There is a difference between demanding bosses and those who cross the line into bullying, creating patterns of fear. How can you tell?

Does your boss just push aggressively for results or are you dealing someone who uses fear and intimidation to get what they want?

Organizations can't afford the latter: they are costly in terms of productivity and emotional impact.

Here's how to discern the difference between hard-charging managers and sinister bullies:

1. Confront.
Hold a series of impromptu meetings with the suspected bully and victims to gather evidence quickly. Make these gatherings out-of-the-blue, rather than planned in advance, to ensure you get the straight story.

2. Analyze and present.
Use an external framework to evaluate whether this is a true case of bullying. Document the evidence rather than relying on hearsay.

3. Expose.
Since bullies use fear of consequences as their main weapon, it's critical to expose their behavior. By outing bullies and labelling the behavior, you can take away their power.

What kind of boss do you have?
  By: Reuters