YOU'RE FIRED !

I couldn't believe what I was hearing!

Those words ... 

YOU'RE FIRED

... rang in my ears ... a big ben style bell was going off in my head.

Surely I had misheard ...

... this is not the Apprentice!

I had to bite my tongue. I was in a room full of senior managers who seem to be immune to this statement, some were amused by it, others just ignored it and I couldn't help but feel like my colleague was being thrown to the wolves! 

Is this normal behaviour?

Am I just really gullible ... he hasn't really been fired, right?

All my colleague said was that he thought there was a better way to run this part of the project and started to present his findings. The next person to speak was the project manager and he said THAT ... 

In jest?

Really? 

Being in the room with people who just accepted this as normal was something I wasn't comfortable with, I had never experienced it, I really didn't think it was appropriate. Perhaps this was a tactic used to remind everyone that he was the 'big boss' and it was going to be his way or the highway ...

The meeting ended and it was clear that people left feeling uncomfortable, confused and angry and still, no-one said anything. This couldn't be right ... 

I knew the culture of my work environment was eating away at my confidence, I was starting to question my own standards of behaviour and my sense of right and wrong. Not only that I could see how it was affecting those around me. No one wanted to stand up for each other anymore. Something had to change.

I had to take the next steps.

Been there? 

I would love to hear more about your experiences and would like to invite you to complete my survey or message me with more details about your story.

Please CLICK HERE to complete my survey.

If you want to know a little more about it then please scroll down and read more below.

INVITATION TO PARTICIPATE IN MY STUDY ON WORKPLACE CULTURE

I need your support, please. I am conducting a study for my book, Roar! How to tame the bully, and I would be very grateful if you would participate in my study.

In my eBook, you will have read about my own experience with workplace bullying and its toll on my relationships and my health (mentally and physically). That is why I am determined to help others recognise the signs of workplace bullying early on and to take action before it is too late.

If you have worked in a situation where you have been the Witness or Target of:

1. behaviour that is intentionally negative and malicious, whether physical or emotional, from one or more persons,
2. negative behaviour that is consistently aggressive and persistent, and
3. behaviour that is driven by another person’s desire to obtain control.

Then I would like to invite you to participate in this study.

This survey is being sent to individuals working in organisations across all industries worldwide. Your participation will help assure that the results generated present an accurate reflection of the prevalence of bullying behaviour in workplace cultures today.

TO COMPLETE THE SURVEY - CLICK HERE

The survey is anonymous and treated in the strictest confidence. You may refuse to answer any question or quit the survey at any time. It will take approximately 10-20 minutes to complete.

I’d love to get industry and country-specific analysis too, so the more responses I get, the better, so please feel free to send this link to your colleagues.

Thank you in advance,

Marilise de Villiers

TO COMPLETE THE SURVEY - CLICK HERE

PS: Although there may be no direct benefit to the participant, there are possible benefits to organisations and society as a whole. Leaders, managers, and human resource personnel may learn techniques for identifying, investigating, and managing workplace bullying. Potential benefits to employees would include improved mental, physical and emotional well-being. Raising awareness of workplace bullying could potentially benefit leaders and organisations by increasing employee engagement and productivity.