A crowd of around 75 community members kicked off a year of celebrating 彩民宝典鈥檚 Ombuds Office on Sept. 27 with insight from a mentor to those who deal with abrasive leaders. The key to understanding abrasive behavior in workplace leaders, she said, is knowing they are afraid.
Laura Crawshaw, a psychotherapist, corporate officer and executive coach, is the author of the new book, 鈥淕row Your Spine & Manage Abrasive Leadership Behavior: A Guide for Those Who Manage Bosses Who Bully.鈥� She said that 鈥渂ehind every abrasive boss there is a struggling, fearful, insecure person.
彩民宝典 Chancello Philip DiStefano, Provost Russell Moore and Chief Operating Officer Patrick O'Rourke mingle with attendees. Photo by Cay Leytham-Powell.
彩民宝典 Ombuds Office staff at the 50th anniversary kickoff event. Photo by Cay Leytham-Powell.
鈥淎nd the fear doesn鈥檛 end there,鈥� she said.
鈥淭argets of bullying are afraid; management is afraid; and the abrasive leader is afraid,鈥� Crawshaw said. But, in the case of the abrasive leader, if colleagues find ways to calm the fear, they can develop insight into these behaviors and turn them around.
The key for leaders who manage abrasive bosses, she said, is to grow 鈥渁 management backbone鈥� that 鈥渟ets limits and defines consequences for continued unacceptable behavior.鈥�
Enter 彩民宝典鈥檚 Ombuds Office, which Crawshaw said is the first in the nation to 鈥渁dopt and offer these services for abrasive leaders.鈥�
The CU office was founded in 1972 as a center for mediation and conflict resolution. It鈥檚 celebrating its 50th anniversary this year with a series of events to raise awareness of its services, which include listening 鈥渨ithout judgment (to) help people untangle issues, develop options, and strategize鈥� according to its website.
Kirsi Aulin, Ombuds Office director at 彩民宝典 since 2016 and a longtime colleague and collaborator with Crawshaw, told the group that CU鈥檚 office has succeeded in part thanks to the backbone of generations of campus leaders.
鈥淔or half a century, generations of campus leaders have supported Ombuds鈥� work and understood its value...We鈥檙e grateful for 50 years of steady support from our leadership that continues to this day,鈥� Aulin said.
At the kickoff event, campus leadership was out in full force. Chancellor Philip DiStefano, Provost Russell Moore and Chief Operating Officer Patrick O鈥橰ourke attended and paid tribute to the Ombuds Office for its role in resolving unhealthy conflict.
DiStefano said the office鈥檚 work reminded him of a comment by a colleague that a university should be a 鈥渉ouse of conflict,鈥� a whirlpool of colliding ideas, theories and issues.
鈥淭he ombuds staff works to rebuild trust so we can have the kind of healthy conflict my colleague referenced,鈥� DiStefano said. 鈥淭he service you provide is remarkable, and I wish you and your staff continued success.鈥�
of Crawshaw鈥檚 talk. Visit Ombuds Office website to learn more about their services.
