When “Mediocre” Almost Defined Me
“I started writing my book six years ago and titled it ‘My Mediocre Career in the Media.’ I felt my career was a failure —despite leading 50 video journalists worldwide at the Wall Street Journal earning a Loeb Award, two Emmy nominations, and the Associated Press, "Innovator Of The Year Award."
A lack of self-esteem and the need for external validation are exactly what workplace bullies exploit. They target your dedication, your expertise, your passion—and then abuse their power to get you to question it all.
During my career I was belittled, scorned, ignored, ostracized, and scapegoated.
I see this happen every day in my coaching work with targets: the people who pour their heart into the work, who stay late, who solve problems, who lift up their teams… and then one bully boss shatters their confidence.
Now, I no longer suffer from black-and-white thinking. I don’t just look at each job and how things ended. I look at all the good work I did, the promotions I received and great colleagues I encountered.
Bosses—Own Your Influence
💪 You’re a hero figure. Your feedback becomes your team’s internal dialogue.
🗣️ Words shape identity. What you say—or don’t say—creates lasting narratives.
🌡️ You set the climate. Fear stifles innovation; respect breeds engagement.
Targets—Reclaim Your Narrative
🚫 Don’t let a bully define you. You know your accomplishments—keep them at the forefront.
🤝 Lean on your champions. Friends, family, and colleagues who remind you of your true wins.
🌿 Healing is a journey. Recognize triggers, practice self-compassion, and grow stronger.
Actionable Takeaways
👂 Listen first. Deep listening diffuses conflict and builds trust.
🚧 Name the behavior. Calling out incivility prevents tacit approval.
📈 Prioritize psychological safety. Respect drives retention, performance, and profits.
🦋 Celebrate micro-moments of joy. Small acts of recognition shift culture over time.
👉 Join our safe space: Navigating Workplace Bullying (Facebook Group)
🧑 Connect on LinkedIn: Andy Regal
📚 For the full story and practical tools, read “Surviving Bully Culture: 𝑁𝑎𝑣𝑖𝑔𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑊𝑜𝑟𝑘𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑒 𝐵𝑢𝑙𝑙𝑦𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑎 𝐺𝑢𝑖𝑑𝑒 𝐹𝑜𝑟 𝐻𝑒𝑎𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑔” (Simon & Schuster)
Simon & Schuster → https://bit.ly/3EHMgHs
Barnes & Noble → https://bit.ly/3RXrLcT
Amazon → https://bit.ly/4ir8jA7
My Website → https://bit.ly/43yAnxK
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If you or someone you know is struggling, let’s talk. info@andyregal.com
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