How Targets of Bullies Can Use OODA: II

Observation is the first O of the OODA acronym (Observe, Orient, Decide, Act). last time, we examined some general properties of counter-bullying strategies, focusing on the inner state of the target and the nature of effective counterattacks. But counterattacks can be much more effective when based on a clear understanding of the entire situation, and that requires accurate information about the bully, the organization, and the legal environment in the relevant jurisdiction. And that's where Observation becomes important. Here are some tactics and strategies for targets, emphasizing situational awareness.

Exploit situational awareness

Targets have an edge if they have a thorough understanding of the bully's history, behavior, and plans. Also valuable are the stances and actions (or often, the inactions) of bystanders, other targets, the bully's supervisor, the target's own supervisor, and the HR department. When formulating counterattacks, it all helps.

Targets can attack the bully in many domains: at work, in the local community, in the professional community, in court — whatever works, within the law. That's why it's helpful for targets to know their legal rights, what's needed for legal action, and how to gather evidence. The legal route isn't easy, but it's a route nonetheless.

Degrade the bully's situational awareness

Targets can also work to degrade the bully's own situational awareness. They can accomplish this by neutralizing the bully's resources, or by using those resources to confuse the bully.

For instance, many targets, or their allies, telegraph to bullies that they "aren't going to take it anymore." Revealing this change in stance is counter-productive. Targets who have allies can impress upon them the importance of depriving the bully of any information about the target's intentions or state of mind.

Deceive and disinform the bully

Targets can deliver disinformation to the bully, directly or indirectly, keeping in mind that effective disinformation requires knowing the truth well enough to create plausible deceptions. See "Biological Mimicry and Workplace Bullying," Point Lookout for March 31, 2010, for an example.

Even better: build relationships with allies of the bully. Converting a bully's ally to a target's ally, or to a neutral, can help to degrade the bully's overall situational information quality.

Know your own vulnerabilities

Targets Targets engaging in counterattacks
can sometimes expose their own
vulnerabilities inadvertentlyengaging in counterattacks can sometimes expose their own vulnerabilities inadvertently. For instance, a counterattack in the domain of the professional community might motivate the bully to do something similar, or to mount an attack in the domain of the local community.

Targets should carefully assess their own vulnerabilities in any domain in which the bully might mount an attack. Upon discovering a vulnerability, targets would do well to take steps to remove it or conceal it, and to conceal any indications of its prior existence.

Finally, if counterattacks fail, escape might be necessary. There are other jobs. Knowing what alternatives are available, and keeping that knowledge current, might be the best path to ending the bullying.   First issue in this series   Top    Next Issue

Is a workplace bully targeting you? Do you know what to do to end the bullying? Workplace bullying is so widespread that a 2014 survey indicated that 27% of American workers have experienced bullying firsthand, that 21% have witnessed it, and that 72% are aware that bullying happens. Yet, there are few laws to protect workers from bullies, and bullying is not a crime in most jurisdictions. 101 Tips for Targets of Workplace Bullies is filled with the insights targets of bullying need to find a way to survive, and then to finally end the bullying. Also available at Apple's iTunes store! Just . Order Now!

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More articles on Workplace Bullying:

Intimidation Tactics: Touching

Workplace touching can be friendly, or it can be dangerous and intimidating. When touching is used to intimidate, it often works, because intimidators know how to select their targets. If you're targeted, what can you do?

Responding to Threats: III

Workplace threats come in a variety of flavors. One class of threats is indirect. Threateners who use the indirect threats aim to evoke fear of consequences brought about not by the threatener, but by other parties. Indirect threats are indeed warnings, but not in the way you might think.

How Targets of Bullies Can Use OODA: I

Most targets of bullies just want the bullying to stop, but most bullies don't stop unless they fear for their own welfare if they continue the bullying. To end the bullying, targets must turn the tables.

Unrecognized Bullying: II

Much workplace bullying goes unrecognized because of cognitive biases that can cause targets, bystanders, perpetrators, and supervisors of perpetrators not to notice bullying. Confirmation bias is one such cognitive bias.

We Can 'Moneyball' Bullying

Capturing data about incidents of bullying is helpful in creating awareness of the problem. But it's like trying to drive a car by looking only in the rearview mirror. Forward-looking data that predicts bullying incidents is also necessary.

See also Workplace Bullying and Workplace Bullying for more related articles.

Forthcoming issues of Point Lookout

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Tuckman's model of small group development, best known as "Forming-Storming-Norming-Performing," applies better to development of some groups than to others. We can use a metaphor to explore how the model applies to Storming in task-oriented work groups. Available here and by RSS on December 11.

And on December 18: Subgrouping and Conway's Law

When task-oriented work groups address complex tasks, they might form subgroups to address subtasks. The structure of the subgroups and the order in which they form depend on the structure of the group's task and the sequencing of the subtasks. Available here and by RSS on December 18.

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