I worked corporate for ten years and was finally able to get out. Unfortunately, it seems that these behaviors are almost everywhere, and it’s concerning.
For just some background context, I’m a guy born in the 90’s. Got into more fights than I wanted growing up, which I hated, and the schools let it happen because it was the popular kids instigating, or the antisocial kids who the schools couldn’t control. It was normalized, and unfortunately more often than not, talking my way out of it wasn’t an option and despite the ‘zero tolerance’ policy, it happened almost every day. My friends and I had more bruises than we could count. Way to go American education system. When I got into high school, it became completely verbal unless you were about to get jumped. College was the same, but it had dropped in frequency because you could choose to associate with who you wish. You get into the workforce and it’s like being back in grade school, but worse, because you have full on adults throwing tantrums and making the same threats, if not worse, and you’re stuck with them and the enablers. God help you if it’s your boss coming after you. You seem to have no one to defend you but yourself, and it seems like you have no options except to leave or become a whipping post. No one should have to live like this, yet we do. So to those who managed to defend themselves and defeat the bullies, how did you do it? Did it cost you your job? Has it gotten better or worse? Any wisdom is appreciated!