In this unique and highly charged election season, bully is a word often heard. We have bully politicians. We have bully political pundits. We have bully media. We even have friends who have turned into bullies when we praise a favorite political candidate that doesn't match their favorite candidate.
Bullying doesn't stop with politics and school. It continues into college and on into the workspace. Adult bullying is a very real thing. I've had it happen to me in radio and I've had it happen to me in office situations. I see it over and over again at professional conferences. More often than not, I will call someone on it now.
Steeleworker (Facebook follower) Kelly Kemski asked me if I had ever written about adult bullying before. "I lost a friend to an unhealthy work environment by way of suicide. Now I see it happening as my younger friends start their careers. There's an office bully, a passive aggressive one, but a bully nonetheless." She added, " I feel work, like schools, should be a healthy environment for us, we spend a lot of time at work, as our children do at school."
Not only had I not written about it before, I had another friend reach out to me about an article I had written about changing careers (How To Break Out Of Career Jail) saying he was leaving a career due to bullying.
Learn more: Workplace Bullying Institute
What is going on here? Let's review and make sure you know what a bully does.
You may be a bully if you:
•Make fun of others behind their back
•Smirk as they walk by or when you look at them across the room
•Berate their ideas constantly
•Never invite them to join in on joint events such as outings or happy hours
•Raise your voice at others to make your point
•Convince others to join you in ganging up on another
•Shun anyone who doesn't think like you do
•Blame others, never taking responsibility
•Gossip
•Dislike people who are different from you in any way
These are just a few based on personal experience. I was just saying to someone earlier this week how amazed I am every time I speak at a conference - there are always grown adults acting like junior high school kids shunning others, not making room at a table, ignoring those they don't know or like, not being welcoming in any way whatsoever.
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Yes, that is bullying. Be nice. Be likeable. It's just not that hard to do.
PS: The nude pictures of Melania Trump run this past week in the NY Post? Yes, that is bullying as well. We are all better than this.
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Dayna Steele is the creator of the 101 Ways to Rock Your World book series and a popular keynote speaker with her true Rockstar Stories. She is also working to bring Alzheimer's awareness to all ages. www.daynasteele.com