The Power of Leadership in Addressing Bullying and Cultivating Civility

Have you ever witnessed bullying or other bad behavior at your plant? When I was with Ford Motor Company early in my career, I witnessed bullying-like behavior that disrupted the organization, and affected outcomes. It made me curious about the role of leadership in compassionately and effectively addressing bullying, which is why I was so excited to hear more from Dr. Renee Thompson on a new episode of the Mindfulness Manufacturing podcast!

Renee is the CEO & Founder of the Healthy Workforce Institute and works with healthcare organizations to cultivate a professional workforce by addressing bullying and incivility. Renee has authored several books and is one of only 30 nurses worldwide who have achieved the prestigious certified speaking professional designation. Through her work, Renee is on a mission to create a world where bullying and incivility are immediately rejected, and kindness, respect, and professionalism become the new norm.

While on Mindfulness Manufacturing, Renee shared her actionable, practical strategies for addressing bullying and cultivating civility.

Strategy #1: Learn to Identity Bullying and Incivility

In the workplace, bullying and incivility can take many forms, from more direct behavior like yelling at a coworker to more subtle forms of misbehavior, like spreading gossip or excluding others. To take the first steps to address bullying and incivility in your organization, learn to identify the signs of both overt and covert misbehavior. It’s also important to address the difference between bullying and other forms of communication that can often occur in the workplace, like constructive feedback.

Strategy #2: Practice Scripting

To effectively and compassionately address bullying in your organization, consider using scrips. By having a prepared script, you can respond clearly and quickly to disruptive behavior.

Strategy #3: Improve Your Own Behavior

As a leader, you play a big role in evolving and transforming your workplace. To combat bullying and other issues of incivility in your organization and team, start by looking at your own behavior. Be willing to have curious, compassionate conversations and don’t shy away from challenges, even if the situation makes you feel uncomfortable. Commit to continuous improvement as a leader, and set the tone improvement throughout your organization.

Learn More on the Podcast

To hear more from Dr. Renee Thompson, listen to her recent episode of Mindfulness Manufacturing here.

Mindfulness Manufacturing

Our show is about providing listeners with real stories that come from a place of experience, transparency, and authenticity. Most importantly it’s about what we learn from these stories and applying Mindfulness in our everyday work and personal lives.
Our intention is to create an environment where people can learn through open honest discussions on how we apply Mindfulness. Although our experiences and stories come from time in a manufacturing environment hence the title “Mindfulness Manufacturing”, we still see our discussions and topics relatable to any organization or profession.

In manufacturing, we often emphasize complex processes and new technologies, like artificial intelligence. But to bring true change and productivity to your organization, don’t forget about your people!

In this episode, learn all about the balance of technical skills and human connection with guest Emily Nichols! As a professional engineer with decades of experiences in manufacturing and innovation, Emily has worked with organizations like PepsiCo, Janssen, and Henkel. She now works with organizations who want to strengthen the human skills they need to thrive in an increasingly technical world. In this episode, she shares more about the important role of human skills, and offers lessons and insights for forming stronger connections, breaking down systemic barriers, and how to improve your “people score.”

2:01 – Even in fields like manufacturing, human skills play a very important role

5:43 – Current and emerging trends, like AI, make human connection even more important in retention and recruitment

8:29 – To form connections, increase your presence on the shop floor

12:36 – Visual uniformity can foster better connections and help you break down perceived barriers

19:39 – If you want more connections, you need to listen to and respect the expertise of everyone on your team

20:37 – To support women in your organization, you need to address systemic issues

23:39 – Even small changes, like using more inclusive language, can have a big impact on your culture

25:06 – We are people first, not machines

Connect with Emily Nichols

Visit her website

Connect on social media: @connectbettertoday