Classic Bullying Traits:
Ridicule

Sometimes a bully isn't satisfied to merely demean you, he tries to humiliate you as well.

If you are on the receiving end of ridicule, a bully may be trying to take away your power and dignity so you can never again be a threat. Alternatively, he may be attempting to coerce you into submitting to his power.

Why a bully ridicules you

- To destroy your self-confidence - To make others disrespect you - To undermine your working relationships - It is relatively easy to cover his tracks

How a bully ridicules you

- Humiliates you in front of others - Uses a sarcastic tone of voice - Gives you obviously insincere compliments - Makes degrading comments about you - Tells stories that suggest you are stupid, naïve or immature - Ridicules your mannerisms in front of others

Where a bully ridicules you

- At meetings with others - In hallways, so others can overhear - In emails or memos that are copied to others

What a bully does to ridicule you

- Repeats your words out of context - Misinterprets what you say to make you look bad - Suggests you have an undesirable attitude - Suggests you are emotionally unstable - Points out your fears, guilt or shame - Suggests you are greedy and selfish - Suggests you aren't thinking clearly - Suggests you are incompetent

How a bully covers his tracks

- He calls it good-natured teasing - He says you misunderstood his meaning - He suggests you are overly sensitive - He implies you have no sense of humor

A bully's favorite statements when confronted

"I was just kidding" "Why are you so sensitive?" "You need to lighten up." "You need to learn to take a joke." "What's the matter, can't you take a little ribbing?"

A bully's hypocrisy

- He never tells a story with him as the goat - If you ridicule him in the same manner, he explodes in anger - He misinterprets your teasing of him as aggression, then retaliates with other types of bullying

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