Relational Aggression from our schoolyards to boardrooms.

The following is an excerpt from my free weekly newsletter 11:11 Tuesdays .?Each edition shares 1 Thought for you to reflect, 1 Quote to ponder upon, 1 Word for your indulgence, and 1 Humour for reminding that life is not about being dead serious. Hope you enjoy! Subscribe to get the full impact delivered straight to your inbox.

Hello,

Here are 1 Thought, 1 Quote, 1 Word & 1 Humour for you to reflect upon this week...

1.

Thought

Relational aggression (RA).

Do you know who is most likely to be a victim?

Well, first lets understand what this is and how serious it really is.

RA is a form of psychological, emotional and social abuse aimed at harming a person's self-esteem or social standing or reputation. It's a subtler and more insidious aggression, manifesting through gossip, exclusion, backstabbing, and manipulation.

It's damaging because:

1. It starts from school years, severely impacting students’ ability to learn and feel safe. Spreading rumors, excluding from peers groups, and using social media to embarrass or isolate are some of the most common forms of RA. These behaviors not only harm individual students but can also create a toxic school culture. It could lead to bigger and more concerning mental health challenges.
2. In the corporate world, RA appears as undermining behaviors, sabotaging colleagues, or using confidential information to embarrass others. These actions can affect mental and emotional well-being, impacting their work performance, and their overall career trajectory. RA at work can often be considered a part of bad office politics.

Certain groups or types of individuals are more frequently targeted in both school and workplace settings:

At School

1. Socially Vulnerable Students who are shy, withdrawn, or socially anxious
2. Non-Conformists to peer groups in terms of interests, behavior, appearance, unique fashion sense, or distinctive hobbies.
3. New Students who have not yet formed social connections & support system
4. High-Achieving Students targeted due to jealousy or competition, either academically or co-curricular activities.

At the Workplace

1. New Employees who are unfamiliar with the workplace culture or who have not yet established alliances
2. Minorities from racial, ethnic, gender, or other minorities stemming from biases or stereotypes held by their coworkers.
3. High Performers and Threats to others’ career advancement
4. Non-Assertive Individuals seen less likely to stand up for themselves or report the RA behavior.

Coaching and/or Counselling are the most preferred methods to help the victims, alongside genuine support from family, friends, HR and other community groups.

What can we do to stop RA from schoolyards to boardrooms? I invite your thoughts on this.

#LeadershipLab

1.

Quote

"Before you diagnose yourself with depression or low self-esteem, first make sure you are not surrounded by a**holes" - Sigmund Freud

1.

Word

insidious

[in-see-dee-yus]

(adj.) proceeding in a subtle way, but with very harmful effects.

1.

Humor

best,

Vaishali

Vaishali Wagle

Founder & CEO?

ZENESSE