SATURDAY NIGHTS WITH SPARKS

LETS TALK ABOUT BULLYING

I WAS A VICTIM TOO..

So I am going to share a story with you and allow you make assertions, corrections and maybe advise as well………………………………

"I joined Sterling Bank a couple of years ago and I was a firebrand!! Literally, I had so much faith in our bank, I preached, prayed and sang STERLING...nothing could deter me...not bad network...or failing mobile app...I always defended my bank...sometimes I blamed the other bank when deep within me I knew it was our fault...

My first supervisor was a woman and contrary to the famous belief that women never get along, it was a blissful and great learning process under her leadership. Not once did she have to complain, we were eager to learn under her and make mistakes as much as possible, because we would eventually pull through even if she shouted at us.

 She pushed me to be my best, I was relief SM when I was less than 6months on the job TWICE....I wasn’t perfect...I was the least experienced ET at the time... but the drive to be the best was there..

My next supervisor was a young man, easy going, very mild voice, never ever raising his voice even when correcting you. Life was wonderful, we still closed from work late...almost a norm in the branches....but since our hearts were at peace, we didn’t mind.

Then the next supervisor, another man, different from the other ones but still very kind and tolerant, ready to correct and teach. This supervisor was very firm but professional, his attitude and dedication to work, and attention to detail saved me from being roped into a theft that happened at work. I got queries but it was strictly work based and corrections were taken immediately.

Now the next supervisor was my introduction to other side of work. In his first meeting with us (operations staff)....he instilled FEAR in us. He said "I came here to please my supervisor, after God, the next person is my supervisor ".

 Nobody coughed. ‘Who born you??’ We were very afraid, but you dare not speak.

Sometimes he laughed...Sometimes he tried to be funny...but most times he was a terror. He changed our way of doing things, turned everything...it was like a coup happened overnight. If you made a mistake on the job, you get to hear "you are not smart"....

 We were now afraid to make mistakes and when we did, we "regularized" on our own for the fear of backlash.

I loved to speak up...but

 What do you do when your bully says "shebi they say there is freedom of speech..we shall see"....or if you try to speak up, he says "it has been noted, there will be consequences:

 What do you do when you are too afraid to speak??

I got so tired of work, it held no meaning to me, some days I cried home, slipping gradually into depression, then I finally opened up to my mom, she said "people like this only try to eat at your self esteem to make you feel you don’t know what you are doing, keep striving to be the best at what you do...and never stop being kind to your customers".

In all of this, I never reported to the authorities, too many questions, what if I became the scrape goat and I allowed myself to be bullied into accepting so many wrongs.

You see, in my case, my bully didn't become my mentor, my bully didn’t become my friend...my bully succeeded in killing my drive and its taking a lot of self will to push myself to go all out for my bank.

Abu said something profound...."If you see something, say something"

I was bullied ONCE, I was silent but I won’t be bullied again...

 About the Author
Here is what Andikan Inyang also known as 'Sparks' has to say about herself......................

As a Chemical Engineering graduate, former Immigration Officer and present day banker.....and most importantly, a foodie, I hide behind my pen.......therein lies my strength. I hope to pursue a career in writing and explore the world of poetry. So help me God.