New Book Tackles Workplace Bullying by Former Top Executive

video by @KING5Seattle

Megan Carle, who previously held a high-ranking position at a major sports merchandise company, resigned after spending over 30 years in the industry due to workplace bullying. Carle has since authored a book that tackles this issue, utilizing both her personal experiences and extensive research. She asserts that workplace bullying is a pervasive problem affecting 80 million US workers and refers to it as an 'indiscussable' epidemic. In her book, Carle examines various types of workplace bullying and provides guidance on how to handle such situations.

Carle outlines five styles of workplace bullying: public overt, public covert, private overt, private covert, and gaslighting. Public overt bullying is characterized by conspicuous aggression, often manifesting as shouting and slamming tables. Public covert bullying is subtler, involving actions like consistently mispronouncing a colleague's name to assert dominance. Private overt bullying includes publicly praising an employee but demeaning them in private. Private covert bullying takes the form of passive-aggressive behavior, such as scheduling mandatory meetings at inconvenient times for certain employees. Gaslighting involves attempting to make someone feel like they are losing their sanity through work sabotage, retaliation, and other manipulative tactics.

According to Carle, workplace bullying impacts one in two employees and is reported by one in three. She argues that HR departments inadequately address the issue because bullies can be difficult to pinpoint and frequently operate out of fear. Carle references a quote by Michelle Obama to illustrate this: 'Bullies are scared people hiding inside scary people.'

In order to confront workplace bullying, Carle recommends employees recognize, understand, identify, and navigate through the problem. Recognizing bullying behavior, comprehending why it thrives in a particular organizational culture, identifying one's own response options, and determining how to navigate the situation can all contribute to preventing the bullying from causing significant damage.

Carle's book serves as an invaluable resource for individuals entering the workforce or grappling with workplace bullying. In a recent interview, she suggested it would make an excellent graduation gift for young adults embarking on their careers. Carle will host a book event on May 25th at Town Hall Seattle, with tickets available on the Town Hall Seattle website.

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