The best way to keep bullying managers out of your organization? Identify them as applicants and don’t hire them.

Being the victim of a workplace bully is serious business. Courts recognize that, and so should employers, since the damages paid for bullying incidents have run into six figures.

Clinical psychologist Joni Johnston recommends that you ask four key questions when you’re interviewing someone who might be slotted for a supervisory job:

What’s your management philosophy?

Tell me about a time when you had to deal with an employee who didn’t follow orders. What did you do?

If you had an employee with personal problems, how would you deal with that situation?

Give me an example of a time when you were angry with a co-worker. What did you do?

There’s no one answer that will scream, “He’s a bully!” But if the answer to any of the questions sets off an alarm in your head, trust your instincts. You’re probably dealing with someone who has tendencies to bully others.

Tags: bullying, joni johnston, Management