Entries with tag bullying .

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Blair McPherson
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10 Jan 2024 - 13:43

null So why do bullies get promoted? 

Bullies as opposed to weak, indecisive or unpleasant managers got to their position of authority because someone,somewhere thought they would be  a good at management. Did they suddenly become shouty and sweary ? Prior to being promoted were they pleasant and supportive? When did they adopt intimidation and public humiliation as management tactics? Were  they always a bully and got... See more
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Blair McPherson
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26 Dec 2023 - 11:19

null  Avoiding the language of violence at work

Some words convey action, energy and determination others violence. To launch a project as opposed to firing the starting gun or pulling the trigger. Two organisation may identify they same issues and priorities but their tone and language means they will tackle them in a very different way.  We have seen a determined move away from the macho management style and a recognition of the... See more
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Blair McPherson
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28 Nov 2023 - 14:20

null Can you trust an organisation that doesn’t trust itself with the truth? 

In the public sector vacant posts are not just a result of poor pay and overwork but of poor treatment of staff due to institutional apathy towards staff subject to bullying, racism and misogyny. And a perceived lack of support from HR. Recent reports about the NHS, the London Met police force and the London Fire and Rescue service have highlighted a disturbing and persistent culture of... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
03 Apr 2023 - 11:15

null Anywhere. And Everywhere

This isn’t about somewhere I used to work. This isn’t about someone I used to work for. I can’t be in trouble because I don’t work there any more. I don’t know why they think this is about them.Or why you’re saying,”not again”. I’ve never even met them. You say they know all about me.You say they are angry and out to get me. You say it’s about an article I wrote.But I have written nothing... See more
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Blair McPherson
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13 Jan 2023 - 21:02

null Bullying in the movies 

Looking at the video and film clips, film makers in the USA think bullying at school, in the work place and in leisure venues is common place. They also believe all bullies get their comeuppance. But only by picking on the wrong person who violently and with maximum efficiency breaks bones and busts heads using fists and feet. The message seems to be learn to fight.  Does the message... See more
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Blair McPherson
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15 Mar 2022 - 11:21

null Every one knows what bullying is and that it’s wrong or do they?

Shouting ,swearing, ridiculing and “losing  it big time” not as a one off or isolated experience but as a daily occurrence, a regular feature of the way the manager behaves would be unacceptable and considered bullying in most organisations.  But how hard can you push someone to deliver, how high can you set your expectations and how critical can you be before it is considered bullying?... See more
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Blair McPherson
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15 Jul 2021 - 14:15

null  Is this a safe place ?

  How safe is your work place ? No I’m not taking about working with dangerous machinery or hazardous chemicals.  I’ m not referring to the risk of falling objects, flying objects or sharp objects. I’m not thinking about the risk of being shot, run over, attacked, falling from a great height, being electrocuted  or drowning. I’m asking if you feel that your team or organisation is a... See more
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Blair McPherson
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14 Dec 2020 - 12:15

null Big Boy Pants 

 In the USA they call trousers “pants”. In our family big boy pants refers to the underwear that my 3 year old grand son wears as part of his toilet training. Just another example of the misunderstandings that can occur when we think we speak the same language or is there more to it?  Philadelphia Mayor tells Trump to “Put big boy pants on”. So read a headline in the days after... See more
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Blair McPherson
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22 Sep 2020 - 13:24

null Showing you’re annoyed is not the same as making staff scared of you  

Alex Ferguson claims he used his notorious hairdryer treatment no more than 6 or 7 times in his long and successful career. The accounts of former players would indicate it was a lot more but may be the truth is that it was used sparingly in order to maximise its impact. The point is All his players had heard of and probably witnessed one of these fearsome verbal assaults. No one... See more
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Blair McPherson
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18 Nov 2019 - 15:22

null How do you improve performance and make winners?

Everyone has heard about the revolution in British cycling which led to the biggest ever haul of Olympic medals. Every one in sport and any one interested in improving performance wanted to know how they had done it and could it be repeated in other areas, including local government. When asked the secret to their success team GB said a thousand minute improvements non of which on... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
08 Oct 2019 - 11:20

null Humbug

There is a lot of anger and frustration about. The use of inflammatory language by tabloid news papers, radio shocks jocks and the Prime Minister means that people in the work place feel freer to use the same language and show the same lack of concern for their colleagues feelings. Managers are expected to challenge inappropriate and offensive language but it’s harder if such... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
15 Sep 2019 - 15:32

null The Ex Directors Breakfast Club 

If there is an ex directors breakfast  club I haven’t been offered membership. If they invited me I won’t go. But if I did this is what I would expect to hear.   I speak of the time before austerity of the time before the time before austerity. A time when we were practice led not financially driven. A time we believed we could make a real difference for the better. People say that is... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
15 Jul 2019 - 11:50

null Institutional Harassment 

There are managers who are bullies and then there is systematic institutional harassment. In the latter HR rather than protect employees against bulling and harassment advises senior management on how to put pressure on staff in order to get rid of them. This is not about weeding out the odd incompetent employee or those not in tune with the organisations change in direction but... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
22 Jan 2019 - 15:39

null Angry Bosses

Angry, aggressive, volatile, unpredictable bosses you’ve had one or may be you have one. The good news is they have had their day. The shouty, sweary boss is on the way out. It’s debatable whether it ever motivated staff more likely intimidated and inhibited, making them afraid to make a mistake. The angry boss is being replaced by the Nice Guy. This doesn’t mean that the new style boss never... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
14 Jan 2019 - 14:49

null Bullies are not bad people

Your boss may be a bully but that doesn’t make them a bad person. We have a problem of bullying in the public sector and we’re not going to solve it by treating it as just a few bad people. Getting rid of these individuals or putting more safe guards in place that reduce the ability of managers to abuse their power won’t  work. Even if it were that simple it wouldn’t work because the... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
26 Nov 2018 - 15:21

null Who will protect us from the bullies?

In the past the answer would have been senior management, the Trade Union and HR. But senior management can no longer be relied on to set a good example, the trade unions have been weakened,  so that leaves HR !   Let’s be brutally honest where there is a bulling problem there is also a lack of confidence in HR to tackle it. This is probably unfair on HR. They have developed the... See more
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Blair McPherson
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12 Nov 2018 - 18:35

null Intmidation

David Attenborough appears to be demonstrating that apes have much in common when it comes to leadership. Perhaps it’s not so surprising that chimpanzees and naked apes should take the same approach to gaining and retaining power. May be you find it reassuring to learn that it’s not just humans who resort to bulling, scheming and ganging up to get to the top of the hierarchy. Personally I found... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
14 Mar 2018 - 13:13

null This Epidemic of Bullying 

The current epidemic of bulling is evidence of the frequency with which people get into positions of power without acquiring the skills to manage people. It is very worrying that that people can be appointed to senior management posts with out the necessary people management skills. It says much about the recruitment to top posts that either people management skills are assumed or simply not... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
13 Sep 2017 - 11:44

null A racist can spot a racist 

A racist can spot another racist although neither would identify themselves as such. A black person knows a racist even a cleaver one who is careful about what they say and who they say it to. Their problem is convincing the rest of us/ the organisation that this articulate , intelligent professional is doing all they can to block, undermine and sow the seeds of resentment against black... See more
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Blair McPherson
wrote a new blog post
31 May 2017 - 18:14

null Bounce back ability

  The HR term for being able to cope with set backs, disappointments and failures is," Resilience ". In today's public sector individual and organisational resilience is highly valued. Managers and professionals are expected to bounce back if they are unsuccessful in applying for promotion or don't get the job they really wanted in the restructuring. Organisations and teams are... See more
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