Today I received a call from one of my corporate clients. They call me when they have a complaint (or multiple complaints) about someone whose behavior falls into the bullying category. This is the third call I received this week from someone trying to figure out what to do with a bully. The third call!

I can make some guesses about what’s prompting these calls but this blog is about the conversation with the managers who called me for help.

These questions are typical of the ones I ask and most often the caller can answer some but not most of these questions. And, rarely are they able to answer the last set of questions. So, if you are considering calling for help, review these questions. If you’re a target of bullying review them as well, as they will apply to you, when you decide to take action.

About the company:
Do you have a workplace bully and/or harassment policy?
If so, how well do you believe you enforce it?
If so, how have you handled such complaints thus far?
Do you treat all complaints equally or do you think you might be biased in your evaluation of the nature of the complaint and the person being accused?

The issue:
How do you define bullying?
How is the current situation like bullying?
How long has this situation been happening?
What actions have you taken so far, if any?

About the complaints:
Does this person know there are complaints?
Does this person know the nature of the complaints?
Does this person know they’re being labeled a bully?
How long have employees been lodging complaints?
What has happened to make you seek assistance at this time?

First action:
Have you talked with this person about the complaints and your perspective on them?
What feedback have you received from this person?
What is the gap between the complaints and the response from this person?

Background:
What training, leadership or management, has been offered to this person (and others in the organization)?

Engaging a coach:
Are you making the coaching mandatory or voluntary?
If mandatory, what ‘teeth’ do you have to enforce the orders?
If voluntary, what else do you have to offer, if the coaching is rejected?
What would you like the coach to do with this person?
Can we use the complaints (or some compilation of the complaints) as the basis for a coaching plan?
How will you know the coaching is successful?
What is the minimum change in behavior that you will accept?