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Where do bullies flourish?

In organisations that fail to distinguish between 'managing' and 'bullying'. It can happen in large and small organisations, and in so-called 'caring professions'.

The personality 'defects' of a bully, such as aggressiveness, sarcasm, anger and maliciousness, flourish in certain kinds of work culture:

  • In highly competitive or macho environments.
  • In organisations undergoing radical change, or serious cuts.
  • In a climate of job insecurity, eg redundancy.
  • Under 'tough' and hierarchical styles of management.
  • Where there's a lack of staff consultation.
  • Where excessive demands are made on people.
  • Where no procedures exist to tackle bullying.