Catherine founded Civility Partners (a strategic HR consultancy that helps companies build positive cultures) in 2008 as a result of working in a toxic environment. She’s written three books the first of which is widely recognized as a valuable guide to prevent work place bullying; BACK OFF! Your Kick-Ass Guide to Ending Bullying at Work. 

I had the chance to hear Catherine on another podcast before our conversation and I was super impressed. There are a lot of people who speak on the topics of bullying, toxic environments, and the damage it all causes; but what impressed me so much about Catherine was her depth of understanding of the human psyche. She wasn't just saying bullying was bad and providing superficial tips to fix it, she was explaining at a deep, fundamental level why people become bullies, the challenges they have in trying to improve, and proven methods to make a change.

Sometimes I worry people think I like to question and debate just for the sake of it, but discussions like this one actually highlight the real reason. I am on a desperate search for answers and insights to be a better person, so when people appear to have a true understanding of human nature I need to probe and dissect their thoughts to understand it as fully as I can. I want to understand how someone with a style like Steve Jobs could be so successful, if bullying can be as net negative as we all seem to believe it is. I want to understand how we define a "safe" work environment when the term "safe" is so subjective and might differ for everyone. I want to dig into all the crevices and try to pull out any valuable insights that can help us be better.

Fortunately, Catherine delivered and had some really interesting takes on all of the questions I asked. We followed some threads and explored together how to make sense of this complicated, nuanced topic of bullying; and I personally had a lot of fun doing it. Big thanks to her for being on and the work she does.