Spry: Executive functioning

Acts or comments that hurt or isolate a person from belonging or from feeling safe. Sometimes it can involve negative physical contact but at work…

What is Executive Functioning?

It’s about acts or comments that hurt or isolate a person from belonging or from feeling safe.

Sometimes it can involve negative physical contact but at work this is more rare than verbal bullying.

Bullying involves a pattern of behaviour that offends, degrades or humiliates someone or a group of people.

It is about dominance, power and aggression rather than solution-seeking.

Uses fear and shame to reduce the receiver’s confidence and well-being.
Minimises and downplays the recipient’s experiences “that’s not what I meant” or “you’re being hysterical!”.
It happens in a context of “I-it”; the receiver is objectified (made into “it”) in service of the aggressor’s needs.
Involves primitive, animalistic behaviour.
Plunges the recipient into survival mode.
Is primal and it rips away firm ground.
Attacks the receiver’s personal vulnerabilities: fears of isolation or exclusion, or maybe a fragile sense of ability.

What are the consequences for the individual?

Consequences for the team and the business.

Reduced productivity.
It enables a hostile workplace.
It promotes absenteeism.
It impacts workers compensation claims.
It results in costly, and embarrassing legal issues.
It creates poor public image and negative publicity.
It leads to additional costs for recruiting or training new employees.
It erodes employee loyalty and commitment.
It increases sick leave, health care claims and staff turnover.
It increases legal exposure.
It leads to an internal perception of the business as one that allows bullying.
It leads the team to gang up on the receiver if it’s poorly handled or if the bully is greatly admired.
There is a need to be clear that a situation is one of bullying, not simple miscommunication
It’s always in your best interest to confront workplace bullying and to maintain a bullying-free workplace – prevention is more cost-effective than intervention or mediation. Psychological safety is probably a cornerstone of your value system.
Employers offer education for people in authority-bullying happens in asymmetrical power situations like leadership.
Strive to create a workplace environment that cultivates teamwork, cooperation, and positive interaction.

Pre-emptively train a response protocol within the business and let people know your definitions and plans for what happens in cases of bullying.
When a situation is flagged to your attention: test to see if it’s a case of bullying or if the person complaining is unused to legitimate robust relationships
Hold a private, spry, supportive and confidential discussion with the receiver to hear and to understand their experience.
Validate their experience and if it’s appropriate, confirm that you consider this to be bullying behaviour.
Consider and discuss options with the receiver and either provide feedback about how to deal with the legitimate but badly received behaviour, OR
Act within the bullying protocol.

Support the recipient confidentially through action.
Support the recipient through counselling if needed.
Restructure the work environment to remove the power asymmetry.
Restructure work to protect and support the recipient.
Hold the offender accountable through communication, training, counselling or disciplinary action.

Support both parties confidentially through action.
Get a mediator to help the parties discuss their responses and to find common ground.
Support the parties to work together.
Restructure work and power asymmetries if separation is the best solution
Be alert to manipulation from either party.

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