at power by emotionally terrorizing their subordinates. Nothing was gained other than massaging the leader’s ego.

The workplace bully, especially when in a position of leadership, always has a negative effect on productivity and morale. Led by example, subordinates will be more likely to abuse each other, leading to a hostile environm

In my career I have frequently noticed that persons who move into positions of power and authority, whether in the business or political world, change, and seldom for the better. When I was promoted to an executive level position years ago, my sister-in-law, who belonged to a strong union all of her career, told my wife that once I was a vice president I would become an unethical creep. I argued that she was biased and that you could keep your perspective and ethics in any position. While I did find some who retained their values and personality, I was surprised to observe that many people in such positions seemed to believe that the position required them to become confrontational, bullying, rationalizing jerks. They interpreted pressures to grow and be productive to mean they must be more cold, authoritarian, absolute and sometimes downright arrogant.

Lisa Takeuchi Cullen, in her column in the April 2 issue of Time magazine, implied that there is room for the jerk, the bully, in the workplace, that the success of some explosive personalities such as Steve Jobs can be at least somewhat attributed to their jerkiness.

I contend that the success and genius of such persons is in spite of their unpleasantness and not because of it. Throughout history, persons who achieved positions of political, religious or business power often exercised that power by emotionally terrorizing their subordinates. Nothing was gained other than massaging the leader’s ego.

The workplace bully, especially when in a position of leadership, always has a negative effect on productivity and morale. Led by example, subordinates will be more likely to abuse each other, leading to a hostile environm

e president I would become an unethical creep. I argued that she was biased and that you could keep your perspective and ethics in any position. While I did find some who retained their values and personality, I was surprised to observe that many people in such positions seemed to believe that the position required them to become confrontational, bullying, rationalizing jerks. They interpreted pressures to grow and be productive to mean they must be more cold, authoritarian, absolute and sometimes downright arrogant.

Lisa Takeuchi Cullen, in her column in the April 2 issue of Time magazine, implied that there is room for the jerk, the bully, in the workplace, that the success of some explosive personalities such as Steve Jobs can be at least somewhat attributed to their jerkiness.

I contend that the success and genius of such persons is in spite of their unpleasantness and not because of it. Throughout history, persons who achieved positions of political, religious or business power often exercised that power by emotionally terrorizing their subordinates. Nothing was gained other than massaging the leader’s ego.

The workplace bully, especially when in a position of leadership, always has a negative effect on productivity and morale. Led by example, subordinates will be more likely to abuse each other, leading to a hostile environm

ional, bullying, rationalizing jerks. They interpreted pressures to grow and be productive to mean they must be more cold, authoritarian, absolute and sometimes downright arrogant.

Lisa Takeuchi Cullen, in her column in the April 2 issue of Time magazine, implied that there is room for the jerk, the bully, in the workplace, that the success of some explosive personalities such as Steve Jobs can be at least somewhat attributed to their jerkiness.

I contend that the success and genius of such persons is in spite of their unpleasantness and not because of it. Throughout history, persons who achieved positions of political, religious or business power often exercised that power by emotionally terrorizing their subordinates. Nothing was gained other than massaging the leader’s ego.

The workplace bully, especially when in a position of leadership, always has a negative effect on productivity and morale. Led by example, subordinates will be more likely to abuse each other, leading to a hostile environm

ccess of some explosive personalities such as Steve Jobs can be at least somewhat attributed to their jerkiness.

I contend that the success and genius of such persons is in spite of their unpleasantness and not because of it. Throughout history, persons who achieved positions of political, religious or business power often exercised that power by emotionally terrorizing their subordinates. Nothing was gained other than massaging the leader’s ego.

The workplace bully, especially when in a position of leadership, always has a negative effect on productivity and morale. Led by example, subordinates will be more likely to abuse each other, leading to a hostile environm

at power by emotionally terrorizing their subordinates. Nothing was gained other than massaging the leader’s ego.

The workplace bully, especially when in a position of leadership, always has a negative effect on productivity and morale. Led by example, subordinates will be more likely to abuse each other, leading to a hostile environment and a breeding ground for workplace violence. This is ultimately an ethical and moral issue. Workplace jerks should be ashamed of themselves and are best, if they can’t be reformed, weeded out like any noxious and counter-productive influence.

Managing by the Golden Rule will always make for the best leaders.