Starting up a business these days at least gives you the advantage of more than enough case study material being available on how things should not be done. Plus bookshops are packed with books on organizational behaviour, leadership, communication and socialization processes etc. LinkedIn is full of one-minute videos by coaches offering a multitude of similar expertise’s (Team Coach, Leadership Coach, Transformation Coach etc.). The media are trumpeting all that is going wrong, worldwide. From almost every form of mismanagement and corruption to bigger scale conflicts. In the same bookshops there are also ever more books for the more spiritual (= self-study, self-realisation) oriented. Those who acknowledge the urgency of change and are working on (self-, context-) awareness. Also impacting the new entrepreneur.
The number of new businesses and self-employed people therefore keeps rising. To a large extent related to helping solve many of nowadays problems.
Transformation or All Over Again?
But what about existing (very) old organisations and companies? It is exactly there where the problems are most severe, change is needed most, but management is least willing to accept the slightest change in the status quo.
When serious mistakes or mismanagement, among which Workplace Bullying, are brought into the open, a ‘Culture Research’ is carried out every once in a while. When all the commotion dies down, people pass on to other positions, however, such a research ‘easily’ disappears in a drawer… On top of previous research reports. Sometimes they produce some (window-dressing) (superficial) institutional adjustments. Fundamentally, at the crux of the problems, nothing changes.
Something new is needed!
For Example : Muster up the Courage to learn from malpractices and conflicts in order to improve! The manner of approach to mistakes and failures can actually raise the confidence in working relations to a great extent!
Tackling Workplace Bullying itself actually starts with listening very carefully to the bullying target. Everything that is raised should be dealt with as it constitutes clear indications of where things are going wrong.
When a manager is not capable of taking resolute action following complaints about bullying, (s)he should receive assistance immediately. Confidential contact persons, Human Resources officials that fail to respond or act objectively, company medical officers that allow their “medical” advice to be prompted by management, …etc.. These are matters that are completely unacceptable and action should be taken straight away.
Another difficult problem is the mob. A certain extent of cliquery among employees can probably never be avoided. Although reporting on ‘negatively operating mobs’ should be taken very seriously. When managers participate in a mob, it means that matters have severely gotten out of hand. Certain groups/divisions/directorates apparently have far too much power, without any accountability. That is dangerous.
In this way, the underlying systemic (un)healthiness is exposed and work can be undertaken to remedy malpractices.
Or For Example : Undertaking efforts to get to the core of the problems! The crux of the problems in mutual relations but also in the organisation(culture). Involving all points of view. Why does someone become a target of Workplace Bullying and how can (s)he be supported, coached, or similar? Why do bullies resort to such behaviour? What are their complaints? What are their anxieties and insecurities and what kind of mentoring, coaching would they consider useful. Why is a manager incapable of resolute leadership? How could (s)he be guided towards more responsible and conscious leadership?
What in an organisation(culture) allows for someone to actually end up in the position of Workplace Bullying target? What in the organisation(culture) makes it possible for bullies to operate unhindered, get allies, and even support…? Why do managers aspire a position in that organisation? Etc.
That is to say : a process of awareness! For everyone. Not so much awareness of the problems at stake. But more person-oriented. Why does everyone involved act in the way (s)he does? Where does it come from and how can each of them be guided in self-observation, thinking about oneself, correcting oneself?
If one can muster up the courage to learn from mistakes, thoroughly tackling Workplace Bullying can provide important opportunities to construct something better. A healthier, more pleasant and therefore more productive collaboration!
Maartje Rutten, The Hague, September 30th, 2019