Bullies

[FluffyKitten]

Oh lord, I hate bullies. We have just had a new manager start in our department and knowing someone from her previous workplace, I found out that she was constantly being warned about bullying in the workplace. It seems she left there before she was forced out!

Now, today she has started. I put on my jacket to go for lunch at 11.58 and she looked at her watch and asked what time do we have lunch? When I said anytime between 12 and 2 she promptly told me it wasn’t 12 o’clock yet and she wouldn’t be tolerating that type of behaviour.

I have now been told that private telephone calls (received, not made) should only be conducted during my breaks and as I had already clocked back in after lunch this was not acceptable!

 

[Rich]

Some people just let power go to their heads

 

[Pauldohert]

Sounds like you have a problem with authority and rules, not bullies.

 

[Fifty2One]

Just ask for clarification of the rules in writing so that everyone can be on the same page. Anything on the paper which is counter to labour laws, current contracts or collective agreements will need to be rectified, otherwise cope with the changes or change jobs.
If she is a clock watcher then ask her which is the 'official clock' because if you go by your PDA watch or clock for start finish and break times it might not be synched with what is on her personal watch.
A lot of times a new supervisor will lay down the law to reel in ALL of the persons they are supervising and the basically good employees may have to suffer to fix the problems of someone who takes more then full advantage. If some lazy booger or person overstepping the line is going to be the target of dismissal then a supervisor has to first make sure all rules apply to everyone. Otherwise when someone is dismissed they can sue the company for wrongful dismissal if others are getting away with the same complaint or complaints.

 

[dan-cat]

Be sure to find out whether or not she has been told to take such a line by her supervisors. It might be that you are experiencing a deliberate attempt by the owners of the company to tighten things up.

Just a bit of advice if you are thinking about making a complaint about it.

 

[statsman]

Start a list of all of your Supervisor's ego trips.

For example:

Sept. 30/09 - Informed by X that lunch breaks were to be taken exactly on time from 12 noon to 1 PM. This was a result of my leaving for lunch at 11:58.

Sept. 30/09 - Informed by X that private calls were only to be taken during breaks. This was a result of a private incoming call received at 2:12 PM. I have no control over when private calls are received.

You can then follow this up with:

Sept. 30/09 - Informed by X that lunch breaks were to be taken exactly on time from 12 noon to 1 PM. This was a result of my leaving for lunch at 11:58.
Oct. 2/09 X left for lunch at 11:45 and did not return until 1:15

 

[oumahexi]

That's what I do with my bully Statsman. His latest is that I have to beg for time off to go to a doctors appointment! He swears he won't refuse, but I must ask if I can go rather than just tell him. I'd say he was an arse, but an arse is useful.

 

[FluffyKitten]

Sounds like you have a problem with authority and rules, not bullies.

No i dont, i havea problem with people laying down the law with no lee way. what happens when she rubs the wrong person the wrong way and then they only ever work to her rules. so if i answer the phone one day from her, well i dont know if anybodys daft enogh to marry her but someone and its past 2pm i can just tell them they have to phone back another time can i. my friend tells me this was one of her things and someone at the last place got a phonecall to say that there mother had had a stroke but she didnt let them get that far just asked if it was a business call and told them to phone back later or call her at home. maybe im worrying too much maybe this is heresay and theres no truth in it but thats my concern.

 

[FluffyKitten]

That's what I do with my bully Statsman. His latest is that I have to beg for time off to go to a doctors appointment! He swears he won't refuse, but I must ask if I can go rather than just tell him. I'd say he was an arse, but an arse is useful.

ha ha ha i like that last bit must remember that

 

[Brianwarnock]

That's what I do with my bully Statsman. His latest is that I have to beg for time off to go to a doctors appointment! He swears he won't refuse, but I must ask if I can go rather than just tell him. I'd say he was an arse, but an arse is useful.

It's quite correct that you have to ask, what if your appointment conflicted with an urgent profgress meeting called by a senior exec, but basically it is just the norm, managers are there to manage staff not be told by them what they, the staff intend to do.

Staff have to obey the rules, but good managers know when and how to bend them.

Fluffy
Of course she could be a bully, take on board what you have heard but reserve judgement for yourself and heed the advice to diary events, but remember that if the boss has permission to "break" the rules for him/herslf they do not have to tell you, tho' I always kept my staff informed.

Brian

 

[Adam Caramon]

I'd second statsman's advice. Document these incidents in a non-confrontational way. And don't do it trying to blackmail her or get her in trouble, just do it to see if she is following her own rules. If she is not, then you really don't have any room to complain. If she is, then after you have complied a list of several incidents where she broke her own rules, if you have the guts/desire, you can ask for a meeting with her in private and calmly ask her why the rules do not seem to apply to her. I wouldn't advise confrontation though unless you have another job waiting for you.

I've worked for strict bosses (even had a boss tell me one time I spent too much time in the bathroom, 4 minutes from when I left my desk to when I sat back down at my desk, for the record), and in my experience they usually do so to try to appear to be an efficient resource manager.

 

[Rich]

Get a new job and tell her to get stuffed

 

[Brianwarnock]

Get a new job and tell her to get stuffed

Whatever you do donot do that. If you decide to leave, leave with dignity, you never know when you might require a reference from the company.
On this type of subject ignore any "advice" that emanates from Rich.

Brian

 

[MSAccessRookie]

Get a new job and tell her to get stuffed

Maybe this "Turkey" LIKES being stuffed?

 

[Rich]

Whatever you do donot do that. If you decide to leave, leave with dignity, you never know when you might require a reference from the company.
On this type of subject ignore any "advice" that emanates from Rich.

Brian

I've managed for 30yrs after following my own advice Brian, please don't insult my intelligence by suggesting that someone has to bow down and creep to a bully in work! I've walked out on more than one job in my life and managed without a bloody reference from any of them

 

[Brianwarnock]

Don't misquote me, I never said that you have to bow down and creep.

Brian

 

[Rich]

Don't misquote me, I never said that you have to bow down and creep.

Brian

You implied by saying that my advice on the subject was all but stupid

 

[MSAccessRookie]

You implied by saying that my advice on the subject was all but stupid

I don't think he IMPLIED it. He outright said it! While I fully agree with the essence of your own statement (that your many years of experience would tend to indicate that you should be a potentially good source of advice), In this case I agree with Brian that you are not.

Leaving may or may not be the necessary thing to do, but being rude in the process, can do nothing to assist you along the way. Taking the high road is always a better approach. Whatever the choice, I wish all good luck.

 

[Rich]

I don't think he IMPLIED it. He outright said it! While I fully agree with the essence of your own statement (that your many years of experience would tend to indicate that you should be a potentially good source of advice), In this case I agree with Brian that you are not.

Leaving may or may not be the necessary thing to do, but being rude in the process, can do nothing to assist you along the way. Taking the high road is always a better approach. Whatever the choice, I wish all good luck.

Stop and think about it for a minute, do you really think that bully is going to write a glowing reference for an employee that she obviously doesn't like, I don't think so, no at least the employee has the smug satisfaction of putting the bully straight, diplomacy does not work in these situations

 

[Atomic Shrimp]

Leaving may or may not be the necessary thing to do, but being rude in the process, can do nothing to assist you along the way. Taking the high road is always a better approach. Whatever the choice, I wish all good luck.

I agree - never burn bridges - and anyway, if you leave in a huff, you just give the bully the satisfaction of knowing he/she upset you.