A chance meeting amongst a few colleagues, a while back got us discussing, persons that we mutually knew and that if we considered them tough.
One of my colleagues said that, a particular gentleman was tough, because he terrorized those who were beholden to him in one way or the other. He also had an aggressive streak, more so with people, who were not aggressive themselves! I naturally disagreed and called the gent a bully!
As far as I'm concerned if you are tough, stand up to the power's to be and not harass your subordinates.Unfortunately we associate toughness to aggression and make a mockery of both. Some of the toughest people that I've known have been the most docile and come through trying times or incidents intact, while the aggressive ones have scurried for cover.
A great example would be Gandhi, who was both mentally and physically tough, as the South Africans and Brits found out. Was he an aggressive man ? No, he wasn't.
Good leaders are psychologically tough people and during a staffing process you want people who will stand the test of time & and not run for cover at the first sign of trouble.
One of my question's during an interview is 'What was the most difficult moment of your life and how did you overcome it?'
What gets my goat is when bullies, are called tough and begin to believe that they are tough because they get away by harassing hapless, helpless folk.
In the workplace it is fundamental to delineate the bullies and call their bluff........As a manager it is one job that you will have to do with toughness....
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