Spring Professional Development February 29 & March 8, 2012

1. Bullying and other BAD BEHAVIORS Spring Professional Development February 29 & March 8, 2012 Dr. Frances Allen, Manager, Personnel Services, 410 887-8936, fallen@bcps.org

2. Workshop Goals: • Define key terms and concepts • Identify bullying and harassing behaviors in employees • Review the difference between an EEO complaint and complaints about workplace bullying • Discuss strategies to address bullying behavior and review available resources • Examine responsibility for civil, courteous and respectful workplace

4. Sentence Stems • Bullies are…. • I think bullies are bullies because….. • I think the best way to deal with a bully is…

5. Key terms and definitions Workplace bullying: repeated, health harming-mistreatment of one or more persons (targets) by one or more perpetrators that takes one or more of following forms: • Verbal abuse • Offensive conduct/behaviors (including nonverbal) which are threatening, humiliating or intimidating • Work interference –sabotage- which prevents work from getting done --www.workplacebullying.org

6. Workplace bullying: other definitions • “Systematicaggressive communication, manipulationof work, and acts aimed at humiliating or degrading one or more individuals that create an unhealthy and unprofessional power imbalance, result in psychological consequences for targets and co-workers and cost enormous monetary damage to an organization’s bottom line.” --Catherine Mattice and Karen Garman

7. Workplace bullying is: • Driven by perpetrators’ need to control the targeted individuals • Initiated by bullies who choose their targets, timing, location and methods • Escalates to involve others who side with the bully and gang up on the target • Undermines work/learning environment when bullies’ agendas take precedence over work itself --www.workplacebullying.org

8. Workplace Bullying Characteristics • Repetition (occurs regularly) • Duration (is enduring) • Escalation (increasing aggression) • Power disparity (the target lacks the power to successfully defend themselves) • Attributed intent (something that is intended; an aim or purpose—not accidental) --Einarsen, 1999; Keashly and Harvey 2004; Lutgen-Sandvik, 2006

9. Workplace Bullying - Obvious And Aggressive Behaviors • Using abusive, insulting or offensive language • Engaging in behavior or using language that frightens, humiliates, belittle or degrades, including criticism that is delivered with yelling and screaming • Teasing or regularly making someone the brunt of practical jokes • Displaying material that is degrading or offending • Spreading gossip, rumors or innuendo of a malicious nature

10. Workplace Bullying – Subtle Behaviors • Deliberately excluding, isolating or marginalizing a person from normal workplace activities • Intruding on a person’s space by pestering, spying or tampering with their personal effects or work equipment • Intimidating a person through inappropriate personal comments, belittling opinions or unjustified criticism

11. Workplace bullying – covert behavior • Overloading a person with work • Setting timelines that are difficult to achieve or constantly changing deadlines • Setting tasks that are unreasonably beyond a person’s ability • Ignoring or isolating a person • Deliberately denying access to information, consultation or resources • Exhibiting unfair treatment in relation to accessing workplace entitlements, such as leave or training --Preventing Workplace Bullying: A Practical Guide for Employers,

12. Similarities Between Workplace Bullying And Domestic Violence • Being bullied at work most closely resembles the experience of being a battered spouse especially in terms of the psychological characteristics Note: Issue of Power and Control --www.workplacebullying.org

13. Similarities And Differences With Childhood Bullying • Similarity: tendency of individuals to use persistent aggressive or unreasonable behavior • Similarity: includes verbal, nonverbal, psychological, physical abuse and humiliation

14. Similarities And Differences With Childhood Bullying • Difference: Workplace bullies often operate within the established rules and policies of their organization • Difference: Workplace bullies in majority of cases are perpetrated by management and therefore are the people “in charge”

15. Impact On Employee Who Is A Victim Of Workplace Bullying • Can compromise an employee’s health • Jeopardize her or his job or career • Strain relationships with friends and family

16. Potential Impacts Of Workplace Bullying And Harassment Poor morale and poor employee relations Loss of respect for managers and supervisors Poor performance Lost productivity Increased absenteeism Resignations or requests for transfers Damage to workplace reputation Court cases --Bullying and harassment at work: A guide for managers and employers. ACAS, www.acas.org.uk

17. What do BCPS employees report? My boss signals me out from all of the others in their mistreatment of me My boss treats me differently from the other co-workers My boss scrutinizes my work more closely than my co-workers My boss denies my person leave/vacation time when he/she allows others to take their vacation/personal leave whenever they want to My boss belittles me in front of other co-workers

18. What do BCPS employees report? My boss/co-worker makes my workplace a “living nightmare” I dread going to work because of my boss/co-worker I can’t focus, I have anxiety, I cry all of the time I can do nothing right in my boss’s/co-worker’s eyes I love my job but my boss’s/co-worker’s behavior makes me feel like not coming to work

19. Bullying May Differ From The Following: Incivility Disrespect Difficult people Personality conflict Negative conduct Ill treatment --www.workplacebullying.org

20. The “Pulley” System • I PULL MYSELF UP BY PULLING YOU DOWN

21. Harassment As An EEO Issue: • Unwelcome act committed by a person that makes another feel uncomfortable, offended, intimidated or oppressed • Most common form is sexual harassment

22. Sexual Harassment • Deliberate and/or repeated unwelcome behavior of a sexual nature; can be verbal, nonverbal or physical • Conduct that: • explicitly or implicitly affects an individual’s employment, • unreasonably interferes with work performance or • creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment • See BCPS Policy/Rule 4102

23. Harassment That Meets The EEO Definition • Age • Color • Disability • Gender • Marital Status • National/Ethnic Origin • Behavior must be based upon a protected • category: • Race • Religion • Sexual Orientation • Veteran Status • Any other unlawful characteristic under Federal/State law

24. BCPS Reports/Examples Of EEO-based Harassment Employee making sexual comments and/or gestures to another employee Employee inappropriately touching another employee Employees having conversations of a sexual nature in the workplace Employees telling racial, religious, and/or gender-based jokes in the workplace

25. BCPS Reports/Examples Of EEO-based Harassment Supervisor telling subordinate that they can help them move to another job if they go out with them Employee constantly asking another coworker out on a date despite being told they are not interested Employee using “sexy” nickname to refer to another coworker

26. The “Target” Of Bullying.. Can Regain Some Control By: • Recognizing that you are being bullied • Realizing that you are not the source of the problem • Recognizing that bullying is about control and has nothing to do with your performance • Keeping a diary detailing the nature of the bullying (dates, times, places, what was said or done) • Keeping copies of harassing/bullying paper trails --Dealing with Bullying at Work: A guide for workers. Commission for occupational safety and health. Government of Western Australia Workplace Bullying and Disruptive Behavior: What Everyone Needs to Know. Washington State Department of Labor and Industries

27. The “Target” Of Bullying.. Can Regain Some Control By: • Having a witness at any meeting with the person who is bullying you • Checking for workplace policies/rules • Using a counseling service like the Employee Assistance Program • Considering approaching the bully --Dealing with Bullying at Work: A guide for workers. Commission for occupational safety and health. Government of Western Australia Workplace Bullying and Disruptive Behavior: What Everyone Needs to Know. Washington State Department of Labor and Industries

28. What About Other Challenging Behaviors? Incivility Disrespect Difficult people Personality conflict Negative conduct Ill treatment

29. Formula to Remember

30. Acronym to Remember

31. Acronym to Remember • CYE • Control Your Emotions

32. Key Strategy • Effective Communication Skills are essential to dealing with bullying and other challenging behaviors

33. Other Strategies • Re-work perceptions (e.g. positive, negatives, neutrals) • Read, research and explore options for problem-solving • Ask for help or enhance your skills • Change your response • Others…..

34. Resources • The Respect Institute: http://therespectinstitute.org • Johns Hopkins Civility Website and Dr. P. M. Forney: http://krieger.jhu.edu/civility • Choose Civility-Howard County, MD: www.choosecivility.org This Website also includes a link for resources and materials. The annual free community wide civility symposium is October 5, 2011. You can register for this symposium on their Website.

35. Resources • The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission www.eeoc.gov • The Workplace Bullying Institute www.workplacebullying.org • Washington State Department of Labor and Industries: Workplace Bullying and Disruptive Behavior: What Everyone Needs to Know: www.Lni.wa.gov/safety/research. (Write name of publication in search topics) This publication also has a good list of resources and contacts.

36. Additional Contacts • Tanyka Barber, EEO Officer, 410 887-8937, tbarber2@bcps.org • Janice Zimmerman, EAP Counselor, 410 887-5414, jzimmerman@bcps.org

37. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS • Slides 5 through 19 and slide 26: courtesy of Janice Zimmerman, EAP Counselor • Slides 21-25: courtesy of Tanyka Barber, EEO Officer • These slides were part of a presentation developed for administrators at the Safe Schools Conference.