WBI Podcast 41 Pragmatic politics used to be considered a virtue, but it really means sacrificing the principles of representing the people to support corporations. With respect to the anti-bullying Healthy Workplace Bill, compromises have gutted the bill, extending the rights of employers instead of employees. This brand of pragmatism is destructive. Podcast 41
Condemn or Condone: Take A Stand No middle of the road where psychological violence is concerned. Listen to WBI Podcast 40 by Dr. Gary Namie Podcast 40
Hitachi technology takes worker surveillance to new extremes. Where is the employers’ confidence in, and trust of, employees? It’s called the “Business Microscope.” Here’s a picture of the device and the tracking system: Listen to WBI Podcast 39 by Dr. Gary Namie Podcast 39
Another piece of older audio from a radio program featuring Dr. Namie. Law Professor David Yamada joins the podcast with a history lesson to share. The topic is the origins of employment law in the U.S. that governs the workplace. Unfortunately, the relationship between Master and Servant is the starting point. And not much has […]
Watch for another sign of progress in the campaign against workplace bullying — when former bullied targets can explain their separation from the last employer as not being their fault. In the future, by saying bullying happened, the current stigma associated with that reason for seeking a job will no longer apply. One can hope. […]
Dr. Gary Namie provides clarification about three fundamental themes of the social movement against workplace bullying which are commonly misunderstood or mischaracterized: 1) It’s about bullying, not bullies or their personalities. 2) Employers act irrationally and irresponsibly about bullying, which itself makes no sense. 3) Being “anti-abuse” is not the same as being “anti-corporate” Podcast […]
What type of individuals make the best advocates for an abuse-free organization where workplace bullying cannot flourish? Not bureaucrats, certainly not bullies, and darn few HR types. Over time, people prove themselves, with actions not words, the most likely allies to the cause. So, when your organization says it wants to tackle workplace bullying and […]
Throughout the years we at the WBI have covered Labor Day from the workers’ rights perspective. The holiday is not just for shopping or camping. It’s about honoring people who work. More specifically, as the historical accounts below make clear, it is about emancipating workers from horrific working conditions and doing so collectively, in an […]
Here is a nice piece of older audio from a radio program featuring Dr. Namie. His guest is Felix Nater, a former Postal Inspector, whose experiences led him to investigate workplace homicides and to prosecute offenders. Prevention was often lacking. Now consultant Nater makes violence prevention a key part of the business process for clients. […]
More Than Incivility and Disrespect Workplace bullying is a form of violence more severe and harmful than either incivility or disrespect. WBI Podcast 33
Outrageous By Any Other Name Bullied targets are not believed. Sometimes the disbelief is rooted in the outrageousness of perpetrators and the innovative cruelty they inflict on targets. It’s hard to believe people can be so vicious. There are three principal groups who deny bullying as it actually happens. Each group of disbelievers is discussed […]
Politics & Workplace Bullying: Inseparable Phenomena The role of laws governing workplace rights inserts partisan politics into the debate about workers’ rights, and by extension, the future of workplace bullying. WBI Podcast 31
Could America be poised to address mass murders after the Sandy Hook school massacre? Optimism abounds that a “tipping point” has been reached. If so, the same may be true for workplace bullying. WBI Podcast 30
It’s the mythical magical national time for giving thanks. Considering the modern American workplace, there is little to be grateful for. Let me count (the 6) factors that interfere with a sense of gratitude by workers. WBI Podcast 29
Freedom, a much maligned word, tossed around glibly these days, means something very clear to us at WBI when talking about Freedom From Workplace Bullies Week, and all year long for bullied targets and their families. In this podcast, we first explore some negatives we deserve to be Free From, then we turn to a […]
The Problem with “It is what it is” The popular, simplistic term suggests an acceptance of current situations as inevitable and unchangeable. It is a form of resignation. If we accept bullying as “the way it is,” we give away too much personal integrity. Instead, try “Question Authority” as the alternative. Download Podcast 27 (in […]
Stop Bullying Teachers Teachers, as public sector workers with pensions, are under attack in the U.S. The attacks need to stop for two reasons: (1) student bullying can never stop until the adult bullying stops, and (2) the best teachers inspired me to become a professor, they are among the most memorable people in our […]
Comeback Lines, Fuggedaboutem Too often people who have never been bullied at work suggest that clever, pithy comeback lines are effective defenses against bullies. But targets are targets — if they could have, they would have used them. Then, targets unnecessarily feel guilty if they don’t use. The simplest of all lines is offered here. […]
Optimism That Work Can Change Lessons learned from a disaster that dramatically changed a baboon troop’s social culture from cutthroat to kinder comes from the work of Robert Sapolsky (author of Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers). From this there is reason for optimism that our social system of work can be re-engineeered to be kinder […]
My Year-End List We have lost our minds, but we may also be losing our hearts. Lamenting the ease with which we tear into others. Borrowing a verse from the song “My Grown-Up Christmas List” to fit the theme. Download Podcast 23 (in .mp3 format)
Francine Allen
Good podcast. it was uplifting to hear you prove that bullying managers are lazy. I hope to hear more about the economic costs to businesses from workplace bullying. That's the only way we will get through to the top brass in our workplaces.