Theory: Right Thing is Rarely Done in a Sick Organization
Very few organizations do the right thing in dealing with their workers, and thus most can be classed as sick. Workers get abused and taken advantage of in their labor, time, ideas, discoveries, salary, promotion, publicity, etc. The bosses of a sick organization do the things that protect them politically, and keep the organization viable and funded going into the future. Many bully bosses and organizations change employees often, using all sorts of tactics to get rid of those they cannot control or cause them problems, believing that they can always get another body off the street they can train to do what they want done. The bosses keep those who they think they can trust due to their "suck-up" actions, or spying on others, and play favorites with them, letting them get away with stuff others are fired for doing/or not doing. A sick organization is a crazy place.
Do not ever expect any organization to do the right thing unless it is already in, or fits, their agenda. Do not pay close attention to, or believe, the "mission statement" of a sick organization, which is generally an idealized smoke screen to hide the real daily operation in actual practice of the organization.
Most organizations will do the things to protect the organization (and their jobs) and keep the money coming (and thus follow the political master plan to keep the funding). Truth is rarely at the forefront of an organization's agenda. Truth is seldom sought, and rarely found. The main agenda is "Whatever is best for keeping the organization going, no matter what the truth, or cost, or what must be buried."
The name of the game is winning one political position after another, not finding, or telling, the truth, and keeping (and increasing) the money flow.
Many a person has been labelled "a loose cannon" or "troublemaker" for seeking or telling the truth, to their personal horror, and to the horror of the bosses of the sick organization who must many times "spin" a tale to counter the truth told.
One must remember that politics trumps science (truth), sex trumps politics, and money trumps everything. Do not expect the truth unless that is the actual real goal of the organization.
And to the doubters out there, I say, "Dig enough and you will find dirt."
Parting thought on right thing: We live in a wierd world, where people chastize others for not giving a baseball to a crying kid, but think nothing of taking that kid's home, or food, or father, or future away.
Adrian R. Lawler, Ph.D., (C) 2012
Saturday, April 28, 2012
Friday, April 27, 2012
Theory: Silence Leads to Silence
Theory: Silence Leads to Silence
There can be three main ways to try to get a wrong corrected by a sick organization. One, go to the top boss or the governing body of the organization in a quiet way so as not to embarass anyone. Two, go public and see if any public outcry leads to a change. Three, pursue the matter via legal action. None are guaranteed to work. Sometimes, for some people, the best option is to just leave the sick organization, and start over.
A person wronged by a sick organization may request a hearing as per organization handbook, a top boss consideration and ruling, or other direct means, etc., to correct the perceived wrongs. The person may think it best to do his actions quietly, or is told/requested to do so, to not embarass the sick organization (or himself) in the eyes of the public/media. The victim may be trying to do things the right way. The sick organization does not care if one is trying to do the right thing, the major thing that matters to them is the public perception of the place. If one is quiet about his complaints, the sick organization will generally be quiet/not reply about said complaints, and will do as little as possible in your behalf that will still keep you quiet.
So what is an honest person to do against a sick organization and its actions? See previous post on "Theory: Troublemaker Must Decide."
If at all possible you need a memo, paper, picture, video, or audio evidence of wrongdoing against you that can be "discovered" by another, or posted by another (not working at the sick organization), so he /she can raise the cry for justice in your behalf. If you tried to call attention to wrong treatment of you, then you'd most likely get labelled a whiner, trouble-maker, sore loser, disgruntled employee, alarmist, etc., and receive little attention.
You must remember that a sick organization wants to stay the same and operate the same as before. If you request an action that takes more time/work than the sick organization thinks it should give you or if you pursue possible actions not involving the legal system, you will most likely be met with silence and inaction. But, IF they think you might be a loose cannon that could do about anything to advance your cause (you are mad as hell) they then might start to do something, but drag out their actions in response to you to take longer time and/or cause you to give up. One should not accept verbal promises from the sick organization (you will have no proof of what they said)(they will make all sorts of verbal promises intended to placate and quieten you that they have no intention of keeping), but only written agreements or actions that can be verified, seen, and documented/witnessed by others.
The sick organization is not going to:
---admit to any wrongdoing.
---help you in any way that could help you prove their wrongs.
---tell the truth, or take any real action, unless forced to do so by legal actions, or by possible public exposure, or by negative publicity.
---expend any energy/time on your requests/demands unless they are forced to do so by legal actions against them.
---do anything quickly to solve the wrongdoing, but will drag things out as long as possible to wear you down to make you give up.
---give you any praise or acknowledgement of a good job.
---let you receive from them any positive publicity in any media (you have to generate your own positive PR, if you want it, via other channels, means, contacts, etc. And this will make them mad.) They will put out publicity/pictures of others around your work.
One example of an organization caught: A university seems to be more likely to correct a problem IF one or more of its people is caught in the public eye in a wrong act -- otherwise the university does/says little or nothing. Thus, if its students or staff screw up enough in the public eye so that negative publicity starts to appear in the media, then the top boss will quickly do something to punish the wrongdoers so there is the public perception of a "great" university, that acts quickly to correct wrongs. Nothing could be further from the truth. They only act quickly IF CAUGHT. If not caught in their wrongdoing, nothing is said and all is buried as quietly and quickly as possible, as per a bunch of busy cats burying their poo.
Generally, if you operate in silence you will receive silence and inaction back from the sick organization. You must decide if you want to undergo the stress of public exposure or a legal action that may possibly lead (no guarantee) to some action in correcting the wrong.
Adrian R. Lawler, Ph.D., (C) 2012 --
There can be three main ways to try to get a wrong corrected by a sick organization. One, go to the top boss or the governing body of the organization in a quiet way so as not to embarass anyone. Two, go public and see if any public outcry leads to a change. Three, pursue the matter via legal action. None are guaranteed to work. Sometimes, for some people, the best option is to just leave the sick organization, and start over.
A person wronged by a sick organization may request a hearing as per organization handbook, a top boss consideration and ruling, or other direct means, etc., to correct the perceived wrongs. The person may think it best to do his actions quietly, or is told/requested to do so, to not embarass the sick organization (or himself) in the eyes of the public/media. The victim may be trying to do things the right way. The sick organization does not care if one is trying to do the right thing, the major thing that matters to them is the public perception of the place. If one is quiet about his complaints, the sick organization will generally be quiet/not reply about said complaints, and will do as little as possible in your behalf that will still keep you quiet.
So what is an honest person to do against a sick organization and its actions? See previous post on "Theory: Troublemaker Must Decide."
If at all possible you need a memo, paper, picture, video, or audio evidence of wrongdoing against you that can be "discovered" by another, or posted by another (not working at the sick organization), so he /she can raise the cry for justice in your behalf. If you tried to call attention to wrong treatment of you, then you'd most likely get labelled a whiner, trouble-maker, sore loser, disgruntled employee, alarmist, etc., and receive little attention.
You must remember that a sick organization wants to stay the same and operate the same as before. If you request an action that takes more time/work than the sick organization thinks it should give you or if you pursue possible actions not involving the legal system, you will most likely be met with silence and inaction. But, IF they think you might be a loose cannon that could do about anything to advance your cause (you are mad as hell) they then might start to do something, but drag out their actions in response to you to take longer time and/or cause you to give up. One should not accept verbal promises from the sick organization (you will have no proof of what they said)(they will make all sorts of verbal promises intended to placate and quieten you that they have no intention of keeping), but only written agreements or actions that can be verified, seen, and documented/witnessed by others.
The sick organization is not going to:
---admit to any wrongdoing.
---help you in any way that could help you prove their wrongs.
---tell the truth, or take any real action, unless forced to do so by legal actions, or by possible public exposure, or by negative publicity.
---expend any energy/time on your requests/demands unless they are forced to do so by legal actions against them.
---do anything quickly to solve the wrongdoing, but will drag things out as long as possible to wear you down to make you give up.
---give you any praise or acknowledgement of a good job.
---let you receive from them any positive publicity in any media (you have to generate your own positive PR, if you want it, via other channels, means, contacts, etc. And this will make them mad.) They will put out publicity/pictures of others around your work.
One example of an organization caught: A university seems to be more likely to correct a problem IF one or more of its people is caught in the public eye in a wrong act -- otherwise the university does/says little or nothing. Thus, if its students or staff screw up enough in the public eye so that negative publicity starts to appear in the media, then the top boss will quickly do something to punish the wrongdoers so there is the public perception of a "great" university, that acts quickly to correct wrongs. Nothing could be further from the truth. They only act quickly IF CAUGHT. If not caught in their wrongdoing, nothing is said and all is buried as quietly and quickly as possible, as per a bunch of busy cats burying their poo.
Generally, if you operate in silence you will receive silence and inaction back from the sick organization. You must decide if you want to undergo the stress of public exposure or a legal action that may possibly lead (no guarantee) to some action in correcting the wrong.
Adrian R. Lawler, Ph.D., (C) 2012 --
Monday, April 16, 2012
Theory: Denial in a Sick Organization
Theory: Denial in a Sick Organization
The offending sick organization will never admit any wrongdoing so there is no record of verbal or written acknowledgement of violation of any law or company/agency handbook that the victim could possibly use in a lawsuit against the offending organization.
The victim can expect no real sympathy, no act of caring, no help or advice, etc., from the sick organization. There is generally no acknowledgement, or reply, to emails, letters, etc., unless there is a legal/court document requiring a response.
The sick organization will never apologize, or say they are sorry, because that could be taken as an admission of guilt in the matter. And that could result in a lawsuit. And they will never admit you did a good job, because (their position) they would never treat anyone badly if they did a good job.
If you are the victim, expect to be mostly all alone. No one will want to help you and also become a victim unless he/she is one of high moral character and is willing to fight with you.
It does not matter if you are right in the matter and are representing the truth. The sick organization is in the fight to win, at all costs. Truth does not matter to a sick organization and could actually harm the political position of the sick organization. And truth does not always prevail in our court system.
The victim will be labelled a disgruntled employee, a malcontent, a troublemaker, a bad scientist, or worse. Slanders will be circulated to discredit the victim. Former partners of the victim will be recruited to help bring him down.
Since the sick organization can never admit any wrongdoing, it can never realize or acknowledge it is itself a sick organization, so it continues being a sick organization on and on ........
Adrian R. Lawler, Ph. D., (C) 2012
The offending sick organization will never admit any wrongdoing so there is no record of verbal or written acknowledgement of violation of any law or company/agency handbook that the victim could possibly use in a lawsuit against the offending organization.
The victim can expect no real sympathy, no act of caring, no help or advice, etc., from the sick organization. There is generally no acknowledgement, or reply, to emails, letters, etc., unless there is a legal/court document requiring a response.
The sick organization will never apologize, or say they are sorry, because that could be taken as an admission of guilt in the matter. And that could result in a lawsuit. And they will never admit you did a good job, because (their position) they would never treat anyone badly if they did a good job.
If you are the victim, expect to be mostly all alone. No one will want to help you and also become a victim unless he/she is one of high moral character and is willing to fight with you.
It does not matter if you are right in the matter and are representing the truth. The sick organization is in the fight to win, at all costs. Truth does not matter to a sick organization and could actually harm the political position of the sick organization. And truth does not always prevail in our court system.
The victim will be labelled a disgruntled employee, a malcontent, a troublemaker, a bad scientist, or worse. Slanders will be circulated to discredit the victim. Former partners of the victim will be recruited to help bring him down.
Since the sick organization can never admit any wrongdoing, it can never realize or acknowledge it is itself a sick organization, so it continues being a sick organization on and on ........
Adrian R. Lawler, Ph. D., (C) 2012
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Theory: Signs of a Bad, or Corrupt, "Scientist" (by Adrian R. Lawler)
Theory: Signs of a Bad, or Corrupt, "Scientist" (by Adrian R. Lawler)
The definitions below are mine, and are based on my observations of many years. Both bad, or corrupt, "scientists" can cause great harm (Ex: pollution of an area, cause death of native organisms, cause illness/injury to humans, give wrong information to the public, etc.), because they can lead to false answers rather than the truth. Such "scientists" commit a fraud on society and the corrupt ones should be prosecuted for their fraud, in my opinion. The bad "scientists" may have committed fraud by accident, but the corrupt "scientists" committed fraud on purpose.
A real scientist is constantly questioning, observing, and seeking the truth, without regard to politics, power, money, sex, or any other outside influence. In my opinion, Dr. Gordon Gunter, who hired me in l971 as a new Ph.D., and was a major teacher to me in life and science, represented what it means to be a real scientist.
A bad scientist is one who does things out of ignorance, stupidity, or carelessness which may affect research in progress or the conclusions of research.
A very few examples:
--A person used roach spray in an office area next to culture area for organisms used in experiments, knowing that the air flow in the building went from office through culture area to exhaust. The airborne pesticide spray settled in many tanks, killing a large number of brood stock, thereby causing a long delay in experiments.
--A person hooked up air supply lines to live organisms used in experiments without an oil filter after the air compressor (and before the live organisms). Oil from the compressor was injected into water holding the organisms, adding an unwanted toxin, and affecting the experiment.
--A supervisor moved heaters in a fish culture lab closer to the tanks without checking with person in charge of fish, and without checking on heating done on the tanks a little time later. Many brood stock were cooked, and important experiments were delayed. Supervisor then blamed the fish worker (and not himself), saying the fish room was not properly insulated, and made workers insulate the floor while others went off to a party.
--A person demanded pesticide treatment of aquatic plants to rid them of dragonfly and damselfly larvae so they would not eat a few small fish, but thought nothing of using fish, exposed to the pesticide in the plants, in a toxicity test.
--A person demanded fish in a tank be fed a lot of food, over protests of the fish feeder, and the next morning valuable fish were dead from overeating.
Sometimes a bad "scientist" makes a bad call because he/she tries to make decisions in fields where they have little knowledge, or experience, and they misuse their power.
A corrupt scientist is one who changes on purpose (for malice/revenge, for political reasons, for money, for power, etc.) the outcome of a "scientific" investigation by making changes in: the thing to be analysed (Ex: dilution of original toxic sample), or sampling design (Ex: change location of a station), or experimental techniques, or analysis, etc., which will give him the answer he, or someone else wants, which will avoid the true reality, but, unless found out, will present the picture of "good science" and be accepted as such by other scientists and the public.
Do not assume that one who touts "good science" is actually practicing "good science." The person could be trying to convince you that "good science" is happening rather than politics.
A very few examples:
--A person moved a sampling station away from bayou (runoff) area on beach where there were high coliform readings to a safe station upcurrent and far enough removed from orginial station so that a bad coliform count was not gotten. (Outcome they wanted of no/low coliform counts resulted in tourism for the beach area and apparently outweighed any of their concerns for public heath.)
--A person apparently diluted toxic effluent enough so that it passed a toxicity test.
--A person disregarded a large number of tags that had either been rejected/expelled by tagged fish, or the tags came from fish that died after rough tagging, and washed up on shore, and acted like that his techniques were sound.
--A person doctored the data/analysis/conclusion, or "cooked the books" to get the answer desired.
--A person designed his sampling times and locations so that he got the answer wanted. Ex: No longer sampling after rains when coliform counts can go higher.
A bad or corrupt "scientist" may also be a bully scientist. Such people want/need the ideas and works of others to advance their image/position/power/publication list/etc. See a prior post on bully scientists.
Politicians sometimes pick corrupt "scientists" as described above to be their government or university agency/department leaders, etc., because they know this type of people will give them the answer they want. Politicians and administrators do not usually want an honest person or real scientist because they consider such people to be "loose cannons" that cannot be controlled (such people may tell the truth). They do not want people telling the truth in oppostion to the political answer they are presenting, especially if the people have a good reputations as scientists and high credibility.
It is a hell-of-a-world we live in ... where some people can go to jail for not telling the truth to a government official or in a court proceeding, and others can lose their jobs/careers/families for telling the truth when their bosses/politicians do not want them to do so.
Adrian R. Lawler, Ph.D., (C) 2012 --
The definitions below are mine, and are based on my observations of many years. Both bad, or corrupt, "scientists" can cause great harm (Ex: pollution of an area, cause death of native organisms, cause illness/injury to humans, give wrong information to the public, etc.), because they can lead to false answers rather than the truth. Such "scientists" commit a fraud on society and the corrupt ones should be prosecuted for their fraud, in my opinion. The bad "scientists" may have committed fraud by accident, but the corrupt "scientists" committed fraud on purpose.
A real scientist is constantly questioning, observing, and seeking the truth, without regard to politics, power, money, sex, or any other outside influence. In my opinion, Dr. Gordon Gunter, who hired me in l971 as a new Ph.D., and was a major teacher to me in life and science, represented what it means to be a real scientist.
A bad scientist is one who does things out of ignorance, stupidity, or carelessness which may affect research in progress or the conclusions of research.
A very few examples:
--A person used roach spray in an office area next to culture area for organisms used in experiments, knowing that the air flow in the building went from office through culture area to exhaust. The airborne pesticide spray settled in many tanks, killing a large number of brood stock, thereby causing a long delay in experiments.
--A person hooked up air supply lines to live organisms used in experiments without an oil filter after the air compressor (and before the live organisms). Oil from the compressor was injected into water holding the organisms, adding an unwanted toxin, and affecting the experiment.
--A supervisor moved heaters in a fish culture lab closer to the tanks without checking with person in charge of fish, and without checking on heating done on the tanks a little time later. Many brood stock were cooked, and important experiments were delayed. Supervisor then blamed the fish worker (and not himself), saying the fish room was not properly insulated, and made workers insulate the floor while others went off to a party.
--A person demanded pesticide treatment of aquatic plants to rid them of dragonfly and damselfly larvae so they would not eat a few small fish, but thought nothing of using fish, exposed to the pesticide in the plants, in a toxicity test.
--A person demanded fish in a tank be fed a lot of food, over protests of the fish feeder, and the next morning valuable fish were dead from overeating.
Sometimes a bad "scientist" makes a bad call because he/she tries to make decisions in fields where they have little knowledge, or experience, and they misuse their power.
A corrupt scientist is one who changes on purpose (for malice/revenge, for political reasons, for money, for power, etc.) the outcome of a "scientific" investigation by making changes in: the thing to be analysed (Ex: dilution of original toxic sample), or sampling design (Ex: change location of a station), or experimental techniques, or analysis, etc., which will give him the answer he, or someone else wants, which will avoid the true reality, but, unless found out, will present the picture of "good science" and be accepted as such by other scientists and the public.
Do not assume that one who touts "good science" is actually practicing "good science." The person could be trying to convince you that "good science" is happening rather than politics.
A very few examples:
--A person moved a sampling station away from bayou (runoff) area on beach where there were high coliform readings to a safe station upcurrent and far enough removed from orginial station so that a bad coliform count was not gotten. (Outcome they wanted of no/low coliform counts resulted in tourism for the beach area and apparently outweighed any of their concerns for public heath.)
--A person apparently diluted toxic effluent enough so that it passed a toxicity test.
--A person disregarded a large number of tags that had either been rejected/expelled by tagged fish, or the tags came from fish that died after rough tagging, and washed up on shore, and acted like that his techniques were sound.
--A person doctored the data/analysis/conclusion, or "cooked the books" to get the answer desired.
--A person designed his sampling times and locations so that he got the answer wanted. Ex: No longer sampling after rains when coliform counts can go higher.
A bad or corrupt "scientist" may also be a bully scientist. Such people want/need the ideas and works of others to advance their image/position/power/publication list/etc. See a prior post on bully scientists.
Politicians sometimes pick corrupt "scientists" as described above to be their government or university agency/department leaders, etc., because they know this type of people will give them the answer they want. Politicians and administrators do not usually want an honest person or real scientist because they consider such people to be "loose cannons" that cannot be controlled (such people may tell the truth). They do not want people telling the truth in oppostion to the political answer they are presenting, especially if the people have a good reputations as scientists and high credibility.
It is a hell-of-a-world we live in ... where some people can go to jail for not telling the truth to a government official or in a court proceeding, and others can lose their jobs/careers/families for telling the truth when their bosses/politicians do not want them to do so.
Adrian R. Lawler, Ph.D., (C) 2012 --
Monday, April 2, 2012
Theory: Why Bully Bosses Are Bad News (by Adrian R. Lawler)
Theory: Why Bully Bosses Are Bad News (by Adrian R. Lawler)
A sick organization usually has one or more bully bosses, who help/cause organization to be sick in its actions to others. Such toxic people usually have political connections or some other way to operate without getting themselves replaced, like nepotism, money, bringing money into the organization, or the organization may use them to help purge the organization of people they do not want. Many can be recognized by their "hissy fits," shouting, cursing, wagging their finger in your face, spitting in your face when they rant, etc. when they do not get their way initially. They operate by doing anything they want to anybody at anytime, and think nothing of it. They have an advantage over many other people because they know people of character will try to do the right thing, so they know the moves most will make beforehand, but they will do anything they want.
If you get on their "hit" list, for whatever, or no, reason, you can possibly kiss your job (and maybe career) goodbye. The reason can be you know too much, are too smart (and show somebody up), are too dumb, will not play their way, make them jealous, make them afraid of you (loose cannon), embarass them, do not bow down to their "greatness," etc. In a bully's eyes, everyone is for their use and advancement.
The only way to survive (but usually under constant harassment) is to have more ammo (proof of illegal actions) on the sick organization/bully boss than the bully boss has on you. And this is a dangerous game to play; you cannot openingly threaten them with exposure, but have to let it be known through the grapevine, or your actions, you are writing down or have evidence secured at a place away from your home or job. When they make a move on you, you have to make a move that is smarter, and further reaching, and difficult to trace directly back to you (but they "know" it is you), than their move so they decide it is best to keep you partially under their thumb rather than cut you loose to possibly tell all.
Unfortunately, as with about every profession out there, there can be crooked, bad, unqualified, and/or bully bosses. If they are politically appointed, they can have any, or all, the previous traits. The present posting is about bully bosses. If the bully bosses are "researchers/scientists," then they can be a very bad blot on the professions of those supposed to be seeking the truth. The bullies prey on interns, students, and underlings to further advance their report/publication list, their reputation, their awards/grants, or their pay, etc. They also sabotage or remove their underlings who get more space than they have, or become more famous than them, or are recognized as being smarter than them, etc.
They literally hold the future of their underlings in their bully hands, controlling their careers and pay scale while stealing ideas, inventions, data, pictures, new discoveries, etc. from their underlings. They demand and get authorship on their students' and underlings' reports and publications to further their own "production" list of reports/publications, which they use in applying for awards/grants, seeking promotions and raises, and impressing others on how great, or how smart, they are. (If a boss contributes a good amount of meaningful information to a publication they can rightly seek more than just an acknowledgement on the publication. Bullies demand authorship, sometimes with little or no contribution to publication.)
Bully bosses can break a young worker by killing the desire to question or seek the truth, by denying a higher professional degree, by withholding or writing a bad letter of recommendation, and various other ways, etc. Although they can sometimes be considered a "great researcher/scientist" by those who have no idea of what is going on, or do not care what such people do to others, those that know them or have experienced their actions think they are horrid people, and usually do not associate with them unless forced to in order to keep their own job or maintain their position (stay in favor) in the organization.
It is not unusual for dishonest bully bosses to steal ideas/findings and inventions from their students or workers because they hold the power of controlling the future (higher degrees or jobs) of the students or workers. (The victim gets things stolen from him, and usually does nothing in order to get his degree or keep his job.) Some "researchers/scientists" have become famous by taking ideas, findings, inventions, pictures, etc. from their students and workers and either claiming as their own or putting their name on their underlings' reports/publications and then later getting honored for "achievement" or being "prolific." This action might go back to the olden times school of thought where anything done by an apprentice belonged to the master. And since those with many reports/publications usually get more grants, more salary, and more "awards," the present researcher/scientific reward system continually (but maybe unintentionally) tempts some bosses to steal from their underlings (so they will have many reports/publications, etc.), leading to a more and more (as seen by me and others) dishonest "researcher/scientific" community (Those that would steal from others probably would not be against "cooking the books," and reporting false results to obtain the experimental answer they want, the organization wants, or some politician wants, etc.).
When the leaders of an organization condone the actions of a bully, cater to the wants/demands of a bully, refuse to punish a bully for lies and slanders, and essentially let a bully do anything, etc., then that organization becomes a "joke" in the eyes of the bully's victims, and others who know about the bully. The organization is known as sick.
Keep a daily "Memo of Record" (if you suspect a bully boss or co-worker, etc., is trying to get you, or your ideas/findings) of anything you think important so, if needed, you can use it in a legal battle. Record description of incident, subject, words said, location, time, date, and witnesses in the log. Keep daily entries to the log on your body while at work, and have the total log properly secured elsewhere offsite, and not at home. Tell no one, including spouse, about the log or where it is hidden. Leave directions to log location in safety deposit box.
A person who hurts no one, tries to do his job, and trusts too much is an easy victim for a bully who wants to steal time, ideas, discoveries, credit, etc. for his own use, especially if the bully controls the job status, or higher degree status, of the victim. It is really horrible to have a bully in control of one's time, job, career, higher degree, salary, future, etc., etc. A worker, intern, or student should think long and hard before he accepts a position with a bully boss.
Some theory examples of bully bosses:
--- one who got underling taken away from a big project he co-founded that was getting more attention than the boss was.
--- one who connived with an enemy to get worker demoted and salary cut.
--- one who delighted in violating job preformance evaluation directions and giving bad job reviews to workers to keep them on "their toes."
--- one who put major report of underling in closet and "forgot about it" until almost past the deadline.
--- one who violated many laws, rules, and policies and then delighted in telling complaining victims to "hire a good attorney."
--- one who delighted in slandering those not liked and using them as "teaching/intimidation" tools to keep others in line.
--- one who delighted in holding "fixed" "kangaroo court" hearings to justify illegal/immoral actions against those not liked.
--- one who delighted in leaving nasty notes for the workers.
--- one who worked people very hard without allowing leave time, etc. for a year and then fired them so there would be a constant turnover of fresh eager bodies and so there would be no raises given.
A bully boss will intimidate (under threat to job or professional degree) and bully people into:
---working overtime and holidays for free.
---working through break or lunch time.
---putting his (boss) name on ideas, projects, reports, inventions.
---giving up rights (to him) to any new discoveries.
---not claiming sick, vacation, or comp time.
---training his buddy who is destined to either be your new boss or your replacement and you can do nothing about it.
---spying on others for him.
---taking blame for, or covering up, his mistakes.
---letting him take credit for your work, ideas, inventions, discoveries, etc.
---covering up for him if he leaves work early.
---using private resources in support of job/work for bully boss.
Some really delight in being a bully boss, exercising their absolute control over the professional futures of their underlings. Horrible in many ways!!
Some thoughts: Bully scientists are essentially nothings. One cannot be a seeker of the truth and be a BULLY at the same time. He's just a bully.
One cannot say he's a scientist seeking the truth IF he lives/acts like a BULLY never seeking the truth before bullying/slandering.
Google "bully bosses" to get a wide range of information about such people.
Adrian R. Lawler, Ph.D., (C) 2012 --
A sick organization usually has one or more bully bosses, who help/cause organization to be sick in its actions to others. Such toxic people usually have political connections or some other way to operate without getting themselves replaced, like nepotism, money, bringing money into the organization, or the organization may use them to help purge the organization of people they do not want. Many can be recognized by their "hissy fits," shouting, cursing, wagging their finger in your face, spitting in your face when they rant, etc. when they do not get their way initially. They operate by doing anything they want to anybody at anytime, and think nothing of it. They have an advantage over many other people because they know people of character will try to do the right thing, so they know the moves most will make beforehand, but they will do anything they want.
If you get on their "hit" list, for whatever, or no, reason, you can possibly kiss your job (and maybe career) goodbye. The reason can be you know too much, are too smart (and show somebody up), are too dumb, will not play their way, make them jealous, make them afraid of you (loose cannon), embarass them, do not bow down to their "greatness," etc. In a bully's eyes, everyone is for their use and advancement.
The only way to survive (but usually under constant harassment) is to have more ammo (proof of illegal actions) on the sick organization/bully boss than the bully boss has on you. And this is a dangerous game to play; you cannot openingly threaten them with exposure, but have to let it be known through the grapevine, or your actions, you are writing down or have evidence secured at a place away from your home or job. When they make a move on you, you have to make a move that is smarter, and further reaching, and difficult to trace directly back to you (but they "know" it is you), than their move so they decide it is best to keep you partially under their thumb rather than cut you loose to possibly tell all.
Unfortunately, as with about every profession out there, there can be crooked, bad, unqualified, and/or bully bosses. If they are politically appointed, they can have any, or all, the previous traits. The present posting is about bully bosses. If the bully bosses are "researchers/scientists," then they can be a very bad blot on the professions of those supposed to be seeking the truth. The bullies prey on interns, students, and underlings to further advance their report/publication list, their reputation, their awards/grants, or their pay, etc. They also sabotage or remove their underlings who get more space than they have, or become more famous than them, or are recognized as being smarter than them, etc.
They literally hold the future of their underlings in their bully hands, controlling their careers and pay scale while stealing ideas, inventions, data, pictures, new discoveries, etc. from their underlings. They demand and get authorship on their students' and underlings' reports and publications to further their own "production" list of reports/publications, which they use in applying for awards/grants, seeking promotions and raises, and impressing others on how great, or how smart, they are. (If a boss contributes a good amount of meaningful information to a publication they can rightly seek more than just an acknowledgement on the publication. Bullies demand authorship, sometimes with little or no contribution to publication.)
Bully bosses can break a young worker by killing the desire to question or seek the truth, by denying a higher professional degree, by withholding or writing a bad letter of recommendation, and various other ways, etc. Although they can sometimes be considered a "great researcher/scientist" by those who have no idea of what is going on, or do not care what such people do to others, those that know them or have experienced their actions think they are horrid people, and usually do not associate with them unless forced to in order to keep their own job or maintain their position (stay in favor) in the organization.
It is not unusual for dishonest bully bosses to steal ideas/findings and inventions from their students or workers because they hold the power of controlling the future (higher degrees or jobs) of the students or workers. (The victim gets things stolen from him, and usually does nothing in order to get his degree or keep his job.) Some "researchers/scientists" have become famous by taking ideas, findings, inventions, pictures, etc. from their students and workers and either claiming as their own or putting their name on their underlings' reports/publications and then later getting honored for "achievement" or being "prolific." This action might go back to the olden times school of thought where anything done by an apprentice belonged to the master. And since those with many reports/publications usually get more grants, more salary, and more "awards," the present researcher/scientific reward system continually (but maybe unintentionally) tempts some bosses to steal from their underlings (so they will have many reports/publications, etc.), leading to a more and more (as seen by me and others) dishonest "researcher/scientific" community (Those that would steal from others probably would not be against "cooking the books," and reporting false results to obtain the experimental answer they want, the organization wants, or some politician wants, etc.).
When the leaders of an organization condone the actions of a bully, cater to the wants/demands of a bully, refuse to punish a bully for lies and slanders, and essentially let a bully do anything, etc., then that organization becomes a "joke" in the eyes of the bully's victims, and others who know about the bully. The organization is known as sick.
Keep a daily "Memo of Record" (if you suspect a bully boss or co-worker, etc., is trying to get you, or your ideas/findings) of anything you think important so, if needed, you can use it in a legal battle. Record description of incident, subject, words said, location, time, date, and witnesses in the log. Keep daily entries to the log on your body while at work, and have the total log properly secured elsewhere offsite, and not at home. Tell no one, including spouse, about the log or where it is hidden. Leave directions to log location in safety deposit box.
A person who hurts no one, tries to do his job, and trusts too much is an easy victim for a bully who wants to steal time, ideas, discoveries, credit, etc. for his own use, especially if the bully controls the job status, or higher degree status, of the victim. It is really horrible to have a bully in control of one's time, job, career, higher degree, salary, future, etc., etc. A worker, intern, or student should think long and hard before he accepts a position with a bully boss.
Some theory examples of bully bosses:
--- one who got underling taken away from a big project he co-founded that was getting more attention than the boss was.
--- one who connived with an enemy to get worker demoted and salary cut.
--- one who delighted in violating job preformance evaluation directions and giving bad job reviews to workers to keep them on "their toes."
--- one who put major report of underling in closet and "forgot about it" until almost past the deadline.
--- one who violated many laws, rules, and policies and then delighted in telling complaining victims to "hire a good attorney."
--- one who delighted in slandering those not liked and using them as "teaching/intimidation" tools to keep others in line.
--- one who delighted in holding "fixed" "kangaroo court" hearings to justify illegal/immoral actions against those not liked.
--- one who delighted in leaving nasty notes for the workers.
--- one who worked people very hard without allowing leave time, etc. for a year and then fired them so there would be a constant turnover of fresh eager bodies and so there would be no raises given.
A bully boss will intimidate (under threat to job or professional degree) and bully people into:
---working overtime and holidays for free.
---working through break or lunch time.
---putting his (boss) name on ideas, projects, reports, inventions.
---giving up rights (to him) to any new discoveries.
---not claiming sick, vacation, or comp time.
---training his buddy who is destined to either be your new boss or your replacement and you can do nothing about it.
---spying on others for him.
---taking blame for, or covering up, his mistakes.
---letting him take credit for your work, ideas, inventions, discoveries, etc.
---covering up for him if he leaves work early.
---using private resources in support of job/work for bully boss.
Some really delight in being a bully boss, exercising their absolute control over the professional futures of their underlings. Horrible in many ways!!
Some thoughts: Bully scientists are essentially nothings. One cannot be a seeker of the truth and be a BULLY at the same time. He's just a bully.
One cannot say he's a scientist seeking the truth IF he lives/acts like a BULLY never seeking the truth before bullying/slandering.
Google "bully bosses" to get a wide range of information about such people.
Adrian R. Lawler, Ph.D., (C) 2012 --
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