize with Steve. I also left a position because of bullying. It was the only time in 30 years of working that I had ever been yelled at. I was in shock and so were my co-workers who witnessed this display of unprofessionalism. This type of behavior pervaded the whole business and I found that I did not function well being fearful of making mistakes. Excusing this type of behavior is counterproductive.
….”They get results like no one else on your team. Their numbers are consistently above those of their peers.”
I would recommend there be an investigation into the total cost of this person’s achievements within this work environment, sick leave etc. Is this person obtaining their targets through intimidation of their peers?
Our company has 4 values that must be included with Objectives, one of which is, “We Believe in Spirited Teamwork;” Numbers should only a component of the objectives The word Team must be part of the objective. There will never be a Team if only a few individuals are recognized and there should not be recognition of anyone’s efforts if they are treating their peers in this manner. In my office they would be gone!
I would recommend that you dig a little deeper into that bullies “results”. In a former company the bully only appeared to be the top performer
The truth was “results” mattered more than the truth…not just poor people skills, poor integrity. Look for the following:
1. Intimidation of the skillful and truly competent below them. They are a threat. But they also are the true source of results. The bully will isolate abuse and berate them to keep them in this abusive relationship. The quiet, nonproductive get promoted. The work horses get stuck as too valuable to move.
2. They are not winning unless somebody else loses. Rob Peter to pay Paul: because everyone is looking at Paul, the goal.
3. How do they treat those on the lowest level that they come into contact with.
It was amazing to me how much damage to the company was tolerated. First it may be shifting resources totally out of line. But once it is established that the goal must be met by ALL means possible… crossing the line to deception/cheating is soon to follow.