The Bully-Proof Workplace
A Series for Senior Leaders and Those Who Need Support
By Peter J. Dean, Ph.D. & Molly D. Shepard, MS, MSM — drawn from three decades of executive coaching and our book.
5
Published Posts
8
Upcoming Topics
13
Total Chapters
- Part One: Emotional Intelligence: The Leadership Advantage Most Executives Were Never Taught
- Part Two: Self-Awareness: The Executive’s Competitive Advantage
- Explore All Published Posts in the Series
- The Six Pillars of Cultivated Leadership
- Work with Peter J. Dean, Ph.D.
- Upcoming Posts in the Series
- The Book Behind the Series
About This Series
The Leadership Problem No One Talks About Enough
We wrote The Bully-Proof Workplace because, after more than three decades coaching CEOs, boards, and senior executives, we kept seeing the same crisis play out in corner offices, boardrooms, and leadership teams: workplace bullying was eroding culture, destroying talent, and quietly devastating bottom lines — while leaders either looked away or had no tools to act.
This blog series brings the strategies, frameworks, and real-world scripts from our book directly to those who need them most — whether you are in a position to change the culture of your organization or navigating a bullying situation yourself.
Each post addresses a specific facet of workplace bullying — from recognizing the four types of bullies to knowing when to escalate, how to coach a manager who has a bully on their team, and how to build a policy that actually sticks. This is not theoretical. These are the tools we have used with clients for over 30 years.
Work with Molly and PeterPublished
Start Reading the Series
Part 01
How to Deal with the Office Bully
Workplace bullying is pervasive, costly, and escalating. We introduce the four types of bullies — the Belier, the Blocker, the Braggart, and the Brute — and lay out the two foundational steps every target and leader must take before any confrontation can succeed.
January 6, 2025
Part 02
Confronting Workplace Bullying: A Strategic Imperative for Senior Leaders
Workplace bullying affects nearly 75 million American workers and costs organizations hundreds of billions of dollars annually. We lay out why senior leaders can no longer afford to look away — and what a visible, strategic response looks like.
June 30, 2025
Part 03
The True Cost of Workplace Bullying
The financial toll of workplace bullying is staggering — from productivity losses and turnover to legal exposure and reputational damage. We break down the full cost picture that every C-suite leader needs to understand.
July 14, 2025
Part 04
The Four Types of Workplace Bullying
Not all bullies behave the same way. We explore in more depth the four types we’ve identified through decades of coaching: the Belier, the Blocker, the Braggart, and the Brute – and explain why knowing the difference changes everything about how you respond.
October 6, 2025
Part 05
Identifying the Hidden Signs of Workplace Bullying
The most damaging bullying often flies under the radar. We walk through the overt and covert behaviors that signal a bullying culture is taking hold — and how senior leaders can train themselves to see what others miss.
October 6, 2025
What You’ll Master
The Six Pillars
Recognition & Diagnosis
Learn to identify bullying behavior across all four types — whether it’s the subtle rumormongering of the Belier, the obsessive control of the Blocker, the ego-driven dominance of the Braggart, or the explosive aggression of the Brute.
Organizational Cost
Understand the full financial and human cost of tolerating a bullying culture — from turnover and absenteeism to lost innovation, disengagement, and litigation risk.
Confrontation Skills
Equip yourself and your leaders with the scripts, documentation methods, and interpersonal frameworks needed to confront bullying behavior directly and effectively.
Manager Accountability
Know what to do when you’re the senior leader and one of your managers is the bully — including how to coach, document, and intervene when formal escalation is required.
Legal & HR Alignment
Understand the evolving legal landscape around workplace bullying, how to partner with HR effectively, and when to escalate to the board or external counsel.
Culture Architecture
Build the policies, training, and leadership behaviors that create a genuinely bully-proof workplace — one where your best people stay, grow, and perform.
Leadership Coaching
Work with Peter J. Dean & Molly D. Shepard
We offer executive coaching, organizational consulting, and leadership development for senior leaders and C-suite executives who are ready to build cultures where people can do their best work. If you’re navigating a bullying situation — or want to build the kind of organization where bullying can’t take root – a confidential conversation is where we start.
Peter J. Dean: pdean@leaders-by-design.com | 610-246-6422
Molly D. Shepard: mshepard@leaders-by-design.com I 610-955-5452
Coming Soon
What’s Next in the Series
06
How to Stand Up for Yourself When Your Boss Is the Bully
The documentation method, the confrontation framework, and the interpersonal skills targets need to reclaim their power — without making things worse.
07
How to Engage the Belier: When the Threat Is Rumor and Reputation
The Belier does the most damage in silence — lies, gossip, and reputation sabotage. We share what the confrontation looks like and how targets can protect themselves.
08
How to Engage the Blocker: When Control Is the Weapon
The Blocker kills innovation by controlling every aspect of work. We walk through the characteristics, the cost, and the scripts that actually move the needle.
09
How to Engage the Braggart: When Ego Crowds Out Everyone Else
The Braggart weaponizes self-importance to suppress contributions and steal credit. Senior leaders need to know how this plays out in meetings and boardrooms — and what to do about it.
10
How to Engage the Brute: Confronting Explosive and Aggressive Behavior
The Brute is the most dangerous type — and the most urgent to address. We share scripts for in-the-moment confrontation, de-escalation strategies, and when to act immediately.
11
When All Else Fails: Escalating Workplace Bullying Up the Chain
When direct confrontation hasn’t worked, senior leaders must know who to involve, how to document the case, and how to navigate HR, legal, and board-level intervention.
12
I Have a Bully on My Team: A Manager’s Playbook
A senior leader’s step-by-step guide to identifying bullying on a team, intervening effectively, and using performance management when coaching isn’t enough.
13
Creating a Bully-Proof Workplace: Policy, Culture, and the 10 Tenets
We share our sample policy statement, the 10 Tenets of a Bully-Proof Workplace, and the leadership behaviors that make the difference between a policy that lives on paper and one that changes culture.
The Foundation
The Book Behind the Series
The Bully-Proof Workplace: Essential Strategies, Tips, and Scripts for Dealing with the Office Sociopath by Peter J. Dean and Molly D. Shepard is the definitive guide for leaders, managers, and professionals who want to understand, address, and prevent workplace bullying. Drawing on more than three decades of executive coaching experience, we identify the four types of bullies, provide real-world scripts for confrontation, and lay out the framework for building a culture where bullying cannot take root.