Tuesday 23 February 2010

bully pulpit

former Cllr John Howarth (prop. Public Impact Ltd, remember "Your Better Off With Labour"?) has revamped his website, just a little, and updated it, just a little, to include the following gem on the subject of workplace bullying in the public sector:

Managers are expected to be tolerant to the last, to watch employees who take liberties with taxpayers’ money and who fail to do their jobs and carry on as if it doesn’t matter. Managers appointed to turn around services that are failing, which often requires pruning the roses somewhat, have their positions undermined and the key card that is played is that of ‘workplace bullying’. I’ve seen it happen in both the Councils on which I served where senior management have folded in the face of accusations that would be considered pathetic in most private businesses. Nothing changes and the public loses every time.

would be interesting to know who he is referring to. Not shamed former chief executive of Reading Borough Council Trish Haines, I imagine. And it does seem a bit, well, er, for a former chair of Reading Labour Party to come over all pious about bullying. Doesn't it?

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Is it really bullying, or are increasingly living in a wimpish,feminised culture..think of the hysterical response to the deaf HRH Diane Princess of Wails..one recalls M. Salter telling me you can only bully someone who sincerely wants to be bullied...

Anonymous said...

Bullying undermines confidence and destroys people. It has no place in politics, the workplace or the school playground.

Anonymous said...

As a member of the public, I have seen some bullying by senior officers of Reading Borough Council of the public, as well as of more junior officers and of some councillors.

Anonymous said...

It depends on what you call bullying..I seem to recall that M.S. successfully sued his way out of such allegations some years back..and Malcolm Powers was one described as being'outspoken and not being afraid of personalizing an attack'...