Deal with bullies effectively in the workplace. Effectual ways to deal with bullies in the workplace.
“One’s dignity may be assaulted, vandalized and cruelly mocked, but it can never be taken away unless it is surrendered.”
Michael J. Fox
The term bullying may let you travel to your school days where bullying was common. You may imagine the schoolyard bully abusing another student verbally or physically hurting him. The reality is that bullying doesn’t just occur in schools; it can happen anywhere, including schools, in the workplace, or at home.
There are several keys to deal with bullies effectively. The most significant thing to remember is that you don’t have to tolerate abuse.
What is bullying?
Bullying is a type of behaviour that is used by a person or group of people intimidating or abusing others. It can be physically, emotionally or any other kind of abuse where the person feels unsafe. While bullying is never your fault, you don’t need to fear anything.
There are a lot of ways to Deal with bullies effectively. The essential thing you should keep in your mind is that you don’t have to tolerate abuse. Here are a few ways to Deal with bullies effectively.
“If they don’t like you for being yourself, be yourself even more.”
— Taylor Swift
How to deal with bullies effectively?
- Walk away
Don’t engage with a bully, if possible. Stay away from the situation. Use your body language to display that you don’t care what they’re doing.
- Never show yourself pathetic
If they are verbally abusive, think about something else. Show that you are apathetic. It works as a defence for the bullies that target others just to get a reaction from them. They will get defeated in the end when you don’t give them what they want.
- Learn to say no
Yell the word “stop” and let the bully know that you are not okay with what you are doing. If people are around, it shows them that you are not afraid to speak up to them and bring attention to the situation. You need not put up with it, so as long as you feel safe doing so, let it be known.
- Stay positive
Stay positive at the moment. It will make you remember that you are doing the best that you can. Their abuse can do nothing in your life and career. Only you matter. You are someone that objectively has value and this behaviour. What they are doing is about them, and it doesn’t say anything about your worth.
“People who repeatedly attack your confidence and self-esteem are quite aware of your potential, even if you are not.”
— Wayne Gerard Trotman
- Imagine a shield protecting you.
Visualise a shield or force field that makes you feel safer so that you don’t feel impacted by what they are saying. One of the things that bullies are excellent at doing is making someone feel physically unsafe, which can be a physical barrier.
Say something funny. Humour sometimes catches a bully off guard. If you say something witty to a bully, they might be disarmed by what you’re saying and not know how to respond.
- Kill them with kindness.
Similar to a display of apathy or humour, It communicates that you are not here to take their abuse. Being kind to a person who is being mean to you is a way to deflect the situation. It makes them feel guilty for treating you poorly, and they stop bullying you.
- Create an army to combat the bullying.
Most of the times, bully target one person. They won’t necessarily attack a group of people. If you and your friends stand up against a bully together, they will be less likely to target an individual because they get outnumbered.
Bullying is persistent and has the ability to cause severe psychological damage to the afflicted person or group of people. Bullying can occur among school-aged children or adults. The long-term effects are the same: low self-respect, depression and even it lead to suicide.
If you are going through this situation, you should learn positive coping strategies to fight back against a bully. The above section will help you become more confident. It gives you a clear picture of how to handle a bully and what to do to support someone who is getting bullied.
Bangalore Secretary runs a Serviced apartment in Koramangala to cater to the travelling corporates
“When people hurt you over and over, think of them like sandpaper. They may scratch and hurt you a bit, but in the end, you end up polished and they end up useless.”
Chris Colfer