Kate MacArdle’s Post

Take a moment to breathe today 💜

Bullying is a form of violent behaviour chosen by individuals who lack empathy to control and gain power over others. It is associated with a weakness in humanity in the bully, not a lack of strength in the victim. Many studies have looked into the bully's profile. Here are the traits that are associated with bullies: - High self-confidence - High Impulsiveness - High selfishness - High self-centeredness - High hostility - High extraversion - Low conscientiousness (unethical and not detail-oriented) - Low agreeableness - Low empathy - Low humility - Low honesty - Low emotional intelligence These traits can be and must be measured during selection/promotion processes. There are ways to reduce the chances of hiring and promoting individuals who are at high risk of perpetrating bullying. The problem is that organizations often mistake the traits associated with bullying as "strong leadership skills" and a higher potential for success. The second problem is the lack of solid, effective, unbiased performance appraisals. Individuals who manipulate their way through selection processes use the same tactics to manipulate their superiors into getting good performance appraisals. The impression that they can "get things done" helps them gain the support of upper management. In a culture where profit comes before people, no one looks at or cares about HOW employees or managers "get things done" as long as it profits upper management or the organization. While bullying acts are 100% the perpetrator's responsibility, organizations and upper management are also to blame. They are responsible for creating and establishing the organizational culture. Creating a safe culture means living by organizational values, addressing aggressive or uncivil behaviour, effectively applying the zero harassment tolerance policy, protecting victims and whistleblowers, and sanctioning individuals guilty of violent/aggressive behaviours. Are workplace bullying victims weak? NO. Many strong, qualified, confident individuals become victims of workplace bullying. Violence is a fault in the perpetrator, not in the victim. Individuals who lack humility and empathy, who put their own needs above the well-being of others, believe that leadership is about control and view success and titles as a privilege to use others for their gain are likely to bully others in the workplace. Bullying can be avoided by creating structured selection and promotion processes that identify red flags for potential bullying and focus on empathy, kindness, openness to others, and humility, in addition to other skills needed for the position. Bullying can also be eliminated by dealing with inappropriate behaviour promptly and effectively and applying zero harassment policies. At the risk of oversimplifying, if organizations want to address workplace bullying, they need to avoid hiring, promoting, and protecting individuals who harm others. Take care of yourself and the people around you 💗

National Suicide Prevention Month may be coming to a close, but suicide and mental health resources are always available. Share this with your network! 💙

Please join the Philadelphia Chapter of the Association of Legal Administrators in a virtual session entitled "Mental Health Matters." When your cup is bone dry, no amount of bubble baths or quick tips can fill it. Proper self-care isn’t one-size-fits-all—it’s deeply personal. Finding what works for you is okay, even if it doesn’t look like the wellness ads we see daily. Take care of yourself in the way that feels right for you. Speaker: Kate MacArdle - Practice Support Manager Ballard Spahr LLP & Certified Mental Health First-Aider When: October 1, 12:00 - 1:15 PM Where: on Zoom -- https://lnkd.in/dyVFDadT #PhilaALA #ALABuzz #MentalHealth #MentalHealthMatters

Last week the HR Section presented a fantastic hybrid session on Mental Health Care: Self-Care and Self-Compassion. Thank you to Independence Chapter of the Association of Legal Administrators President, Kate MacArdle, for her engaging session and practical takeaways. In-person participants stuck around an extra 20 minutes to immediately practice our social self-care! Amazing! For other chapters considering this topic in your education schedule, we highly recommend Kate! Thank you to our business partner sponsors, Nationwide Legal LLC and Robert Half for making this session possible, and to Cooley LLP for hosting us! #ALABuzz #GGALA #alagoldengate #mentalhealth #selfcare #nationwidelegal #roberthalf Mike Taraban Jon Lucchese

Event Alert: Whiskey & Cybersecurity for Law Firms! SPACE IS LIMITED! Date: October 22 Time: 4:30 PM - 7:00 PM Location: Ostroff Godshall Injury and Accident Lawyers | Blue Bell, PA Join us for an exclusive event hosted by the Independence Chapter of the Association of Legal Administrators (ALA) and Altek Business Systems, Inc. $40 for ALA members $50 for non-members Register by October 15: https://shorturl.at/6sqJg This is a must-attend for Managing Partners of Eastern PA law firms! Network, enjoy premium whiskey tastings with special host Scott Flaherty, CEO of Altek Business Systems, Inc., and dive into essential discussions led by Cyber Security Special Agents and CTOs on safeguarding your firm's data.