Episode 66: When Employees Bully Leaders: Unpacking Reverse Bullying and What to Do About It
Episode Description
In this episode of Don’t Waste the Chaos, host Kerri Roberts tackles a topic that rarely makes it into leadership conversations—but one that can wreak havoc on your organization if ignored: reverse bullying. We often associate workplace bullying with leaders mistreating employees, but what happens when it’s the other way around?
Kerri brings personal insight, legal case studies, and real-world strategies to explore how subordinates can intimidate, manipulate, and undermine their managers—creating what she calls an “internal hostage situation.” Drawing from her own experience as a bullied executive, Kerri unpacks the warning signs of reverse bullying, the damage it can cause to your business, and how to take decisive action with clarity and confidence.
She also dives into two international court cases—the Laura Hindel case and the Ruffley v. Board of Management of St. Anne’s School case—to reveal how reverse bullying and flawed management processes are being scrutinized and defined in the legal world. The key takeaway? Leaders can be bullied too—and they deserve protection and support.
🎧 Tune In to Hear:
-What reverse bullying is and why it’s often overlooked in leadership circles
-The Laura Händel case: A nurse manager pushed out by subordinates through false claims and collusion
-The Ruffley case: When a flawed disciplinary process was ruled not bullying, setting a clear legal threshold for bullying claims
-The organizational cost of ignoring reverse bullying: turnover, fear, and lost leadership
-How to recognize reverse bullying in your business before it erodes your culture -Actionable strategies to address and prevent reverse bullying, including documenting behavior, promoting transparency, and consulting HR/legal experts 📚
Resources & Mentions: Kerri’s blog post on Reverse Bullying (April 27, 2024) https://www.saltandlightadvisors.com/...
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