The Foreign Service Journal, November 2012

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | NOVEMBER 2012 69 AFSA NEWS Bullying deservedly receives much national attention in the media. It is a threat that must be eliminated from our schools. The damage it causes affects not only the targeted victims, but their families as well, causing scars that can last a lifetime. Unfortunately, bullying doesn’t end when we become adults. Instead, bullies can be found in social circles and in the workplace. USAID is not exempt from this scourge. In fact, life in the Foreign Service is filled with condi- tions that can intensify the problem. As the contact point for Foreign Service employees, we occasionally get complaints of bullying by supervisors in Washington, D.C., but mainly from our overseas missions. Supervi- sors exert significant control, power and influence over FSOs, and that power can affect an employee’s career progression, and even family harmony. Bullying in the workplace is defined as repeated, unreasonable actions of an individual or individu- als, directed towards an employee or employees, which are intended to intimi- date, degrade, humiliate, undermine, or create a risk to the health or safety of the employee or employees. Examples of bullying in the workplace can include unwarranted or invalid criti- cism; blame without factual justification; being treated Bullying: Not Just for Kids differently than the rest of your work group; being sworn at; exclusion or social isolation; being shouted at or being humiliated in front of others; excessive monitor- ing or micro-managing; or being given unrealistic work deadlines. In a 2006 study (Schat, Frone and Kelloway) on the prevalence of bullying in the U.S. workplace, psycholo- gists found that 41.4 percent of respondents reported experiencing psychological aggression at work dur- ing a one-year period. The research also found that 13 percent, or nearly 15 million workers, reported experienc- ing psychological aggression on a weekly basis. While this type of aggres- sion is not uncommon in the U.S., it can be magnified at post, where working condi- tions can be much more stressful. Several members have complained to AFSA about abusive supervisors who are making their lives miserable. There are reports of yelling, intimidating behav- ior, ostracism and outright hostility. Some time ago, USAID took action by devel- oping a “diversity checklist,” which was incorporated into the agency’s annual perfor- mance evaluation process. The checklist allows sub- ordinates to anonymously report disrespectful behavior to their supervisor’s super- sor. As the report serves as documentation of an unac- ceptable situation, leadership is compelled to deal with the behavior, or ignore it at their peril. Several members have complained to AFSA about abusive supervisors who are making their lives miserable. AFSA is negotiating with USAID’s Office of Human Resources to incorporate into the skills model matrix for Senior Foreign Service officers a phrase stating that they will “actively promote an anti-bullying environ- ment and will not tolerate abusive behavior in the work environment.” But we believe all supervisors should be trained to recognize and prevent bullying. Bullying is disruptive to our organization, not only because it has been proven that it produces poor results and lower productiv- ity, but also contributes to low morale, projects a bad image to our counterparts, increases stress and illness, but most of all, is a sign of poor leadership skills. What can you do if you are experiencing bullying? React as soon as it happens. Docu- ment attacks by securing witness statements, saving egregious e-mails and sub- mitting a diversity checklist to management. Seek help up the ladder. Finally, report bad behavior to USAID’s Office of Human Resources, speak with the Agency’s social worker and share your situation with AFSA. Bullying should not be tolerated in our schools or our workplace. ■ USAID VP VOICE | BY FRANCISCO ZAMORA Views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the AFSA USAID VP. Pledge to the AFSA Scholarship Fund During this year’s Combined Federal Campaign, please consider designating CFC #11759 on your pledge card. Your contribution will go to the AFSA Scholarship Fund, listed as “Foreign Service Youth Scholarships—AFSA.” AFSA bestows merit awards and financial aid scholarships to 100 children of Foreign Service employees, which will total over $230,000 during the 2012-13 school year. Your donation supports the Foreign Service community, while helping to build our leaders of tomorrow. NEWS BRIEF