Know Bull! :: Workplace Bullying statistics and facts

Know Bull! :: Workplace Bullying statistics and facts

A brief profile of a potential bully 'target' - far from being the 'spectacled, nerdy wimp' - they pose a perceived 'threat' to bullies...
In contrast to the 'bully boss', the stereotype of the 'nerdy' bully target' is far removed. While the 'targets' of workplace bullies do share a number of common characteristics, these traits generally paint 'targets' as being: ethical, just, fair, well-liked, highly personable, strong, independent, intelligent and self-assured people. [Workplace Bullying Institute]. The Know Bull! Survey: Extent and Effects of Workplace Bullying also found certain characteristics in both workplace bullies, and their 'targets', that correlate with the research by the Workplace Bullying Institute [30 May 2010].
"Indeed," stated Dr Mark Hayes in an article in Webdiary (Feb 2007), "the literature suggests that workplace bullies tend to be threatened by their targets in various ways and to deal with the threat, bullies seek to control, contain, or even remove the threat, all the while getting off on the torment they are causing. The threat can actually be the target's productivity, skills, talent, popularity with peers and even superiors, which, completely inadvertently, shows up the bully's inadequacies. Like whistleblowers, the bully's target may well have a strong conscience which all but drives them to speak and act truthfully because they cannot act in any other way. The target must be put in their place."
Beyond Bullying (New Zealand) also emphasise the 'perception' of 'threat', stating, "A Target is an individual who by accident has the desirable qualities of competence, networking and emotional intelligence. This individual is selected as an object towards which the Workplace Bully can direct an unrelenting stream of harm — mainly subtle and some obvious — in order to reduce the Target’s performance and self esteem while increasing the Workplace Bully’s own view of her/his own self importance. For the Workplace Bully, the Target is perceived as a threat." [Beyond Bullying].