Anti-Bullying Education Campaigns

As a kid, I was all about test scores and SATs. Socializing terrified me. I used to especially dread recess. I would do anything rather than go to the handball court. I volunteered to wash the chalkboard, asked to reorganize bookshelves, even made up ailments to go to the nurse (I believe once my thumb got a headache). This didn’t serve me well, and science backs this up. A 20-year study followed kindergartners and found: The kids rated as "more helpful and willing to share" ended up far more successful 20 years later: higher education, steady jobs, better lives. What did the research find about the kids who struggled with sharing? More substance abuse, legal trouble, unemployment issues down the line. So, if you have kids in your life, teach them these 5 social skills: 1. Social Assertiveness I overheard two kids on a playground: "I like your truck." "I like you too!" "I like you!" "I like you!" That's social assertiveness: stating your preferences and needs. Most kids withhold their liking from fear of rejection. Teach them: "Can I play with you?" It's one of the best phrases for kids to learn. 2. Social Planning Ask your kids before school: "What kids do you like? What kids make you nervous? When they state their preferences, ask them: “What do you want to do about it?” and they’ll naturally plan scenarios: "Maybe I should ask them to sit with me at lunch." 3. Seek First to Understand (Emotional Intelligence) Kids who can read emotions have better friendships and fewer conflicts. Help your kids recognize other kids' emotions by asking: • "How do you think he/she feels?" • "What do you think he/she thinks?" When kids can spot that someone is sad, frustrated, or excited, they can respond better, offering comfort, giving space, or joining the fun. Also teach them the 7 basic facial expressions (anger, happiness, sadness, fear, surprise, disgust, contempt). I wish I'd learned to read faces earlier. It would have helped me understand my teachers, parents, and friends better. 4. Synergize (Be Authentic About Feelings) I used to hide my awkwardness. When I started sharing it, people were kinder and understood me better. Teach kids that they can say: "I'm feeling nervous, I don't know anyone" or "I feel a little awkward." Vulnerability with the right people builds authentic connections. 5. Work Together (Collaboration) Once a month, encourage your kid to develop a "quest" with another child: a lemonade stand, car washing business, treehouse, or fort. They'll learn negotiation, planning, follow-through, and collaboration - skills they'll need for work and college. ____ BTW this is me circa 1990:

Workplace bullying isn't just a personal struggle. It’s a leadership and culture challenge. If you've ever felt undermined, silenced, or consistently targeted at work, know this: You're not alone. And it’s not something you have to endure silently. Bullying in the workplace can take many forms: ↳ verbal attacks ↳ exclusion ↳ undermining contributions Whatever the method, the impact is the same: It’s exhausting It's demoralizing It can affect your confidence, creativity, and mental health. But here's the good news: There are steps you can take to reclaim your voice and set boundaries that protect your well-being: 1. Recognize It for What It Is: → Bullying thrives in silence and ambiguity. → Acknowledge the behavior and name it. → Understanding that the issue lies with the bully, not you. 2. Document Everything: → Keep a record of incidents. → This isn't about being petty—it's about protecting yourself with facts. 3. Establish Boundaries: → Bullies often test limits. → Clearly communicate your boundaries in a calm, professional manner. 4. Seek Support: → Talk to trusted colleagues, mentors, or HR. → Sharing your experiences can help validate your feelings and provide you with practical advice. 5. Prioritize Your Well-Being: → It’s hard to stand strong when you’re running on empty. → Protect your energy by focusing on what truly matters. 6. Speak Up When Ready: → If it feels safe, consider addressing the behavior with the bully directly. → Use "I" statements to share how their actions affect you. As leaders, we also have a responsibility to create workplaces where bullying isn’t tolerated. This means fostering a culture of respect. Holding people accountable. And championing psychological safety for EVERYONE.

Bullies exist in boardrooms too. Over the past few months, I’ve seen a rise in clients being bullied by their boss. The troubling part? Many of these bullies look like high performers on paper. They lead teams. They smile in meetings. They hit targets and close deals. And because they deliver, they’re often protected. Corporate systems are designed to reward results, not integrity. They celebrate what is produced, not how leaders behave. It’s also common for bullies to target someone of the same sex. Early in my career, I worked with a senior female director who bullied me and several other women on a project. So many team members resigned. I was terrified to go to work and too scared to report her. Workplace bullying isn’t always loud. Sometimes it looks like: – Taking credit for your work – Withholding information so you fail – “Feedback” that’s actually public humiliation – Excluding you from key decisions or meetings Over time, your confidence erodes. Your performance suffers. Your career stalls. And yet, people still say: “Just ignore them.” How are we supposed to do that? Here’s a better approach: 1. Speak in impact terms – Regulate emotions. Use business language. – Link behavior to risks or missed targets. 2. Document everything – Keep a private log. Save emails, chats, meeting notes. 3. Build your allies – Strengthen relationships beyond your team. – Share wins with those who outrank your boss. 4. Get support – From HR. From a lawyer, if needed. – From a coach to plan your next move. Your confidence, career, and well-being matter. You are not the problem. And if the company won’t protect you, do what you need to protect yourself. What other advice would you give? ♻️ Repost to help your network. ➕ Follow Deena Priest for more career and leadership insights. --- Image Credit: Andrea Petrone

Millions of kids unwrap their very 1st tech gifts. And while the excitement is real… so are the risks. With winter break around the corner, kids spend more hours online with less supervision & the data should make every parent pause: + 90% of kids 8+ are online daily + 67% of U.S. kids (8–18) have experienced at least one cyber risk + Kids are 51x more likely than adults to experience identity theft Home doesn’t automatically mean safe especially online. As a mom of 4, cybersecurity practitioner, author, & TEDx speaker teaching families how to stay safe, here are the biggest threats this winter break /holiday season: 1. Cyberbullying & Deepfakes 65% of kids 8–14 have experienced cyberbullying.
AI deepfakes make harmful content spread faster than ever. 2. “Holiday Sharenting” Oversharing kids' photos can expose them to identity theft & unwanted digital trails. Pause before posting. (I talked about this in my TEDx talk) 3. Inappropriate Content Exposure More screen time = more chances to encounter harmful content.
Filters & parental controls are essential. 4. Online Predators Predators become more active during long breaks.
Anonymity online makes kids vulnerable to manipulation. So how do we protect our kids? ✨ Create open communication
Normalize talking about online experiences. Regular check-ins build trust. ✨ Set healthy tech boundaries
Know their apps, review screen time, prioritize safety tools. ✨ Teach online privacy early
Explain why personal info should never be shared with strangers. ✨ Choose age-appropriate tech
If gifting devices, set up privacy settings together. Our kids deserve a joyful & safe holiday/winter break. 
Let’s build homes where curiosity & wonder thrive without cyber risks following them into the new year. P.s. What tech gifts are your kids asking for this year & what safety tips would you add? #cybersecurity

What is organizational responsibility in protecting employees from #bullying? 😖💔 The feeling of a bullied employee being told that "bullying is not illegal" - and hence, there is no recourse - is one of the most heartbreaking things I can think of. Yes, bullying protections in the US (which vary by state) often are insufficient for addressing bullying, especially when it occurs within the same demographic (involving people of the same gender, race, or age), as it often does - or in the cases of upward bullying. But that does not mean organizations should just sit back and let the abuse continue. Whether it is technically illegal or not, human and organizational well-being call for creating systems that prevent bullying and nip in in the bud when it does occur. I am thrilled to have been quoted in Lisa Nagele-Piazza, SHRM-SCP article that looks at both legal and organizational aspects of addressing bullying. My key suggestion for employers is to focus on structural and systemic prevention of bullying. Prevention integrated within #HumanResources and #Management systems is the key to success and creating healthy organizations. In addition, organizations can: ❗Set clear expectations and be consistent. Employers that do not consistently enforce their policies risk negatively affecting morale. Plus, inconsistencies can create legal liability. ❗Train employees. Employers may want to add anti-bullying to their harassment prevention program. Notably, some employers must already do this under state law. In California, for example, employers with at least 50 employees must include “abusive conduct” prevention as a component of their mandatory anti-harassment training. ❗Establish a reporting process. “Employers should strive to create an environment in which employees feel free to raise concerns and are confident that those concerns will be addressed,” according to the EEOC. ❗Promptly and thoroughly investigate complaints. Take complaints seriously, and consider designating an experienced person or team to conduct investigations. ❗Assess company culture. Regularly assess organizational culture to detect early signs of a toxic environment.  We can do better. Do not tolerate toxic 🛑⚠ behavior.

As a manager, how would you manage… 💣 The office landmine 💣 You know the team member that everyone is afraid to make unhappy because the landmine might explode and make things unpleasant for everyone. The team member that everyone tiptoes around. Well, the management textbook answer would be to let them go. That these landmines are cancers to the workplace culture, toxify the workplace, negatively impact office morale. But sometimes, many times, letting them go is not possible. Because of legacy, politics, or business dependency. In these cases, your job as a leader shifts to protecting your team and yourself, while slightly reducing the damage. Here are 3 things you can actually do: 1️⃣ Quietly shrink their blast radius If you can’t remove them, reduce where and how they can do damage. ·      Take them out of people‑leadership where possible; keep them as a strong individual contributor, not a culture carrier. ·      Limit their involvement in fragile projects or junior‑heavy teams. ·      Structure work so others don’t have to deal with them more than necessary (clear handovers, more written updates, fewer live confrontations). You’re not punishing them; you’re ring‑fencing their impact. 2️⃣ Over‑protect the healthy majority (and yourself) One of the results of toxic landmine behaviour is that good people feel unseen and unprotected. ·      Recognise the steady, respectful performers so they know you value more than drama and numbers. ·      Talk about the culture you are building: respect, psychological safety, learning from mistakes, no blame games. ·      Make sure you have your own support system—peers, mentors, maybe a coach—so you don’t burn out holding the line around someone you can’t move. 3️⃣ Track patterns, not just incidents, for senior management Senior leaders often act only when they can see a pattern, not a one‑off story. ·      Log incidents in a neutral way: date, context, who was present, specific behaviour, and impact on work (missed deadlines, resignations, client risk) ·      Look for themes: public humiliation, constant undermining, last‑minute sabotaging of plans, repeated complaints from different people ·      Periodically summarise these for your own boss/HR as a pattern of behaviour that is affecting performance, retention, and psychological safety and not just “X is difficult.” This protects you, gives your team evidence that they are not “too sensitive,” and creates a basis for future decisions if circumstances change. You may not be able to remove the landmine, but you can make sure they don’t define the culture, or quietly destroy the people you’re called to lead. If you’re in this bind right now, you’re not weak; you’re navigating a genuinely constrained system. ✨ So here's me actually asking: What’s one concrete move you've made as a manager to shrink the blast radius and document the pattern, even if the landmine stays?

When you watch a coworker get bullied, silence isn’t neutral it helps bullying thrive. Bullies only stop when their behavior costs them something. But it’s not just leaders who hold that power, every one of us can help create those consequences. Here’s what you can do right now: Call it out in the moment, calmly. Don’t let it slide as a joke or “tough talk.” Say something like, “That felt disrespectful,” or “Let’s keep this professional.” Your voice can stop the behavior immediately. Support the person being targeted. Check in privately - “Are you okay? I saw what happened, and I’m here if you need to talk.” Sometimes, just knowing someone’s on your side matters more than anything. Help document what’s happening. Encourage your coworker to note dates, times, and details. This builds a case if they decide to report it later. Know your company’s policies. Understand how bullying is handled and guide your coworker on next steps , whether that’s HR, a trusted leader, or an anonymous report. Create social consequences. By refusing to laugh at, ignore, or join in bullying, you strip the bully of the audience they crave. Talk openly about why respect matters. Bullies thrive in silence and shadows. Your action, small or big helps turn the tide.

Zero Tolerance: Standing Firm Against Bullying in All Its Forms This topic is not aligned with my usual content, but sometimes, we must brave uncomfortable topics such as bullying. Throughout my career, I’ve believed in choosing my battles wisely. Yet, witnessing insidious bullying and gaslighting in my communities—whether in offices, professional networks, or online spaces—compels me to speak out. If being pragmatic means being apathetic, are we not quietly abandoning our values? The sting of bullying hit me hard during the pandemic—a low blow during already tough times. It was painful, but it taught me resilience. Now, seeing others suffer, I can’t keep quiet. Let’s address the elephant in the room: Bullying is more than a childhood issue; it’s a pervasive problem that can ruin careers, mental health, and professional relationships. Here’s how we can fight it: • Call It Out: Silence breeds bullies. Speak up, whether it’s happening to you or someone else. • Document Everything: Keep detailed records of all interactions. Screenshots are invaluable. • Disengage and Seek Higher Ground: If the bullies are in charge, go beyond your immediate circle—seek help from higher authorities or external bodies. • Seek Support: You’re not alone. Reach out to colleagues, friends, or professionals. • Educate and Empower: Share your experiences to educate and empower others. • Legal Avenues: Some forms of bullying warrant legal action. Don’t hesitate to explore this if needed. Bullying has no place in our world. It’s cowardly, and we need to drive it out. Have you been bullied, especially online? How did you handle it? Let’s share our stories and fortify our stance. #SpeakingUp #OnlineHarassment #ProfessionalIntegrity #StandTogether #ZeroTolerance

Confronting the Shadows – Staff Bullying in Schools I had this article published in Education Today -“Confronting the Shadows.” The article examines a deeply uncomfortable yet critical reality - staff bullying staff in our schools. https://lnkd.in/gxeXp7Sv The theme isn’t about students harassing each other. It is about adults, colleagues, teachers, leaders, undermining each other through - 🔴 Passive‑aggressive remarks and backhanded compliments 🔴 Withholding vital information, or social exclusion 🔴 Undermining professional authority and contribution These behaviours damage morale, erode trust, and strike at the heart of school culture. Why this matters - 💡 Power dynamics – hierarchies and unhealthy cultural norms can entrench bullying 💡 Wellbeing & retention – staff who feel bullied are more likely to leave the profession, often silently 💡 Cultural contagion – when staff treat each other poorly, it sends a ripple effect through the whole school community. What we can do - ✅ Recognise these behaviours as bullying, not ‘just staff politics.’ ✅ Develop clear anti-bullying policies that apply to all staff ✅ Foster a culture of transparent communication, accountability, and mutual support. ✅ Provide leadership training to identify, address, and prevent staff-to-staff bullying. If we truly value schools as communities of care, we must be willing to look not only at how adults care for students, but how we care for each other. Read more and reflect - https://lnkd.in/gxeXp7Sv Together, let’s shine a light on the shadows, and build healthier school cultures. #EducationalLeadership #SchoolCulture #Wellbeing #SchoolLeaders #StaffWellbeing #ProfessionalCulture #BullyingAwareness

Don't tolerate bullying behavior! Remember these 7 Steps to Deal with a Bully at Work... 1. Recognize the Behavior Bullying isn’t always obvious. It may include sarcasm, exclusion, public humiliation, micromanagement, or persistent criticism. If a pattern of behavior makes you feel anxious or devalued, take it seriously. 2. Document Every Incident Keep a detailed, dated log of what happened, when, who was involved, and how it affected you. This evidence is vital if you decide to report the behavior or pursue legal support. 3. Set Boundaries When Safe If it feels emotionally and physically safe, assertively but calmly tell the person their behavior is inappropriate. A simple statement like “Please speak to me respectfully” can sometimes interrupt a bullying pattern. 4. Report Internally If the behavior continues or is serious from the start, report it to your HR department or a trusted leader. Present your documentation and focus on the impact to your work and well-being—not just your personal feelings. 5. Take Care of Your Mental Health Bullying can lead to stress, anxiety, and burnout. Don’t ignore your emotional health. Talk to a therapist, seek support from a trusted friend, or use your company’s employee assistance program (EAP). 6. Explore Your Options If leadership fails to intervene, you may need to consider transferring teams or finding a healthier work environment. Sometimes leaving a toxic culture is the most empowering decision. 7. Know Your Legal Rights When bullying involves discrimination based on protected categories (e.g., race, gender, age), it may be unlawful harassment. Visit eeoc.gov or consult an employment attorney to understand your options.