By Ed Heinrich-Sanchez

The Days of the Dead are coming up on Oct. 31st Nov.1st and 2nd. Celebrated mainly in Mexico to honor those parted, it also coincides with ALL SOULS DAY on November 2nd.

Combining the spirit of the Dead, Armistice Day and a wish to stomp out bullying in the workplace and school, I encourage everyone to share your thoughts, and, on November 11 at 11:11, please honk your horn, ring a bell or bang a pot to remember those lost in war.  This day was the original Veterans’ Day celebrated after World War I.

Fine Art America from “The Book of Life”
http://www.beinglatino.us/entertainment/the-book-of-life-an-animated-comedic-twist-to-dia-de-los-muertos/

November is Bullying Awareness Month and I would like to share with JU readers some guidelines to bullying in the workplace:

We want to emphasize, however, that our interest in bullying does not contradict our conviction that all managers have the right to manage, and are rightly given authority to use and wield power but not to abuse it. Where bullying is accepted as good robust management, it filters down from the top.

We have come across many bullies who excuse their behavior as strong firm management, but you have to assess whether what is said is constructive or destructive. Is the criticism of the mistakes made or of the person who made them? Is it done to make the person aware of his or her error and get it right in future, or is it made to humiliate and undermine. The thin line is crossed when persistently downgrading or hurting an employee or colleague, intimidating, upsetting, embarrassing, humiliating, offending or ultimately destroying, is more important than getting the task done. It is important to remember that it’s not the intention of the perpetrator, but the deed itself and its impact on the recipient or target that constitutes workplace bullying

Bullying is not strong management but the self-interest of individual survival at the expense of others. It is the expression of weakness and inadequacy through the control of others, and is a sad reflection of apparently blinkered management that the complaints of so many employees are generally dismissed as personality clashes or poor management style. Bullying is surely irresponsible management.

Workplace bullies are often insecure people who do not trust others and see them as a threat to their own positions. Their techniques range from outright aggression such as shouting and swearing and humiliating their victims in front of others, to outright psychological torture.

(from the AMICUS Union in the United Kingdom now part of UNITE)

Comments welcome to edo@okinawaocean.org 

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