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Bullying is intolerable. But are bullies always bad?

The complexities of workplace bullying, and how organisations can tackle it

Roger Taylor
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Webinars
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July 2, 2025
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“Bullies have a scarcity mindset. They believe the world is fundamentally hostile. They tend to be overplaced to their actual abilities. They have this deep, deep hunger for status and recognition.” - Amy Cuddy

he first year, I was quite good—although my boss didn’t share that opinion.
In the second year, he may have had a point.
By the third year, he was right: I was sh*t at my job.The swearing and public dressing-downs, the interminable caustic criticism, and the brutal humiliations had all taken their toll. My self-worth had been blitzed. I constantly had to second guess what he may want to avoid being shouted at, meaning I’d lost my ability to make clear, assertive decisions. In its place, all I could offer was a hesitant, nervous, foggy paralysis. I was a pale imitation of the bright, imaginative, emotionally intelligent man who had entered the company a few years earlier.

Section Title

In the first year, I was quite good—although my boss didn’t share that opinion.
In the second year, he may have had a point.
By the third year, he was right: I was sh*t at my job.

The swearing and public dressing-downs, the interminable caustic criticism, and the brutal humiliations had all taken their toll. My self-worth had been blitzed. I constantly had to second guess what he may want to avoid being shouted at, meaning I’d lost my ability to make clear, assertive decisions. In its place, all I could offer was a hesitant, nervous, foggy paralysis. I was a pale imitation of the bright, imaginative, emotionally intelligent man who had entered the company a few years earlier.

Section Title

In the first year, I was quite good—although my boss didn’t share that opinion.
In the second year, he may have had a point.
By the third year, he was right: I was sh*t at my job.

The swearing and public dressing-downs, the interminable caustic criticism, and the brutal humiliations had all taken their toll. My self-worth had been blitzed. I constantly had to second guess what he may want to avoid being shouted at, meaning I’d lost my ability to make clear, assertive decisions. In its place, all I could offer was a hesitant, nervous, foggy paralysis. I was a pale imitation of the bright, imaginative, emotionally intelligent man who had entered the company a few years earlier.

“Bullies have a scarcity mindset. They believe the world is fundamentally hostile. They tend to be overplaced to their actual abilities. They have this deep, deep hunger for status and recognition.” - Amy Cuddy

he first year, I was quite good—although my boss didn’t share that opinion.
In the second year, he may have had a point.
By the third year, he was right: I was sh*t at my job.The swearing and public dressing-downs, the interminable caustic criticism, and the brutal humiliations had all taken their toll. My self-worth had been blitzed. I constantly had to second guess what he may want to avoid being shouted at, meaning I’d lost my ability to make clear, assertive decisions. In its place, all I could offer was a hesitant, nervous, foggy paralysis. I was a pale imitation of the bright, imaginative, emotionally intelligent man who had entered the company a few years earlier.

Section Title

In the first year, I was quite good—although my boss didn’t share that opinion.
In the second year, he may have had a point.
By the third year, he was right: I was sh*t at my job.

The swearing and public dressing-downs, the interminable caustic criticism, and the brutal humiliations had all taken their toll. My self-worth had been blitzed. I constantly had to second guess what he may want to avoid being shouted at, meaning I’d lost my ability to make clear, assertive decisions. In its place, all I could offer was a hesitant, nervous, foggy paralysis. I was a pale imitation of the bright, imaginative, emotionally intelligent man who had entered the company a few years earlier.

Section Title

In the first year, I was quite good—although my boss didn’t share that opinion.
In the second year, he may have had a point.
By the third year, he was right: I was sh*t at my job.

The swearing and public dressing-downs, the interminable caustic criticism, and the brutal humiliations had all taken their toll. My self-worth had been blitzed. I constantly had to second guess what he may want to avoid being shouted at, meaning I’d lost my ability to make clear, assertive decisions. In its place, all I could offer was a hesitant, nervous, foggy paralysis. I was a pale imitation of the bright, imaginative, emotionally intelligent man who had entered the company a few years earlier.

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About the author

Roger Taylor

Roger Taylor is Head Coach and co-founder at Famn, where he advises some of the UK’s top CEOs and senior teams. With over two decades of experience – and training spanning coaching psychology, psychotherapy, and organisational dynamics – he helps leaders surface the deeper drivers that shape how they lead, relate, and perform. Blending clinical depth with commercial edge, Roger helps clients lead with greater self-mastery and emotional intelligence. If you want to explore how deeper behavioural insight can strengthen your leadership and your team, start a conversation with Roger and the Famn team.

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