Bullies at work – managing staff with dark traits
Sometimes, not everyone is treated equitably at work. Dr Holly Andrews discusses her research into bullying in the workplace and the connection to dark traits.
The jury is in for ex-deputy prime minister, Dominic Raab – he’s been a bit of a bully. An independent investigation into complaints made about his conduct has upheld some of the allegations of bullying against him.
How can a man, found to be a bully, rise to the number two position in government? What is it about our society that encourages the success of those who bully others?
Organisational psychopaths
My own research into organisational psychopaths sheds some light: while not all bullies possess dark traits - the “dark triad” of psychopathy, narcissism and Machiavellianism is associated with increased incidence of bullying in organisations, and may explain some workplace bullying.
I have noticed that dark triad traits are often more extreme versions of the traits capitalistic societies often value in leaders. We want our leaders who make tough decisions when needed, and this is easy when you lack empathy for others. Those leaders who inspire and influence others are celebrated, so a charming façade and manipulation skills will get you there. Big risk-takers are seen as bold and fearless, and those who are irresponsible and lack anticipatory anxiety will take the biggest risks.
We actively seek out these traits when looking for a leader. But it is very difficult to identify when you have too much of a good thing.
Furthermore, what is “good” initially can tip into toxicity over time. Research shows that in leaderless group activities, those with darker traits are more likely to emerge as leaders. After a while, these leaders come to be rejected by their group as they are unable to cooperate. We often admire these traits when we initially come into contact with them, but we expect them to be used in a way that supports the company or the team we are working with.
The problem is you cannot harness and direct traits like this. Someone who is lacking empathy is just as likely to treat a colleague as callously as a competitor. As a result, there can be some incredible highs and some very significant lows when you have a leader with dark traits, including a bullying culture.
"How to work with bullies: Education, Values, Transparencey"