The Apprentice: donít let bullies ruin your talent

This week marketing consultant Kimberly Davies was the fifth to leave Sir Alanís boardroom after her teamís inappropriately-themed breakfast cereal advertising campaign lost them the task.

Monster.co.ukís Apprentice watcher observes:

Ironically being a marketing consultant wasnít enough to win Kimberly this marketing-themed task. There was some speculation that another member of the team bullied her into accepting his idea – being able to stand your ground against stronger personalities when you have a valid reason to disagree with them is an essential part of management.

Office bullies can be difficult to deal with, and can knock the self confidence of even the most resilient employees. For anyone who regularly has to deal with an office bully, Monster.co.uk recommends the following tips:

- Bullies employ subtle intimidation tactics, such as sulking and strong negative criticism. Donít be afraid to speak out if you feel unfairly treated by a colleague

- Keep a diary of incidents of bullying – this will make your case stronger if you do need to take action

- Donít deal with office bullying alone – speak to HR to get a professional opinion on the situation

- Donít give up! Bullies generally look for a weakness to exploit, so try not to show that you feel distressed