4 most-common workplace bullies
By Jay MacDonald • Bankrate.com

When the Campaign Against Workplace Bullying surveyed bullied individuals in September 2000, it found that nearly all bullies, 81 percent, were bosses. And while there were as many women bullies as men, both targeted female staff: 84 percent of women bullies aimed their actions at other women and men pushed women around 69 percent of the time.

Small businesses offer little refuge. Experts agree that bullies are as common in mom-and-pop companies as they are in large corporations. In fact, in family businesses the bully is often the tyrannical head of the family.

Do you have a bully in your company? If so, CAWB data indicates that he or she probably fits into one (or more) of these bully types:

Constant critic: This extremely negative person may be viewed as a nitpicker, a perfectionist, a whiner, a complainer or a constant faultfinder. He is prone to lying and masks personal insecurity with public bravado. The critic uses putdowns, insults and belittling comments to undermine your self-confidence. He demands eye contact when speaking but avoids eye contact in a disrespectful way when you speak.

Two-headed snake: This type has a passive-aggressive, two-faced, dishonest style of dealing with people and issues. The snake pretends to be nice while sabotaging you behind your back. She uses friendliness to get information to use against you and works to destroy your reputation with superiors. And she usually takes credit for your work.

Gatekeeper: This bully is the ultimate and most transparent of control freaks. He constantly seeks to "one-up" you, orders you around or tries to control your circumstances. A gatekeeper seeks control of all resources -- time, supplies, praise, approval, money, staffing -- and makes up rules on a whim. His chief tool: social isolation techniques to single out and exclude you.

Screaming Mimi: This is the stereotypical bully. She controls through fear and intimidation. This person is emotionally out of control, impulsive, explosive, overbearing, self-centered and insensitive to needs of others. She's very worried about being detected as an imposter, and her bombast often masks incompetence. Her primary bullying means: the threat of physical violence.

Jay MacDonald is a contributing editor based in Florida.

-- Posted: Oct. 19, 2001