Create A New Season

Inconvenient Truth: Bullying in WorkPlace is Toxic to Human Spirit

I love it when people send me private e-mails asking  me to address topics that may be ignored.

I don’t work in the corporate world.  However, I’ve worked in enough school settings to realize that the work is often stressful due to the treatment experienced by employees.  In just about every setting,of work environment,  there is a huge issue with bullying in the work place.

Help me understand something.   I love and applaud a corporations efforts to “Go Green”  Doing what we can to be stewards of the plantet is of utmost importance.  

Yet, these same corporations, work settings, who let the world know that they are “Going Green”, don’t appear to be concerned about the spirits of their most important resource, the human resource. 

What do I mean by Cultivating a Green Mindset?   I’m asking everyone to consider that your words, deeds, and treatment to colleagues or remaining staff can either preserve and inspire the human spirit ……OR…..the behavior in the workplace can be downright toxic to the human spirit.   In private e-mails I  have been asked to cover the topic of “bullying in the work place”   Those who survived the downsizing and managed to stay employed may appear to be quite fortunate.  However,  the angst related to the economy seems to produce a breeding ground for taking out frustrations on colleagues or staff, who work under your leadership. 

The frustration is totally understanding.   Yet,  behaving and speaking in a way that is toxic to the human spirit is seen as okay in our society.  A company would receive bad press for  practices that destroy the earth and are not “Planet friendly. 

Yet, the way you are treated at work or the way that you treat others may need to be held to the same high standard.   People are suffering needlessly, because of the abuse of power.    Angling to save your position may lead otherwise sensitive kind people to induge in cut throat behavior. 

Pay attention to your behavior.  It starts with you and with me.  Really listen to your words.  Are my words designed to build up the psyche of my colleagues?

Are my words and actions actually toxic to the human spirit?  

Would you want to be treated, as your colleagues are being treated at work?  

Would you throw an empty can or water bottle out your window or onto an open area?   I am so programmed to recycle that it truly bothers me if I can’t find a recycle disposal.  

What would our lives be like, if our behavior were programmed to “Save our Spirits”.   What if you made the same effot to avoid any and all behaviors that were toxic to the human spirit?   

That is what I call “Optimal Green Living”.   We share the planet with some amazing people.   It’s not your business or my business to make their lives tougher, so ours can be easier.  

Listen and look at your words today, tomorrow and forever.  Are they words to build up your colleagues?   Are you destroying a wonderful human resource by watching/tolerating bullying in the workplace?  

This seems to be a “new normal”  to treat people in ways to get our needs met with little regard for the spirit/souls of the other person.  

Next time you think of the importance of “Going Green” consider whether you are really going for Optimal Green Living with your treatment of others just as important as saving the planet.

This may be another “Inconvenient Truth”.  However, bullying in the workplace may need to be viewed with the same disgust, as we’d view a corporation, school, business, etc.  that refused to consider going greeen.  

Id’ love to know your thoughts on this one.  Kudos to those of you , who inspired me to write about this topic.   

Now go out and really “Go and Live Green”

Blessings,

Mary Ann

Posted under: Life Coaching through My Blog