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Writer's pictureLama Ahmed

๐๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ข๐ง๐  ๐ˆ๐ฌ ๐€ ๐๐จ ๐๐ฎ๐ž๐ง๐จ!



Bullying Ain't Cool In School, and It Definitely Not To Be Tolerated At Workplaces, Either.


One of the first mindfulness strategies we teach kids in #EarlyChildhood is to cultivate awareness about their behavior, demeanor and words spoken. How these things impact and carry power into the world, and how they can bring forward kindness and empathy.


๐“๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ž๐š๐œ๐ก๐ž๐ฌ ๐š๐œ๐œ๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐ญ๐š๐›๐ข๐ฅ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ ๐š๐ง๐ ๐š๐ฐ๐š๐ซ๐ž๐ง๐ž๐ฌ๐ฌ.



๐€๐œ๐œ๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐ญ๐š๐›๐ข๐ฅ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ is what distinguished wisdom from foolishness. ๐€๐ฐ๐š๐ซ๐ž๐ง๐ž๐ฌ๐ฌ is what distinguishes growth from decay.



๐’๐ž๐ญ๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐  ๐”๐ฉ ๐’๐ฒ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ž๐ฆ๐ฌ


The number of people going up the ladder in managerial roles does not equate with the training provided for them to lead individuals. Which can present many challenges. Giving power with no regulation, policies, proper training, and supervision - opens the room for 'fear' to come in the disguise of 'Title Grandiose', where the power-dynamic starts playing a role that should have been a #HumanContract, instead.




๐Ÿ”๐Ÿ“% ๐จ๐Ÿ ๐›๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ข๐ž๐ฌ ๐ซ๐š๐ง๐ค ๐ก๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ž๐ซ ๐ข๐ง ๐œ๐š๐ซ๐ž๐ž๐ซ ๐ฅ๐ž๐ฏ๐ž๐ฅ ๐ญ๐ก๐š๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ž๐ข๐ซ ๐ญ๐š๐ซ๐ ๐ž๐ญ๐ฌ, ๐š๐œ๐œ๐จ๐ซ๐๐ข๐ง๐  ๐ญ๐จ ๐š ๐Ÿ๐ŸŽ๐Ÿ๐Ÿ ๐–๐จ๐ซ๐ค๐ฉ๐ฅ๐š๐œ๐ž ๐๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ข๐ง๐  - ๐€๐ฆ๐ž๐ซ๐ข๐œ๐š๐ง ๐ˆ๐ง๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐ญ๐ฎ๐ญ๐ž ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฏ๐ž๐ฒ.



I had once worked with a bully,

they would hold resentment, personalize things, plan vengeful schemes and they were a master in micro-aggression. Turnover was off the roof, but not once there was a moment of reflection of whether it is their repellent managing-style. No one dared to speak. Those who left, left in silence in hope to get a recommendation letter. Those who stood up for themselves didn't get one and were often called 'crazy', 'overly-sensitive', 'not the right fit'. The culture or lack of allowed this individual unsupervised and unlimited 'power' to bully freely with no consequences.



I mean, what a loss of an opportunity to lead empathetically. We're all capable of kindness, if we reflect and put on the necessary inner work. See, changes don't happen by mere coincidence but rather with work and intention.


Quitting can be quiet good when you've outgrown spaces. I decided,

to proudly quit this contract! It was not

a #HumanContract, anyway. The world

is too big to be shrunk in confined, undereducated, unreciprocated places. Shrinking feeds bullying.



Take up space, leave the space, but never shrink to fit a space.


From that day on, I pledged to dedicate all my trainings, knowledge, and future endeavors to bringing forward mindful #leadership and building #mindful organizations.






๐‘๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ž ๐ง๐ฎ๐ฆ๐›๐ž๐ซ ๐Ÿ - ๐“๐ก๐ž ๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ๐š๐ซ ๐จ๐Ÿ ๐Œ๐ข๐ง๐๐Ÿ๐ฎ๐ฅ ๐‹๐ž๐š๐๐ž๐ซ๐ฌ๐ก๐ข๐ฉ

was and always will be, the willingness to partake, to be #curious, to maintain an open mind, pause and reflect. Without #awareness non of the constructive change is possible. It is only when we come to terms of what is no longer working, when we ask 'How' with raw candor and find our 'Why' - answers starts to come forward.



๐‹๐ž๐ญ'๐ฌ ๐“๐š๐ฅ๐ค ๐’๐จ๐ฅ๐ฎ๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ:


Employers:

  1. Establish an anti-bullying policy.

  2. Educate your employees on respectful workplace behaviors and what acts could constitute bullying.

  3. Establish processes for reporting, investigating and resolving complaints.

  4. Encourage reporting, and embed a real open door policy.

  5. Conduct periodic employee attitude surveys to determine if workplace bullying is not being reported.

  6. Educate your employees on respectful workplace behaviors and what acts could constitute bullying.

When bullying is witnessed or reported:

  • Take the complaint or situation seriously and investigate it promptly.

  • Do not tolerate bullying. Tackle it early before it starts becoming part of DNA of the organization.

  • Consult with HR about grievance guide.

HR should be an independent department that doesn't fall under the authority matrix to. ensure credibility.

  1. HR to provide all staff members going into managerial roles and leaders of mindful leadership training including but not limited to (EQ, self-regulating tools, stress reduction strategies, leading with empathy, mental health ally - Mental Health First Aider).


EXAMPLES OF REPEATED BEHAVIORS THAT COULD CONSTITUTE BULLYING

By University of Mary Washington and Society of Human Resources Management SHRM

  • Intimidating or undermining employees by demeaning their work standards, not giving them credit, setting them up for failure and constantly reminding them of old mistakes.

  • Threatening employeesโ€™ personal self esteem and work status.

  • Isolating employees from opportunities, information, and interaction with others.

  • Giving impossible deadlines, creating undue pressure and stress, and overworking employees

  • Giving constant and unfair criticism

  • Blaming without factual justification

  • Making unreasonable demands

  • Giving hostile glares and other intimidating gestures

  • Yelling, screaming, and swearing

  • Purposely excluding or isolating a coworker

  • Sending aggressive emails or notes

  • Monopolizing supplies and other resources

  • Engaging in excessive social bantering, teasing, and humiliation

  • Monitoring another excessively

  • Stealing credit for other employeesโ€™ work

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