In the news, Inside Track, February 2010
Drive vs. bullying at work
What is acceptable behaviour at work? The issue is at the heart of the media storm that has raged around the publication of Andrew Rawsley’s book, ‘The End of the Party’, that accuses Gordon Brown of outbursts of bad temper and bullying of junior staff. The problem is that it’s all so subjective. So while some will see only drive, energy and occasional impatience, others will feel intimidated and fearful.
Rawnsley is indisputably right, however, when he says, “The psychology of the men at the top has mattered more than in any [previous] government.” The way we look at leaders has changed. The cult of personality and celebrity, fed by the internet, means the behaviour of people in the public eye is a target for intense scrutiny and judgments. And this is no less true for managers.
But suppressing negative emotions is not the answer, either. A Harvard Medical School study that followed 824 people over 44 years found that those who repressed frustration were three times more likely to say they had reached a glass ceiling. It concluded: ‘Individuals who learn to express their anger while avoiding…unbridled fury…have achieved something incredibly powerful. If we define and harness those skills, we can use them to achieve great things.”
A good place to start is with a psychometric instrument like the Hogan leadership forecast, which maps eleven behavioural ‘de-railers’ onto individual personality type. Understanding these (often unconscious) behaviours and what triggers them is a good basis for coaching. Taking this seriously will avoid the unintended consequences of unmanaged behaviour that can detract from your achievements.
