Matt Paknis Leadership Development

"There can be no greater good than the quest for peace, and no finer purpose than the preservation of freedom." — Ronald Reagan  "The greatest leader is not necessarily the one who does the greatest things. He is the one that gets the people to do the greatest things." — George H.W. Bush #good #peace #purpose #freedom #people #leadersarentbullies #healthyworkplaces #leaderselevatethoughtandconduct #rights #psychologicalsafetyatworkact #democracy

"All warfare is based on deception." — Sun Tzu "As Commander-in-Chief, I have no greater responsibility than the security of the American people." - Barack Obama "As commander in chief, my highest duty is to defend the American people and the Constitution of the United States of America." - Donald Trump #unite #Secure #protect #defend #democracy #leadersarentbullies #healthyworkplaces #leaderselevatethoughtandconduct #freedom #psychologicalsafetyatworkact #rights

"The most dangerous people in the world... act without a conscience, but for a paycheck" - Suzy Kassem "If ethics is poor at the top, that behavior is copied throughout the organization." - Robert Noyce "Behind every corrupt "judge" are 10-20 corrupt businessmen." — Mo Ibrahim #fair #moral #ethical #legal #character   #leadersarentbullies #healthyworkplaces #leaderselevatethoughtandconduct #justice #psychologicalsafetyatworkact #impartial

"The measure of a (person) is what (they) do with power." — Plato "Character is shown through manners and respect rather than power." - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.  "The possession of power inevitably spoils the free use of reason." — Immanuel Kant #Conduct #character #manners #Respect #leadersarentbullies #healthyworkplaces #leaderselevatethoughtandconduct #decency #psychologicalsafetyatworkact #freedom  Bullying involves exposure to repeated and enduring negative acts in the workplace when an imbalance of formal or informal power exists between the involved parties. #workplaceculture

"A man may die, nations may rise and fall, but an idea lives on". - John F. Kennedy "Perseverance and spirit have done wonders in all ages." – George Washington "Everything in life should be done with reflection." – John Adams #ideas #persevere #spirit #rise #reflect #leadersarentbullies #healthyworkplaces #leaderselevatethoughtandconduct #peace #psychologicalsafetyatworkact #freedom

Workplace bullying reports indicate only 2% of bystanders intervene and up to 60% do nothing.  "There comes a time when silence is betrayal." — Martin Luther King Jr. "When the whole world is silent, even one voice becomes powerful." — Malala Yousafzai "Speak up for people who cannot speak for themselves." — Proverbs 31:8 "I hear you. I see you. I believe you. You are not alone.  It's not your fault. Healing is possible. It's never too late." #leadersarentbullies #healthyworkplaces #justice #SpeakUp #leaderselevatethoughtandconduct #freedom #psychologicalsafetyatworkact #Rights

"A lawsuit with no legal precedent or standing, seeking  damages, from no jury, in the name of stopping something that never happened? Only in (Rhode Island)." - Kenneth Langone "A boomerang returns back to the person that throws it." — Vera Nazarian #justice #FreeSpeech #FairTrial #Rights #leadersarentbullies #healthyworkplaces #leaderselevatethoughtandconduct #truth #psychologicalsafetyatworkact #Freedom

"All I ask is that you respect me as a human being." - Jackie Robinson "Equality is the soul of liberty; there is, in fact, no liberty without it." — Frances Wright "Equality means nothing unless incorporated into the institutions." — Fannie Lou Hamer "No matter how big a nation is, it is no stronger than its weakest people." — Anonymous "The worst form of inequality is to try to make unequal things equal." - Aristotle #Respect #equality #liberty #strength #merit #leadersarentbullies #healthyworkplaces #leaderselevatethoughtandconduct #justice #psychologicalsafetyatworkact #freedom  Dan Olweus, defines bullying as: “...as aggressive behavior or intentional harm doing, carried out with repeated intent, involving actual or perceived imbalances of power between the victim (or target) and the bully (perpetrator)."  

"Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without." — Buddha "If there is to be peace in the world, There must be peace in the nations... There must be peace in the home... There must be peace in the heart." — Lao Tzu "Peace is not the absence of conflict, it is the ability to handle conflict by peaceful means." — Ronald Reagan "Peace begins with a smile." — Mother Teresa "Real peace is the presence of something beautiful" — Prem Rawat #peace #World #Nations #home #heart #love #leadersarentbullies #healthyworkplaces #leaderselevatethoughtandconduct #smile #psychologicalsafetyatworkact #beauty

"Emotions are energy, and energy can neither be created nor destroyed, only transformed." — Deepak Chopra "It's not about managing your emotions. It's about managing your reaction to your emotions." — Yung Pueblo "Whatever is begun in anger, ends in shame." — Benjamin Franklin #emotions #energy #transform #reaction #leadersarentbullies #healthyworkplaces #leaderselevatethoughtandconduct #calm #psychologicalsafetyatworkact #peace

Tortious interference is formally defined as intentional and improper interference with another's contractual or business relationships. "Never stir up litigation. A worse (person / company) can scarcely be found than one who does this." — Abraham Lincoln "Misery is the company of lawsuits." — Francois Rabelais "Lawsuits are catastrophic experiences." — Benjamin N. Cardozo #TortiousInterference #litigation #bullying #leadersarentbullies #healthyworkplaces #leaderselevatethoughtandconduct #truth #psychologicalsafetyatworkact #justice

"The one common denominator for resilient children is early intervention. It does work, and it seems to improve the prognosis." - Temple Grandin  "He who seeks to terrify others is more in fear himself". - Claudius Claudianus "Leadership is taking accountability yourself and holding others to the same standard, regardless of what's going on." - Jason Kelce #intervention #Resilience #accountability #leadersarentbullies #healthyworkplaces #leaderselevatethoughtandconduct #change #psychologicalsafetyatworkact #consequence  Unless there is intervention, severe consequences, and changed behavior, bullying children become bullying adults where they continue to do what they learned to do best to get what they want—to terrorize others.

"The welfare of each of us is dependent fundamentally upon the welfare of all of us." — Theodore Roosevelt "Our own safety, our own security, depends upon our willingness to do what it takes to defend this nation and uphold the values that we stand for" - Barack Obama "The first duty of the American government is to protect American citizens..." — Donald Trump #AllForOne #safety #security #defend #protect  #leadersarentbullies #healthyworkplaces #leaderselevatethoughtandconduct #team #psychologicalsafetyatworkact #democracy

"Society has a duty to recognize and defend the human right to safety." - Eleanor Roosevelt "To sin by silence when they should protest makes cowards of (people)." — Ella Wheeler Wilcox "A (person) dies when (they) refuse to stand up for what is right." — Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. #recognize #defend #humanrights #protest #leadersarentbullies #healthyworkplaces #leaderselevatethoughtandconduct #standup #psychologicalsafetyatworkact #democracy  

Most initial clients hired me to teach and assure their influencers were demonstrating healthy and effective management practices in compliance with safe workplace laws.   After 29 years of successful global service, it was ironic I was sued for elevating a reputable safety threat.   "A lawsuit can be a weapon." - Bari Weiss "Of all injustice, that which is greatest which goes under the name of law..." - Roger L'Estrange Babachanian #teachers #safety #motivation #justice #truth #leadersarentbullies #healthyworkplaces #leaderselevatethoughtandconduct #honesty #psychologicalsafetyatworkact #democracy

"Toxic leaders are often protected by their cronies, so cronyism doesn't just annoy employees; it kills morale, tanks productivity, and makes the company look like a clown show, a bad one." - PeopleHum "The greater the power, the more dangerous the abuse." - Edmund Burke  #merit #morale #motivation #production #leadersarentbullies #healthyworkplaces #leaderselevatethoughtandconduct #truth #psychologicalsafetyatworkact #justice In a bullying environment, protected, corrupt, complicit, colluding, and preferred executive relations and favoritism violate and undermine a target's individual rights, well being, health, safety, and productivity.

"As I would not be a slave, so I would not be a master. This expresses my idea of democracy."  "...government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth". - Abraham Lincoln "Knowing what's right doesn't mean much unless you do what's right." — Theodore Roosevelt "If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor." — Desmond Tutu #democracy #rights #justice #peace #equality  #leadersarentbullies #healthyworkplaces #leaderselevatethoughtandconduct #truth #psychologicalsafetyatworkact #FreeSpeech

"(Bullies) are social predators, and like all predators, they are looking for feeding grounds. Wherever you get power, prestige and money, you will find them." - Robert D. Hare "No One Deserves to Be Abused." - Tina Blacksmith “Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls.” ~Kahlil Gibran #strength #character #truth #justice #humility  #leadersarentbullies #healthyworkplaces #leaderselevatethoughtandconduct #grit #psychologicalsafetyatworkact #transcend

"If I were to remain silent, I'd be guilty of complicity." – Albert Einstein Einstein "There are two kinds of lawyers, those who know the law and those who know the judge." – Anonymous #justice #truth #integrity #freedom #FairTrial #leadersarentbullies #healthyworkplaces #leaderselevatethoughtandconduct #honesty #psychologicalsafetyatworkact #democracy

"It distorted reality. Consumed reality. Fear created its own reality." - Louise Penny "Sometimes the point isn't to make people believe a lie - it's to make people fear the liar." - Anne Applebaum "For every good reason there is to lie, there is a better reason to tell the truth." - Bo Bennett #courage #truth #reality #clarity #honesty #leadersarentbullies #healthyworkplaces #leaderselevatethoughtandconduct #justice #psychologicalsafetyatworkact #liberty  Bullies hate to be objective. It requires transparency, integrity, honesty and truth.  These are unwelcome traits in their deceptive and distorted power-control fiefdoms.

"Where you see wrong or inequality or injustice, speak out, because this is your country" - Thurgood Marshall. "When I liberate myself, I liberate others" - Fannie Lou Hamer "Happiness depends upon ourselves." - Aristotle #peace #equality #justice #love #happiness #leadersarentbullies #healthyworkplaces #leaderselevatethoughtandconduct #liberty #psychologicalsafetyatworkact #freedom

"When you see something that is not right, not fair, not just, you have a moral obligation to do something about it." - John Lewis "Damaged people damage people." - Steve Maraboli "Weakness of character is the only defect which cannot be amended." - Francois de La Rochefoucauld #takeaction #right #fair #justice #obligation #leadersarentbullies #healthyworkplaces #leaderselevatethoughtandconduct #truth #psychologicalsafetyatworkact #equality

"Every institution, including the judiciary has its share of black sheep and corrupt judges." - Prashant Bhushan "When the law no longer protects you from the corrupt, but protects the corrupt from you – you know your nation is doomed." - Anonymous "A corrupt judge does not carefully search for the truth." - Horace "Make crime pay. Become a lawyer." - Will Rogers #justice #truth #rights #democracy #equality #leadersarentbullies #healthyworkplaces #leaderselevatethoughtandconduct #fair #psychologicalsafetyatworkact #integrity

"It is not enough to break the silence; we must break the cycle of ignorance." - Hagir Elsheikh "It is a denial of justice not to stretch out a helping hand to the fallen; that is the common right of humanity." — Seneca the Elder #speakup #help #encourage #justice #protect #leadersarentbullies #healthyworkplaces #leaderselevatethoughtandconduct #action #psychologicalsafetyatworkact #freedom If a workplace is toxic, it’s still possible, even without being a boss, to implement damage control strategies. Advocate for yourself and others.

"For world peace, there must be peace in the heart". - Lao Tzu  "It isn’t enough to talk about peace. One must believe in it. And it isn’t enough to believe in it. One must work at it". - Eleanor Roosevelt #peace #heart #values #belief #action #love #leadersarentbullies #healthyworkplaces #leaderselevatethoughtandconduct #justice #psychologicalsafetyatworkact #freedom

"Unrealistic expectations are perilous because they are set to never be met and to cause unending stress.  They are power and control mechanisms." - Shree Shambav "Even a mistake may turn out to be the one thing necessary to a worthwhile achievement. Great managers welcome mistakes." — Henry Ford #keepgoing #Innovation #welcome #learning #leadersarentbullies #healthyworkplaces #leaderselevatethoughtandconduct #growth #psychologicalsafetyatworkact #encouragement

It's an honor to be interviewed by my good friend Bernie Tiger Resilience LLC on his initial Silver Warriors Journey Podcast found here:  https://youtu.be/ySQO9oe6mX0  I hope you find it beneficial.  Your input is welcome! Please feel free to share to help!

"The single most important ingredient in the recipe for success is transparency because transparency builds trust." - Denise Morrison "The greatest deception (people) suffer is from their own opinions." - Leonardo da Vinci #Transparency #honesty #Integrity #trust #leadersarentbullies #healthyworkplaces #leaderselevatethoughtandconduct #facts #psychologicalsafetyatworkact #freedom  Bullies thrive on subjectivity and flawed mental models. Don’t let them get away with it. Insist on transparency, objectivity, and accountability.

"America stands as a beacon of hope and the possibility of a better life." - Chris Van Hollen "We shall nobly save or meanly lose the last best hope of earth. Other means may succeed; this could not fail." - Abraham Lincoln #beacon #hope #life #Liberty #happiness #leadersarentbullies #healthyworkplaces #leaderselevatethoughtandconduct #freedom #psychologicalsafetyatworkact #peace

"The worst cruelty that can be inflicted on a human being is isolation." - Sukarno "Every terrorist regime (including some corporations) in the world uses isolation to break people's spirits." - bell hooks "Kindness is always fashionable, and always welcome." - Amelia Barr #invitation #welcome #include #Embrace #leadersarentbullies #healthyworkplaces #leaderselevatethoughtandconduct #freedom #psychologicalsafetyatworkact #kindness

"Restriction of free thought and free speech is the most dangerous of all subversions. It is the one un-American act that could most easily defeat us." - William O. Douglas "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." – Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. "The definition of hell in the legal system is: endless due process and no justice." - Charlie Munger #freedom #speech #justice #FairTrial #leadersarentbullies #healthyworkplaces #leaderselevatethoughtandconduct #truth #psychologicalsafetyatworkact #DueProcess

 "Create psychological safety with open discussion...it's okay to take risks and admit mistakes." — Parabol "Leaders who are learners set an example and create psychologically safe cultures..." — Minette Norman  "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." — Ben Franklin #safety #dialogue #risk #learning #health #leadersarentbullies #healthyworkplaces #leaderselevatethoughtandconduct #trust  #psychologicalsafetyatworkact #listen  Good and decent leaders and organizations can manage successful outcomes to buck bullying with shared learning, understanding, accountability, consequences, goals, healthy relationships and executive commitment.

"Maturity is the ability to think, speak and act your feelings within the bounds of dignity." — Unknown "Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much." – Helen Keller "If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together." – African Proverb #maturity #dignity #decency #utility #together  #leadersarentbullies #healthyworkplaces #leaderselevatethoughtandconduct #listen #psychologicalsafetyatworkact #collaboration

"The loudest one in the room is the weakest one in the room." — Frank Lucas "The empty vessel makes the loudest sound." — Plato "The heart of a fool is in his mouth, but the mouth of a wise man is in his heart." — Benjamin Franklin #strength #wisdom #heart #bounty #silence #leadersarentbullies #healthyworkplaces #leaderselevatethoughtandconduct #empathy #psychologicalsafetyatworkact #listen

“If there be time to expose through discussion the falsehood and fallacies, to avert the evil (like abuse and bullying) by the processes of education, the remedy to be applied is more speech, not enforced silence (as with malicious prosecution).” - Justice Louis Brandeis #freedom #speech #truth #justice #Rights #leadersarentbullies #healthyworkplaces #leaderselevatethoughtandconduct #FairTrial #psychologicalsafetyatworkact #protection

"Those who persecute others are warding of knowledge of their own fate as victims." - Alice Miller "Accepting necessary conflicts for the sake of improving the lives of children, (and others), is the only fundamental moral crusade that matters." - Stefan Molyn #acknowledge #endcycle #change #stopabuse  #LeadersArentBullies #healthyworkplaces #leaderselevatethoughtandconduct #peace #psychologicalsafetyatworkact #betransparent To end destructive bullying acts at work, one must recognize and acknowledge bullying and abusive behaviors and aggression are not normal, routine, acceptable, deserved, or ever justified.

"If we want unity, we must all be unifiers. If we want accountability, each of us must be accountable for all we do." — Christine Gregoire "Leaders inspire accountability through their ability to accept responsibility before they place blame." — Courtney Lynch "The quality of a leader is reflected in the standards they set for themselves." — Ray Kroc #accountable #unify #responsible #standards #leadersarentbullies #healthyworkplaces #leaderselevatethoughtandconduct #truth #psychologicalsafetyatworkact #justice

"When the norm is decency, other virtues can thrive: integrity, honesty, compassion, kindness, and trust." - Raja Krishnamoorthi "A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out." — Walter Winchell #integrity #trust #loyalty #reliability #support #leadersarentbullies #healthyworkplaces #leaderselevatethoughtandconduct #justice #psychologicalsafetyatworkact #freedom

"Bad people always support each other; that is their chief strength." - Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn "Some justices appear overly sympathetic to corporate interests who enjoy an easier road to relief in this Court than ordi­nary citizens.” - Ketanji Brown Jackson #justice #truth #fairness #equality #rights #leadersarentbullies #healthyworkplaces #leaderselevatethoughtandconduct #SpeakUp #psychologicalsafetyatworkact #Goodness

"Narcissists try to destroy your life with lies because theirs can be destroyed with the truth." — Unknown "You cannot fix someone who doesn't believe they are broken." - Sri Kaiser "Follow action with quiet, honest, reflection. From the quiet self critique will come more effective action." - Peter Drucker #truth #selfreflection #change #strength #leadersarentbullies #healthyworkplaces #leaderselevatethoughtandconduct #justice #psychologicalsafetyatworkact #goodness Good organizations recognize the need to change an institutionalized culture of workplace bullying. #LeadersArentBullies #officeculture

"He who wishes to secure the good of others, has already secured his own." — Confucius  "Let us form one body, one heart, and defend to the last warrior our country, our homes, our liberty, and the graves of our fathers." — Tecumseh  "We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools." — Martin Luther King, Jr. #security #goodness #defend #protect #Unify #leadersarentbullies #healthyworkplaces #leaderselevatethoughtandconduct #justice #psychologicalsafetyatworkact #Freedom

"The highest form of knowledge is empathy, for it requires us to suspend our egos and live in another's world." — Plato "The functions of intellect are insufficient without courage, love, friendship, compassion and empathy." — Dean Koontz #empathy #intelligent #courage #love #lead #leadersarentbullies #healthyworkplaces #leaderselevatethoughtandconduct #connect #psychologicalsafetyatworkact #freedom  

"Power does not corrupt (people); fools, however, if they get into a position of power, corrupt power." — George Bernard Shaw "Justice isn't something that appears on its own, it's something that must be fought for, protected, and rebuilt by those brave enough to challenge the system." — Chris Matheka "One had better die fighting against injustice than die like a dog or a rat in a trap." — Ida B. Wells #power #justice #keepfighting #protection #leadersarentbullies #HealthyWorkplaces #leaderselevatethoughtandconduct #rebuild #psychologicalsafetyatworkact #freedom

“Love and respect yourself enough to not let people use and abuse you, and to tell them how you expect to be treated.” – Jeanette Coron “An atmosphere of mutual respect and consideration for boundaries leads you / employees to the path of personal happiness.” – Nancy B. Urbach #love #Respect #consideration #boundaries #leadersarentbullies #HealthyWorkplaces #leaderselevatethoughtandconduct #team #psychologicalsafetyatworkact #happiness  Workplace bullying includes, but is not limited to, behaviors such as intimidation, public humiliation, offensive name-calling, social exclusion, and unwanted physical contact.

"A basic tenet of a healthy democracy is open dialogue and transparency." - Peter Fenn "Transparency is key to reciprocal accountability, which we use to be both free and smart. It is the miracle tool that enables us to question the lies of monsters." - David Brin #transparency #democracy #accountability #leadersarentbullies #HealthyWorkplaces #leaderselevatethoughtandconduct #justice #psychologicalsafetyatworkact #freedom

All abuse and violence (domestic, racial, sexual, pedophilia, political, educational, interpersonal, international, religious, physical, verbal, emotional, geographic, etc.) is rooted in power and control dynamics. "No matter how big a nation is, it is no stronger than its weakest people, and as long as you keep a person down, some part of you has to be down there to hold him down, so it means you cannot soar as you might otherwise. - Marian Anderson #strength #respect #equality #freedom #peace #leadersarentbullies #HealthyWorkplaces #leaderselevatethoughtandconduct #justice #psychologicalsafetyatworkact #soaring

"The exposure and punishment of public corruption is an honor to a nation, not a disgrace." — Theodore Roosevelt "The fight for justice against corruption is never easy. It never has been and never will be... In the end, I believe, as in my case, the price we pay is well worth holding on to our dignity." — Frank Serpico "You'll never find justice in a world where criminals make the rules." — Bob Marley #honor #justice #dignity #EndCorruption #leadersarentbullies #HealthyWorkplaces #leaderselevatethoughtandconduct #truth #psychologicalsafetyatworkact #SpeakUp