The Price of Speaking UP

“I have a story. An unbelievable one unless you know how workplace bullying works. I was too scared to share my story, but I am now ready because I’ve lost everything (career-wise) for speaking out. Today is the first day of no health insurance for me and my family. My savings run out soon. In the meantime, some players involved are retiring with a lifetime of benefits. 

It’s not easy to move on from workplace bullying. There are emotional struggles, cognitive struggles, financial struggles, and what may be the worst, depending on the day, struggles due to the Scarlet L.

Yes, the Scarlet L: Liability.

For those of us who chose to speak up, we now carry the burden of being a liability. Future employers see it that way, references are hesitant to offer support, and even well-intentioned friends and family can question why we set ourselves up for making ourselves a liability.

Why is the liability the worst aspect? First, because it influences all the other areas. Second, because it is not deserved, but that fact does not matter to those involved. We are branded as being difficult and likely to cause problems if we see issues that need addressing in future workplaces. Instead of a workplace preemptively addressing those issues or utilizing your expertise to overcome those issues, it’s easier to choose to not hire a liability. Worst aspect: because your former colleagues and team members pay the price. We left because nothing changed despite casting a floodlight on egregious behaviors. The bully, the true liability, moves on to the next victim, and the culture and worker availability continues to decline.

And when it comes to healthcare, who is potentially most at risk? You. When you go in for your next procedure and your team members are not working at full capacity due to shortages in staff, energy, and cognitive resources, you are not receiving optimal care.

It’s a breeding ground for medical errors, causing further harm not only to the patient and family, but the healthcare workers on the team. 

It’s a vicious cycle, and all because of the misappropriation of who the liability is. 

I’m coming to terms with my Scarlet L. I’m not there yet but getting there. But rest assured, I will never remain silent about who the true liability is regardless of how bright my Scarlet L becomes.”