Workplace bully or driven employee?
Of course, you want to do everything in your power to discourage bullying in the workplace. But in many cases, managers are a bit too quick to label someone as a “bully.”
Just because an employee or a group of employees is having some issues with an intense co-worker, it doesn’t mean that co-worker is actually bullying them. That’s a common mistake employers make.
Baron Christopher Hanson, the principal and lead consultant of RedBaron Consulting, says it’s vital for employers to determine whether they’re actually dealing with a legitimate workplace bully or what he refers to as a “hard-charger.”
The difference: Hard-chargers push aggressively for positive change within the organization, whereas bullies simply use others’ fear to control positive outcomes for themselves.
But sometimes the difference between the two isn’t too clear.
So how can you be sure? Hanson suggests that employers use the CAPE (Confront, Analyze, Present and Expose) method to distinguish between well-meaning but overaggressive hard-chargers and outright bullies.
- Share on
Free Training & Resources
White Papers
Provided by Anaplan
Further Reading
The Department of Labor (DOL) has quietly issued a wage investigation policy change that could significantly reduce the financial impact of...
Pay transparency has been a dominant legislative theme in 2025 — and three new updates in the final stretch of the year reinforce it ...
The Third Circuit recently affirmed a jury verdict awarding more than $22 million in back wages to 11,780 employees at a Pennsylvania batte...
When you think about the latest overtime news, the first thing that probably comes to mind is the recent federal court decision that vacate...
Pay transparency legislation is picking up even more momentum in 2025. In Illinois and Minnesota, new laws went into effect on Jan...
Word to the wise: When OSHA comes knocking, take the visit seriously the first time around. Otherwise, the penalties can really pile up,...
