Catherine Mattice's Blog, page 45
February 6, 2013
Targets of Bully Bosses Aren’t the Only Victims
Targets of bully bosses usually end up being ridiculed at work and face public criticism. Silent treatments and public humiliation will only result in having a detrimental effect on your employees. It will negatively impact the work environment as well as their relationship with other co-workers.
“The researchers queried a sample of 233 people who work in a wide range of occupations in the Southeast United States. Demographically, the sample was 46 percent men, 86 percent white, had an average age of 42.6 years, had worked in their job for seven years, had worked at their company for 10 years, and worked an average of 46 hours a week. Survey respondents were asked about supervisory abuse, vicarious supervisory abuse, job frustration, perceived organizational support, and coworker abuse.”
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Targets of Bully Bosses Aren’t the Only Victims, New UNH Research Shows
DURHAM, N.H. – Abusive bosses who target employees with ridicule, public criticism, and the silent treatment not only have a detrimental effect on the employees they bully, but they negatively impact the work environment for the co-workers of those employees who suffer from “second-hand” or vicarious abusive supervision, according to new research from the University of New Hampshire.
In the first ever study to investigate vicarious supervisory abuse, Paul Harvey, associate professor of organizational behavior at UNH, and his research colleagues Kenneth Harris and Raina Harris from Indiana University Southeast and Melissa Cast from New Mexico State University find that vicarious supervisory abuse is associated with job frustration, abuse of other coworkers, and a lack of perceived organizational support beyond the effects of the abusive supervisor.
The research is presented in the Journal of Social Psychology in the article “An Investigation of Abusive Supervision, Vicarious Abuse Supervision, and Their Joint Impacts.”
Abusive supervision is considered a dysfunctional type of leadership and includes a sustained display of hostile verbal and nonverbal behaviors toward subordinates.
“Although the effects of abusive supervision may not be as physically harmful as other types of dysfunctional behavior, such as workplace violence or aggression, the actions are likely to leave longer-lasting wounds, in part, because abusive supervision can continue for a long time,” Harvey said.
Those long-lasting wounds also are felt by the co-workers of the victims of bulling bosses.
Vicarious supervisory abuse is defined as the observation or awareness of a supervisor abusing a co-worker. Examples of vicarious supervisory abuse in a workplace include an employee hearing rumors of abusive behavior from coworkers, reading about such behaviors in an email, or actually witnessing the abuse of a coworker.
“When vicarious abusive supervision is present, employees realize that the organization is allowing this negative treatment to exist, even if they are not experiencing it directly,” the researchers said.
The researchers queried a sample of 233 people who work in a wide range of occupations in the Southeast United States. Demographically, the sample was 46 percent men, 86 percent white, had an average age of 42.6 years, had worked in their job for seven years, had worked at their company for 10 years, and worked an average of 46 hours a week. Survey respondents were asked about supervisory abuse, vicarious supervisory abuse, job frustration, perceived organizational support, and coworker abuse.
The researchers found similar negative impacts of first-hand supervisory abuse and second-hand vicarious supervisory abuse: greater job frustration, tendency to abuse other coworkers, and a lack of perceived organizational support. In addition, the negative effects from either type of abuse were intensified if the coworker was a victim of both kinds of supervisory abuse.
“Our research suggests that vicarious abusive supervision is as likely as abusive supervision to negatively affect desired outcomes, with the worst outcomes resulting when both vicarious abusive supervision and abusive supervision are present,” the researchers said. “Top management needs further education regarding the potential impacts of vicarious abuse supervision on employees to prevent and/or mitigate the effects of such abuse.”
The University of New Hampshire, founded in 1866, is a world-class public research university with the feel of a New England liberal arts college. A land, sea, and space-grant university, UNH is the state’s flagship public institution, enrolling 12,200 undergraduate and 2,300 graduate students.
Media Contact: Lori Wright
UNH Media Relations
603-862-0574
lori.wright@unh.edu
@unhnews
January 8, 2013
True Cost of a Bad Boss: A Fantastic One Minute Video
“There are only two kinds of bosses: those that support their teams and have a positive overall impact on productivity and those that do not. Unfortunately, a lot of U.S. bosses are just making work harder to do well. Today, nearly one-third of American employees report that they feel under appreciated by their direct supervisors. And a full 44% say that they’ve been verbally or even physically abused by a superior at some point in their careers.”
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Fantastic one minute video: True Cost of a Bad Boss
There are only two kinds of bosses: those that support their teams and have a positive overall impact on productivity and those that do not. Unfortunately, a lot of U.S. bosses are just making work harder to do well. Today, nearly one-third of American employees report that they feel underappreciated by their direct supervisors. And a full 44% say that they’ve been verbally or even physically abused by a superior at some point in their careers.
The latest video from OnlineMBA breaks down the enormous cost of these horrible and not-so-great bosses. Between stress-related health expenses, productivity losses and the costs associated with high employee turnover rates, bad bosses are costing U.S. companies an estimated $360 billion each year.
We all know it isn’t easy being the boss. How can you inspire someone who knows that it’s your job to make sure they’re doing theirs? Until bosses find some magic ability to lead with all the vision of Jack Donaghy and all the lovability of Leslie Knopes, workers and bosses will just have to keep living with each other.
January 3, 2013
9 Signs Your Workplace Needs Civility, 6 Steps to Achieve It
Does your workplace need civility? Whether it is in the office or out in public, it seems that rude behavior is on the rise. It is time for a change. In order to bring civility back into the workplace, the employer must be able to spot the conflict. By having civility in the workplace, not only do you promote a low stress work environment, but you are able to improve employee morale and the quality of workload output.
Some Signs Your Workplace Needs Civility Include:
Higher than normal employee turnover
A large number of employee grievances and complaints
Lost work time by employees calling in sick
Increased consumer complaints
Diminished productivity in terms of quality and quantity of work
Cultural and communications barriers
Lack of confidence in leadership
Inability to adapt effectively to change
Lack of individual accountability
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9 signs your workplace needs civility, 6 steps to achieve it
TechJournal, Jan 27, 2011, Danita Johnson Hughes, Ph.D.
Civility in the political sphere is big news right now. But it can be an issue in the workplace, too.
Sometimes you might wonder if we truly live in a civilized society. It seems that rude and discourteous behavior is on the rise. The modern workplace can be an incubator for such incivility if left unchecked.
Both inside and outside the workplace, we see a rash of disrespectful, discourteous and rude behavior. Angry commuters use their vehicles to take out their aggressions and deliberately cut others off in traffic. Customer service has diminished to the point where most would prefer to use the impersonal ATM machine than face an unhappy bank teller. Malicious political campaigns and tactics draw out the worst in even the most respected individuals. Children face tremendous fear and stress from bullies at school.
The examples of an uncivilized society are too numerous to recount and the workplace is a microcosm of society.
The impact of such destructive behavior can be more psychologically damaging than open forms of abuse, such as harassment and violence. From a business and leadership perspective, the negative behavior happening outside of the workplace is trickling in — affecting employee loyalty, organizational commitment and overall productivity. The pressures of everyday life can take their toll on employees who are already working under a great deal of stress. Consequently tempers get frayed and patience and tolerance are thrown out the window.
It’s time for a change.
But, understanding precedes change. What typically leads to uncivil behavior is a disagreement. Someone wants to be right, better or stronger. Someone wants to be heard. Sadly, that attitude often leads to a win-lose outcome.
As a leader, the best first step is to realize that conflict is a vital and necessary part of organizational success. Properly facilitated, disagreements lead to healthy, constructive conversations that translate into creativity, innovation and a shared sense of accomplishment.
Encouraging civility in the workplace promotes a low stress work environment and improved employee morale. It also helps to mitigate employee dissatisfaction that often results in such things as civil rights complaints and lawsuits. The economic impact related to litigation, turnover, productivity and customer dissatisfaction can be devastating to an organization.
Some signs of an organization infected with incivility include:
Higher than normal employee turnover
A large number of employee grievances and complaints
Lost work time by employees calling in sick
Increased consumer complaints
Diminished productivity in terms of quality and quantity of work
Cultural and communications barriers
Lack of confidence in leadership
Inability to adapt effectively to change
Lack of individual accountability
Civility is essential to defining the culture and establishing a foundation of proper business behavior. It is a value that successful organizations strive to achieve.
To be able to build and maintain itself as a viable entity capable of reaching its full potential an organization must be able to manage its interpersonal relationships in a manner that promotes positive interactions that are civil and respectful. This is not an easy task considering the myriad personalities and individual circumstance that impact workplace interactions. But it can be accomplished with leadership commitment to fostering positive and meaningful interactions among employees.
Creating a civil workplace boils down to 3 basic principles: respect, restraint and refinement.
Respect is inherent in the belief that although another person’s beliefs may be different than yours, you should still honor their viewpoint and accord the other person due consideration. Taking someone’s feelings, ideas, and preferences into consideration indicates that you take them seriously and that their position has worth and value, even if contrary to your own. In so doing, you validate the other person’s individuality and right to a differing opinion. Respect is the most important step in building a relationship and reducing the potential for conflict. In an atmosphere of mutual respect, goals and concessions become easier to attain.
Restraint is simply a matter of exercising personal self control at all times. Therefore, you should know your triggers. Be aware of how your words and actions affect other people. Being aware of the things that make you angry or upset helps you to monitor and manage your reaction. Think before you act. Remember, you may not be able to control the things others say or do. But, you can control your response.
Refinement is the quest for continual cultivation and improvement of relationships in the workplace. Just as the process of Continual Quality Improvement (CQI) has come to be known as a means to improve performance and increase efficiency in an organization, refinement of thought, ways of expressing those thoughts and the practice of continuously exercising appropriate decorum when relating to others can go a long way towards enhancing workplace civility. Improving and strengthening relationships requires effort and commitment.
Involve every employee
Achieving civility in the workplace requires the involvement of every employee from the top down. Going to work in an environment free from the back-biting, rude employee behavior and the constant complaining that many are subjected to everyday is certainly not ideal. However, making the commitment to achieving and sustaining civility can be the key to a successful and thriving organization with high employee morale.
As a leader, you can and should make workplace civility a priority in your business by insisting that all employees exercise these practical ideas:
Pursue understanding first.
Listen and respect other opinions.
Seek common ground, even if it’s to agree to disagree.
Tune into what’s happening around you; observe the climate
Accept responsibility for your actions and the consequences of those actions.
Offer and willingly accept constructive feedback.
Leaders are called to promote a safe and respectful workplace. That means insisting on the practice of civility and common courtesy.
And it starts with you. Take time to assess your own behaviors. Do you gossip or spread rumors? Have you ever raised your voice to make a point? Are you communicating important information to your team, or withholding information they need?
Set an expectation of workplace civility by “walking the talk” and being the change you want to see.
December 18, 2012
Creating a Positive and Civil Workplace: A Cultural Approach to Ending Workplace Harassment
”Always treat your employees exactly as you want them to treat your best customers.” ~ Steven Covey
Businesses have long paid attention to hostile work environments, workplace violence, sexual harassment, diversity issues, and difficult people. Type any of these phrases in Google to learn how to resolve them – and the number of articles you find will be mind boggling.
It’s no secret that harassment has a tremendous impact on the workplace. Even when employees don’t necessarily feel harassed themselves, they also suffer from anger, anxiety, discouragement, depression and burnout as witnesses to the behavior. Watching harassment happen, or hearing about it through the grapevine, causes just as much distress and negatively affects work quality and work product. In turn, businesses spend millions of dollars annually in absenteeism and turnover, workers compensation claims due to stress, reduced work product, lower levels of job satisfaction, communication breakdown and even a bad reputation within the community.
Many managers and Human Resource professionals facing the problem of resolving a harassment or hostile work environment grievance focus on resolving the specific issue. Of course, by law they must investigate, document, and make a formal finding. While these are important steps, they are simply a band-aid approach to resolution.
Negative behavior is an organizational culture problem, not just an individual problem. Since culture dictates behavior, the investigation isn’t solving the bigger issue. There is a better approach to resolving these common and familiar challenges. Instead of attempting to end violence, harassment and workplace bullying, focus on building a positive workplace instead. A culture of positivity and civility will push the bad behaviors out.
A nice side benefit of building a civil work culture is a better bottom line. For example, according to a study conducted by global consulting firm, Watson Wyatt, in 2003, companies that openly promote civility among employees earn 30% more revenue than competitors, are 4 times more likely to have highly engaged employees, and are 20% more likely to report reduced turnover. Another study by GreatPlaceJobs.com found that only 44% of companies who had won a great workplace award laid off workers in 2008, while a whopping 86% of Fortune 100 companies without this recognition laid employees off.
Here are five key steps to successful implementation of a healthy, civil, and positive workplace culture:
1. Have a conversation about what leadership really means. In order for a positive culture to exist, leadership at all levels needs to be on board. Start talking to leaders about what leadership means in your organization, and guide them into understanding that leadership means support, empathy, civil communication… in addition to achieving results. In fact, you can’t have the latter without the former.
Read the remaining four steps in The Centre for Organization Effectiveness’ whitepaper.
The Key to Collaboration
There are two reasons people have a hard time collaborating: fear and ego. These reasons manifest into three hurdles to effective collaboration: not thinking the final outcome will be fair, not trusting the people in the group, or putting personal goals before the organization’s.
One way to overcome these problems is to use an us-centered approach. This means instead of focusing on fears and ego, try focusing on yours and others’ needs. It seems so simple yet so elusive – helping someone else get their needs met is hard to do because it could potentially mean we will lose, right? Not necessarily.
To get yours and the others’ needs met you have to listen. Listening is the only way you will have a strong understanding of what the other person wants from the conversation. Once you have a good handle on that information, you can find solutions that will meet both of your needs. Listening will allow you to collaborate – it will allow you to get what you need, and help the other person get what they need.
Further, during collaboration conversations, try using words like “we” and “let’s” instead of “you” and “me.” These words may be just semantics, but they’re enough to tell the other person, and remind you, that you are focused on the us, and not on the individual.
The post The Key to Collaboration appeared first on Civility Partners LLC.
The key to collaboration
There are two reasons people have a hard time collaborating: fear and ego. These reasons manifest into three hurdles to effective collaboration: not thinking the final outcome will be fair, not trusting the people in the group, or putting personal goals before the organization’s.
One way to overcome these problems is to use an us-centered approach. This means instead of focusing on fears and ego, try focusing on yours and others’ needs. It seems so simple yet so elusive – helping someone else get their needs met is hard to do because it could potentially mean we will lose, right? Not necessarily.
To get yours and the others’ needs met you have to listen. Listening is the only way you will have a strong understanding of what the other person wants from the conversation. Once you have a good handle on that information, you can find solutions that will meet both of your needs. Listening will allow you to collaborate – it will allow you to get what you need, and help the other person get what they need.
Further, during collaboration conversations, try using words like “we” and “let’s” instead of “you” and “me.” These words may be just semantics, but they’re enough to tell the other person, and remind you, that you are focused on the us, and not on the individual.
Can your body language change your mood?
One of the many tips offered in my recent book, BACK OFF! Your Kick-A** Guide to Ending Bullying at Work, suggests that you can use your body language to battle a workplace bully. In summary, the book suggests that when you’re feeling over-powered, you will fold your body in as a way to hide. You’ll likely look down, fold your arms, appear uncomfortable in your facial expressions, and hunch your shoulders. But, if you get in a “battle stance” you’ll not only send the message to others that you are standing up for yourself, you’ll actually feel assertive. A battle stance includes arms on your hips or at your side, toes pointed forward, chin up, constant eye contact, and shoulders back. In theory this sounds like it could work, but does it?
Researcher Hillel Aviezer and his colleagues decided to learn if body language does indeed send a strong message to others. Participants in the study had to guess whether the tennis player they watched in a video had just gained or lost a point. They were divided into three groups: One group watched a video that showed just the face and no body, another saw just the body and no face, and the third saw both the face and the body. Participants who could see the bodies, with or without the face, were much more accurate in guessing whether the tennis player had gained or lost the point - which means that body language is more powerful than facial expressions. Check. Your body language can send a message loud and clear to others.
But will your body language affect how you feel? Researcher Amy Cuddy and colleagues found that just one minute of taking a “power pose” can lower stress, lessen fear, increase the capacity for cognitive function, increase feelings of power, and increase risk-taking. All of the ”power poses” used in the study included the chest puffed out and the shoulders back. Indeed, your body language can change how you feel – and make you more assertive.
If you have 20 minutes today, have a look at Amy’s TED Talk.
Reference: Positive Psychology News Daily by Genevieve Douglass, MAPP.
