Down with bullies

The article "How to Beat a Bully" in the January/February issue really hit home. Eighteen years ago I gave up everything at 33 to sign up for a veterinary technician program that was new to our state. I was so excited to finally be able to do what I'd dreamed of for years. I worked hard and graduated at the top of my class with high honors. I moved to a rural area to be closer to my family and landed my first job. I stayed for 16 years because the people were so good to me and I truly loved helping them and their pets. Only one drawback: a bully boss!

In my 16 years in that position, we had more than 24 employees come and go because of the boss's temper tantrums and abusive behavior. And numerous clients took their records elsewhere. By this time I'd married and couldn't move. The negativity at work took its toll on my health. After a long stretch of putting up with the tantrums and continually training new help, I left to work at a new clinic farther away.

I had high hopes for a new beginning. Within two weeks, I could see I was in for more of the same. The boss forced the other technician on staff to leave in tears one day. She never returned. I stayed for five months before I decided enough was enough. So here I sit in my 50s, wondering what on earth I'm going to do with my life now.

Thanks for validating the things I've gone through and helping me to see that it wasn't my fault. I'm a strong person, but it's hard to understand the whys. Bullies don't seem to understand that their bad behavior ultimately comes back to hurt them. Clients notice a bully boss, and it makes them lose respect for the doctor. It became a joke around town. Clients would laugh and ask me, "Who are you training this week?" or "Aren't you going to run out of new people?"

I think the only solution is to get out as soon as you realize there's a problem. The situation won't improve, and it's not worth losing your health.

Name withheld by request