The Ironic Roots of Labor Day Gaining Strength in Today’s Economy

We need only look at the origins of Labor Day, as detailed by Time Magazine’s Olivia Waxman, to understand the irony of this celebration today. A century ago, factory workers went on strike to demand better conditions. Today, start-up “hustlers” celebrate their own exploitation.

Take for example Wells Fargo, about whom I have written many times. It is fairly obvious that as the recent article by Jeffrey Goldfarb states - "they have a tiger by the tail but they don't know how big the tail is". This begs the question, why should we believe the other banks, who also cross sold products, did not also force employees to engage in similar practices.

If Wells Fargo can't come to grips with how massive the problem is, it is incomprehensible for me to accept that the other banks are clean here unless they have better checks and balances or systems that detect this type of activity, which reflects incompetence, negligence or fraud. If they have such systems, they should share them with Wells Fargo to avoid a total lack of confidence in all banks. The other possibility here is that Wells Fargo was still covering this up - and if this can be proven - they are toast!

Noam Scheiber’s New York Times article sheds a bright light on the Trump administration’s reversal of its business focus from workers to entrepreneurs, taking away important health and safety regulations. By reinforcing right to work legislation, Trump is reversing his promises that did protect employees to some extent. It is ironic that he still maintaining his core base of supporters despite the fact that many of them are being disenfranchised by his administration.

Another irony can be found in an article I wrote a year ago about Kimberly Clark, where I describe the dehumanization of firing practices that unfortunately are viewed as progressive. I maintain that the opposite is true, and that the effects of this type of systematically removing the ‘dead wood’ leads to a higher turnover of employees, which is most certainly a red flag and a negative. Such weighted ranking systems negatively influence loyalty within any organization because true loyalty is a two-way dynamic – employers must be as loyal to their employees as their employees are to them.

If your company is forcing people out due to the timing of age-related pension or other benefit plans, or is able to fire you at will with no stated reason, you can be sure that you are working in a toxic culture where senior management are bullies.

In my book, From Bully to Bull’s Eye: Move Your Organization Out of the Line of Fire, I discuss the role of the bystander and how to become an activist. To celebrate Labor Day as it was originally intended, I would encourage employees to take a stand by stepping out of the role of bystander and becoming an activist by pushing for legislation that encourages corporate cultures to provide psychologically safe, fair workplaces.

Photo credit: Nick Youngson

Bombardier’s Culture Exemplifies the Source of Wows of So Many

In his Globe and Mail article, Mark McKinnon describes how Bombardier’s serious legal bribery allegations are rooted in its corporate culture.

My research has shown that when this type of thing is exposed, culture is always "at the heart" of the situation. Bombardier is one of Canada's flagship companies, and as such, must have the checks and balances in place to avoid such upending disasters. Senior executives usually blame this on rogue employees; however, the culture is to blame for allowing such wrongdoings.

Another critical component is the importance of bystanders, who have the ability to first expose illegalities internally. Unfortunately, due to the fear of retaliation, few feel safe taking action, as evidenced by a growing string of organizations including Wells Fargo, Uber, Volkswagen, and Fox Media.

Wells Fargo told Congress last year that it had fully disclosed any misconduct. But later reports indicate the issue is 70% larger than first reported, thus prompting a call for a new investigation.

The real tragedy in situations like these is the impact they will have on all stakeholders, including employees. Bombardier will very likely lose contracts, and be excluded from bidding on some because of this. Like Wells Fargo and Uber, I am not sure they can survive it.

In my book, From Bully to Bull’s Eye: Move Your Organization Out of the Line of Fire, I challenge the reader by asking, “Is your workplace culture a ticking time bomb”? The bomb exploded at Bombardier and I predict that there are more to come. Organizations would do well to heed Oscar Wilde's admonition  -  "It is not the prisoners who need reformation, it is the prisons."

Photo credit: The Blue Diamond Gallery

The survivors of Hurricane Harvey do not need empty tweets and platitudes.

Praise should be heaped on the many, many volunteers who have taken on the leadership roles of rescuing neighbours, friends, community members and in some cases, their closest companions – their pets. This is in sharp contrast to bullies Trump and Osteen, as described in Anthea Butler’s New York Times article.

Recognizing the tremendous efforts by volunteers instead of offering empty wishes of hope would have been the appropriate response. Snakes like Trump and Osteen are laser focused on ignoring people during their weakest and most vulnerable moments.  Trump has reached greater heights than I had previously predicted with this latest deflection however, identifying positively with the worst weather event in modern history.

With no mention of the suffering and devastating loss to the hurricane victims, and with no offer of help, Trump is methodically and frighteningly assembling an ‘army’ of supporters in an effort to discredit any attempts at his termination.

In my book, From Bully to Bull’s Eye: Move Your Organization Out of the Line of Fire, I discuss what motivates bullies to operate as they do. Encouraging people during their darkest hour with tangible and heartfelt actions goes a long way in recovering from such devastation.

Photo credit: Army National Guard photo by Lt. Zachary West

Companies Can Fill Important Gaps As Government Drops the Ball

Don’t expect him to become a politician, but the Apple C.E.O. Tim Cook sees gaps in governmental social policies that he believes companies like his are obliged to help fill.

There was a time not so long ago when the government was keeping a very close eye on corporate affairs. Today, corporations now have the opportunity, and arguably the obligation, to guide their employees and in turn their organizations around a government whose very foundation is being challenged by the highest office in the land.

I assert that one of the gaps that companies can help fill is to provide a safe zone for employees at a period of time where we are normalizing the abnormal. By creating psychologically safe, healthy, and fair work environments, where people are considered equal and essential, will spill over into society in general. If people experience this at work, they will expect it outside of work, at home, in associations, at clubs and at their places of worship, and influence the societal changes that are so desperately needed.

In my book, From Bully to Bull’s Eye: Move Your Organization Out of the Line of Fire, I discuss the importance of and need for employees to force a cultural change. This transformation must begin at the top.

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Trump Snubs Constitution

In a bold and dangerous move late Friday, Donald Trump pardoned racist Sheriff Joe Arpaio in a move described by New York Times columnist Adam Liptak as characteristically unconventional. In his op-ed piece in the Times, Paul Krugman details exactly how the powers vested in the presidency, when exercised to the extreme, can lead to a fascist state.

David Frum, senior editor of The Atlantic, concluded in his article How to Build an Autocracy,  "Those citizens who fantasize about defying tyranny from fortified compounds have never understood how liberty is actually threatened in a modern bureaucratic state, not by dictate and violence, but by the slow demoralizing process of corruption and deceit. And the way that liberty must be defended is not with amateur firearms but with an unvarying insistence upon the honesty, integrity and professionalism of American institutions and those that lead them. We are living through the most dangerous challenge to the free government of the United States that anyone alive has encountered. What happens next is up to you and me. Don't be afraid. This moment of danger can also be your finest hour as a citizen and an American.” 

Trump is a deflector and manipulator of the highest order. He has demonstrated that he has no regard for the rule of law or the U.S. Constitution. In my book, From Bully to Bull’s Eye: Move Your Organization Out of the Line of Fire, I give advice to the bystander. I suggest that the Republican leaders take a strong stand as they have very little time left to stop him. 

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Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely

In mid 19th century, Lord Acton observed, “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men.” He was referring to such individuals as the Roman Emperors who declared themselves gods and Napoleon Bonaparte who became the self-proclaimed Emperor of France. Nearly 200 years later, Donald Trump is the poster child for this most dangerous and insidious dynamic.

As I predicted since the primaries, Trump’s psychopathic single focus has been to become the ruler of the free world. Through his intentional deflections, lies, manipulations and deceit, as described in Roger Cohen’s New York Times Op-Ed, Trump has much of Congress running off in all directions, completely confused about what might be the best line of action.

In my book, From Bully to Bull’s Eye – Move Your Organization Out of the Line of Fire, I discuss the characteristics of a psychopath as summarized by Dean Haycock, Ph.D. Trump epitomizes the psychopathic bully. If Trump looks like your boss, it would be well worthwhile reading the book to learn how to deal with all types of bullies.

U.S. Rep. Jackie Speier (D-CA) was the first to suggest Trump’s ouster by invoking the 25th amendment, as reported in the San Francisco Chronicle. This is perhaps the last of the checks and balances in place that can be used to deal with such authoritarians. Trump, acting autocratically, demonstrates that there is a method to his madness.

Unfortunately, when people see this behaviour, especially those in his dwindling base of support, they falsely feel the same sense of power. People who are living in a state of fear, such as the one Trump has created, are swept into this vortex swiftly. The time has come to take assertive action to stop this runaway train.

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Preventing Suicide is a Community Responsibility

Suicide, as the result of unbearable stress in the workplace, is not relegated to the corporate world, but is occurring at an alarming rate in the private sector as well. In her recent New York Times article about the suicide epidemic in the French farming industry, Pamela Rougerie, writes about an issue, which I assert encompasses many sectors and professions.

In the chapter, “No way out: Mark’s story,” in my book, From Bully to Bull’s Eye – Move Your Organization Out of the Line of Fire, I expose the devastation that suicide wreaks with close friends and family, who quite innocently stood by not realizing the life of a close friend was hanging in perilous balance. Signs of severe depression too often go unnoticed.

As uncomfortable as it may be, we need to intervene when red flags appear. An intervention can be as simple as a kind question or a gentle offer to lend an ear to someone who is suffering. Often this small spontaneous act makes all the difference, and it can save a life.

This is why articles about suicide can help reduce the stigma, cause bystanders to reflect on what people are going through, and encourage them to intervene before it is too late. As community members, we need to begin to recognize when someone is acting abnormally and needs help extricating him or herself from the desolate lonely space in which they are suffering.

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How Toxic Workplaces Can Lead to a Bullied Childhood

When bullying is all you know as a child, it tragically becomes your foundation; escaping these patterns becomes your biggest struggle and a lifelong challenge. While some familial bullying is the result of generational programming, a fair share of it arises from what I call “the continuum of bullying” – a parent bringing home reactive stress from a toxic workplace where bullying is the culture.  

A recent article in The Globe and Mail by Dave McGinn discussed emotional abuse in childhood and how a therapist can often help by bringing to light, for the child and the parent, just how insidious and long-lasting a pattern of emotional abuse can be. Even with this type of professional support, divorcing oneself from abusive parent(s) is frequently the best solution.

In my book, From Bully to Bull’s Eye – Move Your Organization Out of the Line of Fire, I discuss the continuum of bullying: The shareholder bullies the board; the board bullies the CEO, the CEO bullies the executive committee, the executive committee bullies the managers, the manager bullies their employees, and the employees bully their families. This is a toxic dynamic. I assert that creating psychologically safe, healthy, fair and productive workplaces will go a long way in curtailing this horrible chain reaction.

Organizations must become aware that bullying is a present danger and threat to their sustainability. If this does not begin with the CEO, often the chief bullying officer, the required systemic change cannot occur. Sadly, because many employees live in a state of fear as the result of bullying and emotional childhood abuse, they are resistant to speaking up, fearing retribution.  And the cycle continues.

Photo credit: BIGSTOCK

Federal Reserve Board Suggests Terrifying Action

In one of the most terrifying and perplexing moves to date, the Federal Reserve Board proposes to relieve banks’ boards of directors of “excessive regulatory duties,” which makes no sense at all. Although I am not a proponent of over regulation, boards must be held accountable and provide oversight on important bank decisions that influence the long-term sustainability and reputation of the bank.

At a time when Wells Fargo is under intense scrutiny, and for good reason, Donald Trump is attempting to lessen accountability rather than increase it. How is a board expected to effectively fulfill their fiduciary responsibility, including advocating for a psychologically healthy, safe and fair workplace, if it is kept in the dark about the inner workings of their organization? Toxic cultures are perpetuated when boards are uninformed or misinformed about important organizational actions. When the board is kept in the dark about such actions, their ability to function effectively ceases to exist.

I maintain that if the boards of directors of Wells Fargo and Uber had been better informed earlier, the companies’ gross mistakes in judgement could have been avoided. As it now stands, both companies are in great peril and their very survival hangs in the balance.

In my book, From Bully to Bull’s-Eye: Move Your Organization Out of the Line of Fire, I discuss the importance of good board governance and the dangers associated with its demise. Without supporting bank boards to improve their oversight capabilities, the Federal Reserve Board is essentially removing a basic and essential tool from their proverbial toolbox.

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Guest Post: Civility in the Face of Bullying

The following is a guest post by Jay Remer, known across Canada as The Etiquette Guy.

Bullies seem to rule the world today. Thanks to the abuse of power that fuels their egos, society feels the heavy burden of injustice and discrimination on many levels. There is little or no time set aside for dialogue or discussion. Every day we see news headlines demonstrating this sorry and frightening state of affairs. The rhetoric of fear used by today’s leaders to gain and maintain control over their employees and constituents has led many of us to step out of the fray and become bystanders. This is exactly what helps perpetuate the culture of bullying that is so prevalent.

Now is the time to stand up to bullies and take action. If we put ourselves in other people’s shoes to understand what it feels like to work in an environment where the deck is stacked in favor of aggressiveness, to feel oppressed, and to carry these feelings back to our homes and families, we would understand why we become frozen and unable to know how to make things better.

I have written about The Golden Rule and Common Sense for many years. We are inching closer and closer towards an Emotion Revolution, when we will understand how feelings drive our behavior and injustice will no longer be tolerated. A time when we understand that diversity, inclusion, and equality are essential to living the fulfilling life we all deserve – as a right, not as a privilege.

The question arises – what steps can we take to make that change? How do we go about moving from the awkward and uncomfortable position of the bystander into the role of resister and activist? Naturally, most of us are reticent to take on such a mantel for fear that we will lose our job, our friends, and even our families.

These changes must begin at home where our support systems are usually the strongest. As we build foundations of trust within the family, we can continue them into our communities. At work, leaders must understand that their employees’ engagement and productivity is dependent upon the support they are provided.

High-stress jobs, such as the armed services (including the RCMP), health care, and education, require far more support than they presently receive. We have all heard the old argument: that people who enter these professions should know ahead of time that the jobs are high stress. This argument does not mean that appropriate support is not essential. 

No one is going to argue that first responders and others are very susceptible to PTSD. For those of you unfamiliar with living with this painful condition, I can assure you that the agony endured on a daily basis is at time unbearable, hence the hundreds of suicides victims commit annually. Psychological and physical support must be improved and increased significantly to realize any real improvement. The change needs to be systemic; the old band-aid approach no longer is sufficient.

Most of us have experienced or have friends who have experienced difficult situations at work. These difficulties can take on a whole range of manifestations, none of which are enviable. What we can do about these issues is found within the Six Pillars of Civility, a framework I have devised that incorporates the essential life principles needed to create and maintain a sustainable and healthy society and a psychologically safe and fair workplace.

Our elected officials and corporate leaders must take the lead and be held to the highest standards. Inclusivity should be the goal of any healthy organization, where diversity is valued and recognized as an engine for creativity and innovation and is an automatic part of any workplace.

I was criticized lately for a stance I took on the radio about equality. I stated that I was baffled by the need to have such discussions anymore. Not everyone agrees with me, nor does everyone believe equality is realistic or appropriate. Some early scientific studies suggest that men and women have clearly differing skill sets, thus justifying such companies as Google to hire a widely disproportionate number of men for programming and other high-tech jobs. Nothing could be further from the truth.

The work currently being carried out at Yale University’s Center for Emotional Intelligence provides quite a different and enlightened understanding of the subject. If we are to achieve cultural changes within organizations, we must treat everyone equally and with respect. Our communications must be honest and open. Remember the etiquette rule espoused by Stephen Covey in his book The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, where he advises us to never speak ill of someone not present to defend him or herself. 

Human beings have many more shared qualities than divergent ones. While both are essential, focusing solely on our differences allows us to fall into the trap of tossing out the baby with the bathwater. I suggest that we must refocus our attention on positive virtues, on encouraging others to achieve their best with the support required for the job at hand, and on insisting, either vocally or by the written word, that fairness must replace bias; that humility must replace bullying; and that honesty and civility must replace the distractions, diversions, and denials that allow bullies to run the show. The time to begin is now – first with us, then with our families, our community and our places of work. Imagine what a different world we would be leaving our children and grandchildren!

Illustration credit: Mike Shapiro/For Capital Business