Generally, workplace bullies are someone with higher power or superiors. However, that is not always the case. Bullying can happen among peers. Lower-level employees can also possibly become a bully. In a nutshell, bullies can come from any direction and they can take different forms. Here are four types of them.

The aggressive communicator
When you hear the word bully, what comes to mind? The typical screaming and yelling, always in a bad mad mood kind of person. This type of bully is also called the Screaming Mimi as they tend to make a public scene and instil fear towards their targets as well as co-workers. This bully is always lurking for its next target, usually someone who would be terrified of speaking up. 

Aggressive communication can include yelling, sending angry emails, and using aggressive body language. The place where this kind of bully will cast out their power is commonly in staff meetings. For example, they can be putting their feet on the table and leaning back before sending out long tirades about why someone's idea would not work. 

The humiliator
A boss that often travels, criticizes from afar, to the point where they give disparaging emails frequently. Not only that this bully will chastise every little thing that you do, but they will also make sure that their subordinates never get the credit. This type is often called the Constant Critic. 

Unlike the aggressive communicator who yells in the public, the humiliator does not yell at you in front of everyone else, but they disparage you on a regular basis which will make you eventually doubt your abilities. Their words will wear you down that your productivity starts declining. 

To make it worse, the humiliator, as the name suggests, might humiliate you in public or one-on-one by pointing out mistakes, taking credit for your hard work, socially isolating you and playing jokes on you.

The gatekeeper
One of the most frustrating aspects is when a boss keeps on criticizing you for doing things in the wrong way when they had never even given you instructions in the first place. In some cases, they can get furious.

This type of bully typically manipulates their targets and withholds resources - whether it's instructions, information, time, or help from others - in every way to lead you to failure. They might tell you only three steps to the process when there are actually five. They will give you poor performance reviews without any reason or punish you when you are late to work.  

The gatekeeper can be your peers or subordinates if they always forget to invite you to important calls or pass prominent little details that will prevent you from doing a good job. 

The two-face talker

One of the most difficult to detect is the two-faced talker or the two-headed snake. They meddle and get what they desire from behind the scenes. This type of bully pretends to be your friend and a champion when it comes to backing you up. However, behind it all, they were just trying to control your reputation so that at some point when the time is right, they are able to tear you to shreds. 

Often, this bully will ask a third party to keep their credentials confidential after tipping you off. Therefore, it is hard to combat this kind of bully when you don't even know what is happening.