Remember that boss who wouldn't let you do your job? He or she constantly checked on your projects, but not just to see how things were going. This boss wanted to direct your every move.

Surprise! You worked for a gatekeeper bully, the ultimate and most transparent of the control freaks.

The Workplace Bullying and Trauma Institute says this type of bully constantly seeks to "one-up" you, orders you around or tries to control your circumstances. A gatekeeper also attempts to control all resources -- time, supplies, praise, approval, money and staffing.

A gatekeeper bully also makes up rules on a whim as a way to direct your work. But a gatekeeper's chief tool is social isolation techniques that single out and exclude you.

Jay MacDonald is a contributing editor based in Mississippi.
Illustrations by Brandy Kesl