bully
bul·ly
/ˈbo͝olē/
verb
gerund or present participle: bullying
1. seek to harm, intimidate, or coerce (someone perceived as vulnerable).
2. the use of force, coercion, hurtful teasing, comments, or threats, to abuse, aggressively dominate, or intimidate one or more others.
3. this behavior is often repeated and habitual.
When I was young, I was usually the shortest, and sometimes the heaviest kid in the groups of friends I hung around with. I got my share of taunting – sometimes good naturedly, sometimes not. From there, it was hard to find a path to being cool. But my parents encouraged me to shake it off and prove my mettle by hard work and perseverance. I learned and adapted, but it wasn’t easy or fun. So, I’m especially sensitive to bullying and in my professional life intervened whenever I saw it, not by force but rather by helping those participating in the abuse to stop and learn from each other. But I’m not naïve – it happens often, and it takes role models to thwart and re-direct that behavior. As leaders, we must learn to be aware of how others are feeling and to bring people together to learn about each other and build relationships. Everyone wants to feel accepted – and this goes equally for the bully and the bullied. Never overlook this form of abuse – if you don’t accept it, it can’t flourish. Use your standing, stature, and life experience to teach people to be kind and respectful to others. Despite whatever else is going on, use your place in the workplace to make it the best place to address this ugly behavior today.
Caroline Bouvier Kennedy (born 1957): American author, diplomat, and attorney; she served as the United States ambassador to both Australia and Japan.
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