Introduction for the Presenter
The PowerPoint presentation can serve
three purposes:
1. A thorough introduction to the
game
2. A presentation on workplace
bullying separate from the game
3. A menu of topics to use selectively
for introducing the game
Introduction for the Presenter
The slides cover three main areas:
 Introduction to and summary of research
on workplace bullying (slides 4-27)
 Comparing and contrasting workplace
bullying and school bullying (slides 28-47)
 How The Respectful Workplace
Game™ addresses workplace bullying and
can help organizations move toward a
more respectful workplace (slides 48-60)
Introduction for the Presenter
Notes:


The slides on workplace vs. school
bullying can be skipped without affecting
the continuity of the presentation.
The last slide contains the sources of the
statistics and lists in the slides.
By Franklin Rubenstein, Ph.D.
A
respectful workplace is one where
members are continuously vigilant in
ensuring that they act in a respectful way
and do not bully or harass other
members. Members work to support, not
put down, other members.
In this presentation and in The Respectful
Workplace™ game, we refer to repeated
disrespectful behavior aimed at an
individual or group of individuals as
bullying. For our purposes, bullying is
defined as:
Bullying
Repeated disrespectful behavior toward an
individual or group
The terms harassment and abuse are
also descriptive of the behavior termed
bullying. We use bullying because:
it is being used more and more
frequently in the research literature, in
media, and in organizations themselves.
the term abuse brings visions of
violence, which is usually not the case in
workplace bullying.
 the
term harassment is often used to
describe sexual harassment, a very
serious issue. Unfortunately, for every
case of it, there are many cases not based
on gender issues.
Legislation to outlaw workplace bullying is
called healthy workplace legislation.
Although this term is preferred by
business groups because it does not imply
wrongdoing, it is not sufficiently
descriptive to be useful for the purpose of
this game.
 All
disrespectful actions are to be avoided
in the workplace. When we refer to
workplace bullying, we are usually
referring to a series of disrespectful
actions that take place over a period of at
least a few months. There are exceptions
where intensive bullying can take place in
a shorter period of time.
A
study of bullying in the UK in 2000
concluded that 10% of workers had been
bullied in the most recent six months, and
that 24% had been bullied within the last
five years.
A
recent study by Zogby International
found that 37% of U.S. workers said that
they had been bullied at work. The
survey also showed that 40% of
workplace bullies are women.
 Bullying
varies greatly from organization
to organization. It is prevalent in
organizations that condone bullying as
part of a “tough” management style.
 A.
For the Organization
 B.
For the Target
 C.
For the Bystanders
A. For the Organization
 Reduces productivity
 Stifles creativity
 Increases turnover
 Increases absenteeism
 Reduces satisfaction
 Increases the chances for costly
lawsuits
All the above reduce profitability.
B. For the Target
Targets suffer from both physical and
emotional symptoms.
 Feeling
sick
 Sweating,
shaking
 Disturbed
sleep
 Stomach/bowel
problems
 Severe
 Palpitations
 Loss
 Loss
 Aches
of energy
headaches
of libido
and pains
Emotional Symptoms - Target
 Anxiety
 Irritability
 Panic
attacks
 Depression
 Lack of motivation
 Loss of confidence
 Feelings of isolation
 Rage
 Reduced self-esteem
 The
emotional symptoms usually lead to
strained relationships and/or excessive
use of alcohol, tobacco, or recreational
drugs, and/or violence against others or
self.
C. For the Bystanders
 To
a lesser degree, bystanders suffer the
same symptoms as targets. Bystanders
suffer because they fear that they may be
the next targets and also because of the
negative and destructive atmosphere that
bullying causes.
 There
are often benefits for the bully,
including feelings of dominance, revenge,
and enhanced power over others.
Bullying behavior is rewarded in certain
organizations as examples of “tough”
management. Bullying can also achieve
short-term goals, such as meeting
deadlines, although the medium-term and
long-term effects are always negative.
Why does bullying start and thrive
in organizations? (continued)
 In
most organizations there is usually no
cost for the bully. In most cases bullying
behavior is not illegal, and lawsuits are
rare at present.
 Bystanders are usually powerless to
intervene to stop the bullying.
 Complaints to HR or management usually
result in inaction.
Targets are usually reluctant to take formal
action, such as a lawsuit or grievance, due
to the possible negative consequences
(further bullying and dismissal).
 Management is often reluctant to take
action against managers who are bullies,
but successful in their positions.
 The HR department usually lacks the power
to take concerted action, especially in
organizations where management condones
or practices bullying.

 Withholding
information
 Use of sarcasm
 Excessive monitoring of work
 Systematic ignoring
 Isolation from other workers
 Persistent public criticism and/or
humiliation
 Setting
unrealistic goals
 Intimidation
sick leave
 Pattern
to prevent taking vacation or
of assigning meaningless tasks
 Spreading
 Shouting
 Physical
malicious rumors
and verbal abuse
threats
 Blocking
promotions
 Refusing
reasonable requests
 Invading
privacy, such as by reading mail or
inspecting computer hard drive
 Demanding
 Setting
perfection in trivial matters
objectives that cannot be achieved
 Taking
undeserved credit and/or improperly
shifting blame
 Displaying uncontrolled anger, shouting,
and/or using vulgar language
 Discounting or denial of accomplishments
 Sending memos designed to intimidate
 Undermining authority
 Schools
are achieving some success in
battling bullying. Can workplaces learn
from their example? Observe the
differences in environments highlighted
by these true/false questions.
True or False?
 If a target of bullying in school stands up for
her rights in a nonviolent way, she runs a
significant risk of being expelled from school
or demoted to a lower grade.
 Schools:
False
 Workplace:
True. Almost 25% of
bullying situations in the workplace result
in the target being fired. About 75% in all
are resolved by the target resigning, being
fired, being transferred to another
department, or being demoted. Targets
who stay often experience a reduction or
elimination of promotion prospects,
diminution of office size and location,
and/or a reduction in challenging and
interesting work.
True or False?
 In school, the bully and the target may
have different social status and power,
but their formal power and position are
usually equal, except of course when a
student is bullied by a coach or teacher.


Schools: True
Workplace: False. Over 75% of the
time, the bully is the target’s supervisor.
This fact alone makes it much more
difficult for the target and well-meaning
bystanders to end the bullying.
True or False?
 Bullying in a school almost never helps
the bully to achieve even short-term
organizational objectives.
 School:
True
 Workplace:
False. Bullying
subordinates can help a supervisor
achieve short-term objectives, such as
making a deadline. However, the long-run
effects of bullying are always negative,
including reduced productivity, teamwork,
and especially creativity.
True or False?
 There are some simple strategies targets
and bystanders can use at school that are
often effective.
 School:
True. For example, the target
can go to a guidance counselor with the
problem. A competent guidance counselor
will call the bully into his or her office,
explain that the bullying must stop and
what the consequences are for continuing,
and warn the bully that any retaliation
against the target for telling about the
bullying will result in even more severe
consequences. No strategy works all the
time, but this strategy has a good chance
of success.
 Workplace:
False. In the workplace,
the target would go to the HR
department. The HR person, unlike the
school counselor, does not have authority
over the bully and is often powerless to
help the target. It is often very difficult
for staff personnel, such as those in the
HR department, to exert power over line
managers. Chances of ending the bullying
are minimal.
True or False?
 Top management intervention in a school
is, with rare exceptions, always in
support of the target.
 School:
True. It is hard to imagine the
principal (or head) of a school taking the
side of the bully. The exception would be
where the target responds violently to
nonviolent bullying.
 Workplace:
False. The bully often
presents him/herself as a firm, but fair
supervisor, who has to hold the feet of
laggards to the fire in order to do his/her
job effectively. It is not the bully’s
problem if some employees can’t take the
heat. The bully is just striving for the
success of his/her department and the
organization. Having heard the bully’s
convincing side of the story, management
dismisses the target’s complaint, which is
in essence siding with the bully.
True or False?
 In school, a bystander who stands up to
a bully risks becoming a target himself,
but does not risk being expelled from
school or demoted to a lower grade.
 Schools:
True
 Workplace:
False. Bystanders who
stand up to the bully risk being the next
target and experiencing the same
consequences as the original target,
including dismissal and demotion.
True or False?
 When bullying occurs at school,
organizations that explicitly support
students align themselves against the
school administration. As a result, the
administration feels pressure to support the
bully in order to prove itself blameless.
 School:
False. PTAs or other parent
organizations generally do not take up
issues involving conflicts between
students. On very rare occasions, parents
will sue the school, such as in the case of
a suicide or suicide attempt by the target.
 Workplace:
True. If the target goes to
the shop steward or other union
representative, management’s tendency is
to fight the accusations, regardless of
their merits. If outside organizations,
such as those who represent the rights of
women or a specific ethnic group, get
involved, management calls the lawyers
and prepares for battle. The same is true
if a government organization representing
workers’ rights takes the side of the
target.
Using the five principles listed below as
guidelines will assure a respectful
workplace and absence of bullying.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Maintain the self-respect and motivation
of others.
Criticize actions and ideas, not people.
Support others, rather than undermining
them.
Set realistic and attainable goals (for self
and others).
Act assertively, not passively or
aggressively.
Reducing current harassment and
preventing future harassment is
accomplished by:
 Learning
the principles of positive and
respectful relationships
 Learning
to avoid unintentional
harassment
 Learning
how to handle delicate problems
without even the appearance of
harassment
 Learning
how to deal with harassment if it
occurs and ending it before it becomes a
major problem
 Learning
how to disagree and compete
with others in ways that preserve respect
Note:
Just as all sex or racial discrimination
cases are not valid, not all complaints
about harassment and bullying will be
valid. This training will help all managers
and workers act in such a way to make
even the appearance of harassment
extremely unlikely. It will also make any
unjust case much easier to defend.
 Each
player is a top consultant for
Excelsior Consulting, one of the world’s
foremost experts on positive workplace
relationships. Excelsior’s expertise
includes communication skills and
preventing harassment and workplace
bullying. Players have been hired by top
corporations to help them provide an
atmosphere of positive relationships, as
well as contain and prevent workplace
harassment and bullying.
 Players
move around the board picking
cards and answering questions. There are
two sets of rules—one for individual
players and one for two teams to
compete.
There are three sets of cards:
 Case
Study cards present brief case
studies that describe behavior of certain
employees in the company. Players analyze
the cases and make recommendations.
 Respectful
Relationships cards teach
how to communicate effectively in difficult
situations in ways that avoid even the
appearance of bullying.
 Bonus
cards are true-false or multiple
choice cards that deal with misconceptions
about workplace bullying, give statistics,
clarify conceptual issues, etc.
 Two
teams compete. Each team moves
around the board in an attempt to arrive
at each meeting on its schedule on time
and answer questions correctly. Play
money is earned for each correct answer.
If a team gives an incorrect answer, the
other team can win the money. Follow-up
questions give the teams the chance to
role-play solutions to the problems
presented in the cards.

Up to five players compete. Players move
around the board in an attempt to arrive
at each meeting on their schedule on time
and answer questions correctly. Play
money is earned for each correct answer.
Follow-up questions give players the
chance to role-play solutions to the
problems presented in the cards.
References
Statistics on the Prevalence of Workplace
Bullying: article by Tara Parker Pope in the New
York Times, March 25, 2008 and Andrea Adams,
Bullying at Work.
 Fallout from Workplace Bullying: mainly from
Andrea Adams, Bullying at Work. London: Virago
Press, 1992.
 Bullying Thriving in Organizations: mainly from
Charlotte Rayner of Portsmouth University
Business School Portsmouth, UK, Presentation at
ILA (International Leadership Association)
November 2006.
 Bullying Behaviors: various sources including
Tara Parker Pole and Andrea Adams.

Workplace vs. School Bullying slides: from
Franklin Rubenstein, Ph.D., president of
Franklin Learning Systems. Presentation at
ILA (International Leadership Association)
November 2006.
 Principles of Workplace Respect: from The
Respectful Workplace Game™, published by
Franklin Learning Systems, 2009.
