We’ve all heard the saying, “People don’t leave jobs, they leave toxic workplaces.”
At the centre of that problem is often bullying. Whether it’s open or subtle, bullying slowly damages confidence, stops communication, and turns teamwork into stress. It doesn’t just hurt individuals; it weakens the whole organization. Productivity drops, creativity fades, and even strong companies can start to fall apart from within.
Recognizing the deep impact of workplace bullying, Dr. Nan Cowardin-Lee, Founder and Organizational Consultant at Essential Business Behaviors Coaching & Consulting, in collaboration with the Workplace Bullying Institute, has dedicated her career to creating safe, respectful, and bully-free workplaces. With over 25 years of experience in organizational psychology and a trauma-informed approach, she helps individuals and organizations identify toxic behaviors, address them effectively, and foster healthier work cultures. Through her coaching, consulting, and advocacy, she empowers leaders to create environments where people feel valued, supported, and able to thrive.
A Voice Behind the Healthy Workplace Movement
Dr Nan Cowardin-Lee’s journey with the Workplace Bullying Institute began sixteen years ago, driven by her experience as a target of workplace bullying and a desire to create awareness and change. Seeking understanding and support, she connected with the California Healthy Workplace Advocates (CHWA), a grassroots organization inspired by the Workplace Bullying Institute and led by educators who had experienced bullying firsthand. When she joined in 2005, the group met in local restaurants, sharing stories, discussing laws, and organizing awareness campaigns. Those early experiences inspired her to transform personal adversity into purposeful advocacy.
Over time, her involvement deepened from community engagement to legislative action. She contributed to campaigns supporting the Healthy Workplace Bill and played a key role in securing a City of Berkeley proclamation against workplace bullying—an important milestone in her advocacy journey. While the resulting California law included limitations, her work highlighted the importance of policy-driven solutions to protect employees and promote respectful work environments.
Beyond advocacy, Dr Cowardin-Lee established a small publishing company and authored three influential books addressing workplace bullying and recovery. 10 Steps to Overcome Workplace Bullying focuses on resilience and healing. The Union Steward’s Guide to Dealing with Workplace Bullying—co-authored with a union steward—empowers workers to address toxic leadership, and How and Why to Tell Your Bullying Story guides individuals in sharing their experiences to support personal growth and legislative change. Through her ongoing efforts, Dr. Cowardin-Lee continues to champion safe, respectful, and psychologically healthy workplaces.
Witnessing Workplace Bullying
One of the biggest challenges that shaped Dr Nan’s view on leadership and workplace culture came during her early career in Silicon Valley’s dot-com era. While working at a law firm, she saw firsthand how workplace bullying could destroy morale, trust, and teamwork. Later, during the financial recession, she faced another toxic environment under a manipulative academic leader, which showed her how unethical leadership and misuse of power can harm people and organizations.
Instead of letting these experiences discourage her, Dr. Nan used them as motivation to make a difference. She went on to earn her Ph.D., focusing on leadership, group dynamics, and organizational culture. These lessons inspired her to promote servant leadership—an approach that values empathy, collaboration, and respect. Today, she helps leaders and organizations create workplaces where people feel safe, valued, and supported to do their best work.
Dr. Nan’s True Reward Lies In Helping Others Heal
For Dr. Nan Cowardin-Lee, leadership has always felt like a calling. No matter where her career path led, the issue of workplace bullying kept finding its way back to her, reinforcing her purpose in advocating for healthier work environments. She understands that standing up against workplace abuse is not an easy or profitable path, but it is one driven by compassion and integrity. For her, the true reward lies in helping others heal—seeing individuals regain their confidence, rebuild their sense of self, and move forward after experiencing workplace trauma is what makes her work deeply meaningful.
Drawing the Line at Workplace Bullying
The Workplace Bullying Institute plays a vital role in raising awareness through surveys and advanced training programs—but the deepest understanding comes from those who have lived through the pain of bullying themselves. Unlike childhood bullying, workplace bullying is often harder to spot. It hides behind polite smiles, professional language, and everyday interactions that seem normal on the surface but slowly chip away at a person’s confidence and well-being. Some bullies may not even realize the damage they cause, while others do so intentionally—and that makes their impact even more harmful. Meanwhile, bystanders often stay silent out of fear, allowing toxic behavior to quietly spread across teams and entire organizations.
One of the biggest challenges is that workplace bullying is often confused with ordinary conflict. But the two are not the same. Conflicts can be resolved through communication and compromise; bullying cannot. It demands leadership intervention and strong organizational policies. At its core, workplace bullying is an abuse of power—one that can destroy not just careers but also mental health, financial security, and trust within the workplace. Whether it appears as open aggression or subtle manipulation, its effects are always deeply damaging to individuals and to the culture of the organization itself.
Ensuring Members Feel Heard, Validated, And Connected
Dr. Nan Cowardin-Lee’s approach blends compassion with advocacy through a trauma-informed perspective that fosters trust, safety, and empowerment. As the Overseer of Workplace Bullying SafeHarbor, she ensures members feel heard, supported, and connected to resources. She encourages open, respectful dialogue and believes real progress happens through honesty and collaboration. Committed to justice and accountability, Dr. Nan advocates for stronger, status-blind laws and policies against workplace bullying, raising awareness of its serious effects while helping create environments where people feel safe, respected, and empowered to speak up.
Models Promoting Awareness, Accountability, and Healthy Workplace Culture
Dr. Nan has developed two important frameworks that help organizations better understand and address workplace behavior—The Crossing the Line Model and The Conflict Management Domain. Both are designed to promote awareness, accountability, and healthier organizational cultures.
Developed in 2015, the Crossing the Line model draws from extensive research on workplace bullying and definitions of abusive behavior. It illustrates the full range of actions that can occur in the workplace, from mild incivility to severe harassment, showing where and how professional boundaries are crossed. The model helps individuals and organizations recognize harmful behavior early and understand its impact on workplace culture. It also shows that with the right awareness, anyone can recognize abusive behavior without needing special training. This simple and useful model helps create safer and more respectful workplaces.
Crossing the Line, Dr. Nan (2015)
Building on that foundation, the Conflict Management Domain model, introduced in 2018, examines how conflict and abusive behavior influence the overall functioning of an organization. It provides a structured way to understand the progression of conflict—from healthy disagreement to destructive dynamics—and highlights how unmanaged conflict can lead to reduced morale, lower productivity, and higher turnover. The model encourages leaders to adopt strategies that promote open communication, fairness, and psychological safety, allowing teams to handle disagreements in a constructive and transparent manner.
The Conflict Management Domain, Dr. Nan (2018)
Dr. Nan’s Vision For A Clearer, Safer Future At Work
Dr. Nan Cowardin-Lee believes that awareness around toxic leadership and workplace bullying is growing rapidly across California and the U.S. In recent years, more employees have experienced or witnessed the effects of narcissistic and abusive leadership, bringing ethical and legal violations into sharper focus. This shift has sparked broader conversations about accountability and the urgent need for change. While progress is emerging—such as anti-bullying legislation being considered in states like Massachusetts, West Virginia, and New York, and meaningful steps already taken in Oregon and Puerto Rico—Dr. Nan emphasizes that there is still a long way to go.
She hopes to leave a lasting legacy of greater awareness and continues to advocate for status-blind anti-harassment legislation at the state level. Dr. Nan believes it is more important than ever for states to take responsibility for protecting workers’ health and well-being, especially when workplace abuse and trauma are too often accepted as part of management culture. Looking ahead, she envisions the next five years as a crucial time for establishing clear definitions of workplace bullying and abusive behavior—ensuring that those who harm others in the workplace are finally held accountable under the law.
Postcard Campaign
Dr. Nan Cowardin-Lee sheds light on the deep and often overlooked connection between workplace bullying, suicide, and workplace violence. These issues are far more than individual struggles—they’re growing public health concerns that affect people’s mental well-being, relationships, and livelihoods. Yet, many continue to suffer in silence, afraid to speak up for fear of retaliation or being misunderstood.
Recognizing this silence, Dr. Nan Cowardin-Lee has launched a powerful postcard campaign to spark awareness and action—an initiative that gives a voice to those who have been unheard for far too long.
Success Story
One story that stands out to Dr. Nan involves a woman who was being stalked by a former FBI employee—a situation that left her feeling frightened and unsure where to turn. Recognizing the urgency, Dr. Nan connected her with a local attorney who could take immediate action. Through that connection, the woman found the right legal support, and the harassment was ultimately stopped.
The Evolution of Awareness
Between 2001 and 2003, when Dr. Nan Cowardin-Lee experienced workplace bullying, only a few people even recognized it as a real problem. Talking about it to a new employer was unthinkable, and only a handful of lawyers or therapists understood what workplace bullying truly meant. Over time, especially after the passage of California’s training law, awareness has grown significantly. Social media platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, and Substack have played a key role by giving bullied individuals a space to connect, share their experiences, and access emotional and legal support.
Take Feedback And Criticism As Opportunities For Learning And Growth
Dr. Nan Cowardin-Lee believes that every manager should also be a coach. She views feedback and criticism as opportunities for learning and growth, even when they are difficult to accept. For her, listening with an open mind is an essential part of building trust and improving as a leader. She emphasizes that personal growth is a lifelong journey best taken step by step. While it may not always be comfortable, Nan believes continuous learning is necessary in today’s fast-changing world.
Advice for Aspiring Leaders
Dear Readers,
Leadership defines what’s acceptable within any workplace. To build a culture rooted in respect and integrity, leaders must be value-driven and consistently lead by example. “Walking the talk” isn’t just a phrase: It’s a responsibility that shapes how others behave and respond.
Equally important is self-care. A leader who takes care of their well-being is better equipped to support and guide their team effectively. Every leader should also understand the fine line between healthy conflict and abusive behavior. Recognizing this distinction helps prevent harm and promotes fairness across the organization.
Lastly, create policies through collaboration and consensus. Fair systems protect employees from scapegoating, bias, and unjust treatment while holding everyone accountable for their actions. True leadership is built on empathy, awareness, and a commitment to doing what’s right—every single time.
Sincerely,
Dr. Nanette (Nan) Cowardin-Lee, Ph.D.
Founder and Organizational Consultant, Essential Business Behaviors Coaching & Consulting
In the Medias
Dr. Nan Cowardin-Lee has been featured in several publications that highlight her work and advocacy:
- On January 14, 2025, Grit Daily published an article titled “How Personal Experience Shifted Dr. Nanette Cowardin-Lee’s Professional Journey,” which explores how her personal experiences shaped her mission to create healthier workplaces.
- Later, on August 21, 2025, she appeared on Fox 5: KUSI News in a segment titled “How to Handle Workplace Bullying,” where she discussed practical strategies for addressing bullying and fostering respectful work environments.
Nan Cowardin-Lee’s 5 Impactful Business Mantras
1. Empower Through Trust:
Progress happens when people feel safe, heard, and free to speak openly. Strong workplaces grow from ethical leadership, fairness, and mutual respect.
2. Lead with Empathy and Accountability:
Great leaders balance compassion with responsibility and always act with integrity.
3. Turn Adversity into Purpose:
Challenges are lessons that build strength, wisdom, and empathy.
4. Raise Awareness, Prevent Abuse:
Early recognition and open dialogue are key to stopping workplace bullying.
5. Empower Through Trust:
Progress happens when people feel safe, heard, and free to speak openly.
