The Problem With the Word “Target” in Workplace Bullying
The Hidden Damage of the Bully–Target Paradigm
Workplace bullying isn’t rare. It’s a widespread problem affecting millions every day — and yet the way we talk about it hasn’t evolved. For decades, experts and organizations have leaned on the idea that bullying is an interpersonal issue between a bully and a “target.” This bully–target paradigm doesn’t just oversimplify the problem — it actively causes harm.
The trouble with this framework is that it shapes how people see themselves and how organizations respond. Instead of addressing the culture that enables bullies, the bully–target paradigm traps people in shame and convinces them they are powerless.
The Problem with the Framework
The bully–target paradigm wasn’t born out of rigorous, objective research. It came from early experiences and anecdotal accounts that leaned heavily on victim perspectives while leaving out bullies, bystanders, and organizational systems. That bias framed bullying as something tied to traits like “reporting misconduct” or having “a good work ethic.”
The bigger problem is that this framing has rarely been challenged. It was absorbed into the field as if it were settled truth. Research continues to ask the wrong questions, reinforcing the idea that people are bullied because of who they are or what they did, instead of focusing on the real issue — bullies and the cultures that enable them.
Another issue is rhetoric, especially the use of the word “target.” The word implies people walk into the workplace with a target on their back — that bullying is about who they are rather than the presence of a bully.
I’ve never liked the word “target.” To me, it suggests there’s something wrong with me. That wasn’t my reality. I was a professional hired into an organization that chose to protect bullies instead of protecting me.
Some people try to use “target” as empowerment, saying they were bullied because of their work ethic or because they reported misconduct. But even that logic is flawed. Bullying doesn’t start because someone reports — it starts long before. Reporting is a reaction to it.
The truth is simple: bullying has nothing to do with the person being bullied. It has everything to do with the bully — and the culture that allows them to get away with it.
How the Bully–Target Narrative Harms People
This framework paints people who are bullied as victims — powerless from the start. It suggests they walked into the workplace with a target on their back, as if bullying was inevitable. Under this logic, the only choices they have are to “document and report.” But in reality, those steps often make the bullying worse, reinforcing their victimhood instead of stopping it.
This hurts deeply. It breeds more shame. Over time, people begin to believe they are the problem — that there’s nothing they can do. It becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy that keeps them stuck, while the real problem — the bully and the organizational culture that protects them — goes unchallenged.
I see this when I work with people who’ve been bullied. The bully–target framework is so ingrained that when I talk about the power they still have — the ways they can respond, protect themselves, and influence the dynamic — some get angry with me. They tell me I’m wrong, because the framework has convinced them they are powerless.
And sometimes, people almost revel in the role of “victim” or “target.” They repeat it so often it becomes their identity. They’ll say they were bullied because they reported or because they had a strong work ethic. On the surface, that sounds empowering — but it still ties bullying back to them. That’s the trap: it convinces people that bullying is about who they are, when in truth it’s about the bully and the culture that protects them.
The Missing Research That Keeps Us Stuck
Another reason the bully–target paradigm holds so much weight is because most research on workplace bullying has focused almost exclusively on the people being bullied. Their voices matter, but when we only ask one group, the picture is incomplete — and skewed.
What’s missing?
Bystanders. Their silence, complicity, or quiet support often determines whether bullying escalates or stops, yet research into their choices and justifications is rare.
Bullies. Very little research asks bullies themselves about their motives, behaviors, or the organizational dynamics that protect them. Without their perspective, we’re left guessing — and reinforcing stereotypes.
Organizations. Culture, leadership, and group dynamics are powerful forces, but too often studies focus on individuals rather than the systems that allow bullying to thrive.
The result is a field that leans heavily on victim accounts and keeps recycling the same bully–target framing. Until research expands to study bullying as an ecosystem, we’ll keep misdiagnosing the problem and offering surface solutions that don’t work.
Moving Beyond the Binary
Workplace bullying is not a two-person conflict. It is an organizational issue. When we stop labeling people as “targets,” we free them from the shame and start asking the right questions:
What is it about this workplace culture that enables bullying?
How is leadership role-modeling or ignoring abusive behavior?
What group dynamics are sustaining the problem?
The Shift That Matters
Bullying is not about who you are. It’s about the flaws in the bully and the culture that protects them. The sooner we abandon the bully–target paradigm, the sooner people can stop carrying shame that never belonged to them in the first place — and the sooner organizations can confront the real issue: their responsibility to create a safe and respectful workplace.
A Call to Action
Language matters. Every time we use the word “target,” we reinforce shame and hand power back to the bully. It’s time to drop that label.
If you’ve been bullied, you are not a “target.” You are a professional who walked into a workplace that chose to protect bullies instead of protecting you. The problem is not you — it never was. The problem is the bully, and the culture that enabled them.
Stop using the word “target.” Stop carrying blame that never belonged to you. That’s the first step toward real empowerment — and toward holding organizations accountable for the cultures they create.
