(UPDATED) How to spot a bully in the workplace (w/ Master Fixer Amy Cuddy) - Part 1
Apr 9, 2024
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Social psychologist Amy Cuddy discusses workplace bullying patterns and tactics, highlighting the transition from playground to office. She details the manipulation techniques used by bullies, such as gaslighting and ostracization. The episode sets the stage for part two where actionable strategies to combat workplace bullying will be explored.
Workplace bullying involves recruiting supporters to silence victims through stigmatization and shaming.
Bullies target individuals with power differentials, using gaslighting and sham investigations to fully ostracize them.
Deep dives
The Manipulative Tactics of Workplace Bullies
Workplace bullying is not simply about one person exerting power over another; it involves recruiting supporters using decoy threats to rally them behind a false cause. By spotlighting, stigmatizing, and shaming the target, bullies hope to silence their victims, making it impossible for them to defend themselves. The systematic progression from recruitment to silencing reveals the calculated and devastating impact of workplace bullying.
The Psychological Warfare of Bullying
Bullies use power differentials and a scarcity mindset to target individuals who gain respect or status. Through gaslighting and sham investigations, they distort facts, manipulatively recruit supporters, and spotlight the victim in a negative light to stigmatize and shame them. By orchestrating denial of services attacks on a person's competence and sanity, bullies aim to fully ostracize the victim, leading them to ultimately disappear from their community.
The Devastating Effects of Workplace Bullying
The final stage of workplace bullying involves complete dehumanization and ostracization of the victim. Stress-related illnesses, job loss, or even suicide are common outcomes for targets. The systematic dismantling of a person's integrity and social connections leaves them utterly silenced and deactivated, highlighting the severe consequences of unchecked bullying behavior.
The Urgent Call for Action Against Bullying
Workplace bullying persists beyond school years, with detrimental impacts on mental health and well-being. The normalization of bullying behaviors in adulthood underscores the need for collective action and awareness. By addressing the nuances and manipulative tactics employed by bullies, there is an opportunity for societal change and empowerment to combat this pervasive issue.
(Note: This is an updated version of this episode – if you previously downloaded audio and got a different podcast, thanks for your patience as we deliver you the right episode, which is this one! The original episode is also updated and you can find it in this same feed.)
Where do bullies go when they grow up? New research shows they just move from the playground to the workplace. This week, Master Fixer and social psychologist Amy Cuddy joins Anne and Frances to walk us through the strikingly stable patterns bullies follow to undermine and ostracize their targets – patterns that are way more common than you might think. Stay tuned for part two where Cuddy details actions you can take to stop bullies in next week’s episode.
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