Bullying in the workplace

[ImAnOgre]

I wonder, how many bullies as kids, actually get real jobs using the same tactics? I can't for the life of me think of any career type jobs (something other then head fry cook) where any activity like this would be tolerated? Maybe a small business, where the bully is the owner, and if that's the case, quit and find something new if you are the victim.

[GGT]

I wonder, how many bullies as kids, actually get real jobs using the same tactics? I can't for the life of me think of any career type jobs (something other then head fry cook) where any activity like this would be tolerated? Maybe a small business, where the bully is the owner, and if that's the case, quit and find something new if you are the victim.

That may not be the best way to view how bullies "prosper". Competent bullies aren't only head fry cooks, or small business owners. They do, indeed, exist and prosper in "career type jobs", often at the highest levels of management.

You've worked for a major airline, right, Ogre? I can never remember if it's Delta or American....but every single US airline has received federal subsidies, dealt with unions, and lobbied for commodity (fuel) price favors. Each side of those "negotiations" has decried being bullied, while also bullying their opponents.

Maybe it's no accident that you've recently found a new job, but don't feel as if you were "bullied" into it, by default?

[ImAnOgre]

That may not be the best way to view how bullies "prosper". Competent bullies aren't only head fry cooks, or small business owners. They do, indeed, exist and prosper in "career type jobs", often at the highest levels of management.

You've worked for a major airline, right, Ogre? I can never remember if it's Delta or American....but every single US airline has received federal subsidies, dealt with unions, and lobbied for commodity (fuel) price favors. Each side of those "negotiations" has decried being bullied, while also bullying their opponents.

Maybe it's no accident that you've recently found a new job, but don't feel as if you were "bullied" into it, by default?

Part of my role with Delta was employee investigations. I remember plenty of investigations regarding unions trying to coerce employees to vote for a union, but I was never involved with any regarding our own internal people. And the reason I left Delta was because a head-hunter contacted me to take over the fraud department with another company. They made a very worthwhile offer that was far and away better then my compensation package at Delta. So I chose to leave after 15 years. It was kind of cool actually because I wasn't looking to leave...

[Hazir]

I experienced it for a while in highschool, probably due to the fact that I was the only one from my primary school who went to that particular highschool. Strangely enough the biggest bully some time later became one of my closer friends. IIRC that was after I threw his bag out of the window after one of his 'witty' remarks at my expense.