
A common image of bullying in action. But bullying doesn't always show its face so clearly. "You can't control what you can't see" is just one small part of the problem.
As even a quick survey of authoritative sources demonstrates, there is no universally accepted definition of bullying, much less workplace bullying. (They do differ.) One of the causes of this predicament is likely the open prevalence of school bullying in the lives of children (birth to 18 years), compared to the sophisticated and covert approaches favored by adult perpetrators in the workplace, in domestic settings, and elsewhere. But beyond the degree of openness, bullying among children and bullying among adults at work differ in ways that make for difficulties if we try to manage workplace bullying as if it were the same as school bullying.
Defining bullying
The most widely accepted definition of bullying among children is that bullying is "…aggressive behavior or intentional 'harm doing,' which is carried out repeatedly and over time in an interpersonal relationship characterized by an imbalance of power." [Volk, et al. 2014] [Olweus & Pellegrini 1993] As for definitions of workplace bullying, my own is that workplace bullying is any aggressive behavior, associated with work, and primarily intended to cause physical or psychological harm to others. [Brenner 2022.2] This definition closely tracks Randall's definition of adult bullying: "Bullying is the aggressive behavior arising from the deliberate intent to cause physical or psychological distress to others." [Randall 1997]
So we see Definitions of bullying among children require
a pattern of repetition over time in the context
of an imbalance of power. These factors are
less important in bullying among adults.that the main differences between definitions of bullying among children and definitions of bullying among adults in the workplace is that definitions of child bullying require a pattern of repetition over time in the context of an imbalance of power. Close examination of these two factors is therefore worthwhile. I begin with the imbalance of power, and address the pattern of repetition next time.
Imbalance of power
Imbalance of power is a defining element of bullying among children, where power is largely based on age and size. These factors are as dominant as they are, in part, because they are readily observable. That is, a child intent on bullying another child can easily assess the power of potential targets by visual observation.
From the aspiring bully's perspective, assessing the degree of power imbalance in workplace bullying is more complicated. Assessing the degree of the bully's advantage in power over the power of a candidate target is possible, but often requires contextual information that isn't available by visual observation. Moreover, in workplace bullying the degree of power imbalance can change without notice.
For these reasons and others, workplace bullying can occur when there is no imbalance of power, or when the target is more powerful than the bully. [Susskind 2022] Definitions of workplace bullying that require an imbalance of power are therefore too narrow.
Consequences of requiring an imbalance of power
Organizations that deploy anti-bullying policies must necessarily define workplace bullying. If the definition requires an imbalance of power between perpetrator and target, the phrase imbalance of power is usually interpreted to mean that the perpetrator is more powerful than the target. This interpretation excludes from consideration the following situations.
- Covert bullying
- When the bully takes steps to conceal the bullying, careful definitions of bullying have little relevance for the effectiveness of anti-bullying policies, because secrecy limits policy effectiveness. In covert bullying, the degree of power imbalance has little direct effect. [Praslova, et al. 2022] See "Covert Bullying," Point Lookout for January 13, 2010.
- Perpetrator less powerful than the target
- Sometimes called contra-power bullying, contra-bullying, or lateral bullying, this configuration is certainly less common than conventional bullying. Because of our bias against the unfamiliar, compounded with the shame associated with targets acknowledging their being bullied, we tend to overlook bullying situations for extended periods. See "Unrecognized Bullying: II," Point Lookout for February 12, 2020.
- Bullying by proxy
- In bullying by proxy, the proxy perpetrator can have formal power subordinate to that of the target. The bullying can be effective, though, when the primary perpetrator is more powerful than the target. See "Bullying by Proxy: I," Point Lookout for October 19, 2022.
- Virtual bullying or cyber-bullying
- In virtual bullying or cyber-bullying the bullying can occur outside the context of work, even though the bullying is associated with work. Because the perpetrator and target might not know each other in the workplace context, their relative power status might not be a factor in the bullying.
Last words
Bullying configurations can be complicated. Examples: cyber-bullying by proxy, lateral bullying by proxy, and lateral cyber-bullying. Further complexity arises, as I note next time, when we consider patterns of repetition. Next issue in this series
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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!
Footnotes
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Related articles
More articles on Workplace Bullying:
Looking the Other Way
- Sometimes when we notice wrongdoing, and we aren't directly involved, we don't report it, and we don't
intervene. We look the other way. Typically, we do this to avoid the risks of making a report. But looking
the other way is also risky. What are the risks of looking the other way?
Biological Mimicry and Workplace Bullying
- When targets of bullies decide to stand up to their bullies, to end the harassment, they frequently
act before they're really ready. Here's a metaphor that explains the value of waiting for the right
time to act.
How Workplace Bullies Use OODA: II
- Workplace bullies who succeed in carrying on their activities over a long period of time are intuitive
users of Boyd's OODA model. Here's Part II of an exploration of how bullies use the model.
When the Chair Is a Bully: III
- When the chair of the meeting is so dominant that attendees withhold comments or slant contributions
to please the chair, meeting output is at risk of corruption. Because chairs usually can retaliate against
attendees who aren't "cooperative," this problem is difficult to address. Here's Part III
of our exploration of the problem of bully chairs.
Strategies of Verbal Abusers
- Verbal abuse at work has special properties, because it takes place in an environment in which verbal
abuse is supposedly proscribed. Yet verbal abuse does happen at work. Here are three strategies abusers
rely on to avoid disciplinary action.
See also Workplace Bullying and Workplace Bullying for more related articles.
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And on May 21: Mismanaging Project Managers
- Most organizations hold project managers accountable for project performance. But they don't grant those project managers control of needed resources. Nor do they hold project sponsors or other senior managers accountable for the consequences of their actions when they interfere with project work. Here's a catalog of behaviors worth looking at. Available here and by RSS on May 21.
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