David Yamada's blog

According to Dr. Donna Hicks, dignity is a quality we all possess by virtue of being human, while respect is something that we must earn.

I encounter a lot of good people who are trying to make the world a better place through their writing. They may be writing books, articles, short stories, blog posts, Facebook entries, reports, creative works, or a host of other possibilities.

For all in this broad category, Mary Pipher’s Writing to Change the World (2006) is instructive and inspirational.

Pipher is a bestselling author and therapist. Her book reflects upon the uses of writing to make a positive difference. Here are a few snippets from the introduction:

In a piece for Forbes, Kate Harrison identifies what she sees as common mistakes that “turn good people into bad bosses,” and first on her list is “Being too inclusive.” She explains:

The next time you read a general piece about workplace bullying that attracts a lot of comments, take a look at how people describe their experiences of being bullied at work.

More often than not, you’ll read through dozens of personal stories mixing details of what happened with expressions of pain, despair, and anger. Most commenters recount their own experiences with workplace bullying; others share stories of close family members enduring it.

Rarely, however, are these comments loaded with ALL CAPS rants or snarky putdowns. No, such remarks tend to come from folks who ridicule the very notion that we should take workplace bullying seriously.