Workplace bullying often zeroes in on a particular type of employee—someone many employers aspire to have on their team. This individual is characterized by a high degree of self-reliance, discernment, creativity, intrinsic motivation, and a cooperative attitude, while steering clear of office politics and cutthroat competition. In essence, these are the self-directed workers.
These self-directed employees have likely surmounted various challenges within conventional educational systems before entering the workforce. Many of these highly self-directed learners, often harboring exceptional creativity and talent, may have encountered struggles during their educational journey.
Nevertheless, navigating the pitfalls and valleys over time hones their character. Research indicates a positive correlation between self-directedness and attributes such as purposefulness, resourcefulness, and self-acceptance. While the behavior of self-directed employees might seem unconventional or questionable at first glance, closer examination unveils hidden advantages.
For instance, these workers tend to fear failure less due to their prior experiences, leading them to embrace experimentation and leadership roles. In comparison to their peers, they may actively pursue a wider range of innovative professional development opportunities. Striking a delicate equilibrium between team collaboration and maintaining individuality, they enhance group morale, support their colleagues, and guard against groupthink.
Despite the potential for trying the patience of others, self-directed employees bring substantial value and dependability to a team. Their readiness to test novel ideas and remain steadfast during challenging situations bolsters their credibility.
However, the flip side of self-directedness introduces downsides that could jeopardize their job security. Chief among them is the inclination to inadvertently challenge authority by deviating from established success formulas, scripts, or templates. Leaders favoring traditional approaches might perceive this as too risky.
Conveying candid feedback to higher-ups, devoid of the veneer of artificial niceness that a more authoritative or paternalistic figure may expect, exemplifies how self-directedness could misfire. The potential for stepping on toes inadvertently is limitless.
Another scarcely acknowledged facet of self-directedness in the workplace is its susceptibility to peer-to-peer coworker abuse, distinct from top-down bullying.
