Posts Tagged ‘abusive conduct’
Report to NFL on workplace conduct/bullying at the Miami Dolphins
Friday, February 14th, 2014
On Nov. 6, 2013, the National Football League hired Ted Wells and the law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP to conduct an independent investigation into issues of workplace conduct at the Miami Dolphins after the departure of Jonathan Martin from the team last October.
… even the largest, strongest and fleetest person may be driven to despair by bullying, taunting and constant insults
From the Conclusion, NFL Report, Feb. 14, 2014
The long-awaited report exonerates Jonathan Martin, the player targeted for abuse by a trio of fellow players.
Many of the key report conclusions illustrate how this NFL story is one of workplace bullying: (italicized comments by WBI)
• The mistreatment of Martin is consistent with a case of Workplace Bullying
The legal team recognized that bullying is abusive conduct and that Martin was the abused party.
• Martin did not fabricate his allegations of harassment
As is true with bullied targets, they are not the liars; it is most often the abusers, the bullies, who lie.
• Repeated acts of harassment contributed to Martin’s departure
Bullying involves repeated acts
• Incognito knew that the harassment affected Martin
Perpetrators are aware that they harm others. Some derive pleasure from it.
• Martin was subjected to persistent harassing language
Persistence, again, repeated acts
• The harassment was humiliating and contributed to his mental health issues
The investigators made the causal link. Humiliation causes mental distress.
• The bullying trio harassed other Dolphins personnel
Cruelty spreads like contagion when unchecked
• It is unclear the extent to which the abuse resulted from racial animus
Illegal harassment/discrimination can be part of bullying, but bullying often is not based on race or gender.
• Culture of the Dolphins offensive line does not excuse the mistreatment
Just because it’s the NFL doesn’t mean bullying is acceptable.
• Coach Philbin and the Front Office did not know about the harassment
Complaints are often kept at the lowest level. Executives are shielded by lower-level managers.
This is a remarkable report. Read it in its entirety for yourself.
Follow the full NFL story in the Category list in the sidebar: NFL: Jonathan Martin
Tags: abusive conduct, bullying, Jonathan Martin, locker room culture, NFL, Richie Incognito, workplace bullying
Posted in Employers Gone Wild: Doing Bad Things, NFL: Jonathan Martin | 3 Archived Comments | Post A Comment (
The problem with workplace bullying is not its definitions, let’s take it more seriously
Sunday, January 26th, 2014
Just recently the CDC established conditions for a universal definition of youth bullying in schools. Newcomers to the adult Workplace Bullying movement clamor for a uniform, common definition. But back in 1997, when we were beginning, there was a very active listserv among the international academic community striving to find commonalities. They finally agreed to not force a common definition.
Workplace bullying, as a documented research phenomenon, is not new. It is quite “mature,” contrary to what newbies may believe. For example, here are the properties that all operational definitions share:
• the loathsome conduct is negative or offensive to a rational person
• it is aimed at one or more individuals, personalizing the assaults
• perpetrators act either alone or in concert with others (mob)
• perpetrators attack from any and all levels in organizations — top-down, horizontal (peers), and from subordinate positions
• when perpetrators outrank their targets, it is an abuse of authority
• regardless of perpetrator rank, there exists a power differential, real (titular) or perceived (in the mind of the perpetrator)
• acts of omission (withholding) are included with acts of commission
• deliberateness and intentionality are less important than the fact the mistreatment happened
• tactics may be overt or covert, most likely subtle and behind closed doors
• though there is a singling out of certain targets, bullying transcends status-based (illegal) discrimination, ignoring gender, race, age, etc.
• repetitive, a chronic pattern, not single-shot emotional explosions
• unwanted, uninvited, unprovoked by targets
• harmful to targets — health (from distress), psychological integrity, self-esteem
• harmful, or at least disruptive, to witnesses and coworkers
• bullying toxifies a productive work environment, undermines work itself
• employers bear the responsibility to prevent and correct
Thus, there is a great deal of conformity across various definitions. There are huge public education goals facing the movement in 2014.
Tags: abusive conduct, definition, Gary Namie, psychological violence, workplace bullying
Posted in Commentary by G. Namie, Fairness & Social Justice Denied, Tutorials About Bullying, WBI Education | No Archived Comments | Post A Comment (
Alleged bully Incognito paid but prevented from playing
Monday, January 6th, 2014
Alleged bully Miami Dolphins offensive lineman Richie Incognito was suspended when allegations of his anti-racist rants and abusive treatment of fellow lineman Jonathan Martin surfaced in late October.
Incognito was suspended indefinitely and as a union member (NFLPA) appealed. He lost pay for two games. According to ESPN, his salary was restored for the remainder of the season. The team kept him officially “suspended” so that he could not play for any other NFL team at season’s end.
Punishment?
Follow the full NFL story in the Category list in the sidebar: NFL: Jonathan Martin
Tags: abusive conduct, Jonathan Martin, NFL, racism, Richie Incognito, workplace bullying
Posted in NFL: Jonathan Martin | No Archived Comments | Post A Comment (
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