Zooming Out on Workplace Bullying: The Role of the Leader

Author: Allie Kom, Editor: Courtney Keim

Bullying at work has proven difficult to eliminate, and one possible reason is the focus on perpetrators and targets of bullying in workplace interventions rather than on an underemphasized facet of workplace bullying, the role of the leader (Nielson et al., 2010; Pouwelse et al., 2018). Leaders are often the first people employees go to when they are feeling mistreated at work and are central to how instances of bullying, repeated exposure to negative acts over a period of time (Einarsen, 2000), are resolved (Rayner & Lewis, 2020). Further, they are responsible for curating a team culture that discourages bullying from the get-go. 

Leadership Styles and Bullying

A manager’s leadership style, the way they lead and interact with their followers (Northouse, 2018), is predictive of their followers’ bullying behaviors. Leadership styles typically associated with disengagement with followers (laissez-faire leadership) and a lack of seeking follower input (autocratic leadership) are associated with increased bullying (Hoel et al., 2010). With a disengaged or authoritative leader, employees may engage in bullying behaviors because they believe their leader will not issue repercussions (Woodrow & Guest, 2017). 

Leadership styles that provide empowerment (transformational and authentic leadership) and stability (transactional leadership) to followers tend to discourage bullying (Astrauskaite et al., 2015; Ertureten et al., 2013; Laschinger et al., 2012; Woodrow & Guest, 2017). Leaders whose styles involve playing an active role in followers’ work lives are most effective in deterring bullying behaviors, while those with disengaged or uninterested leadership styles may inadvertently encourage bullying (Hoel et al., 2010; Woodrow & Guest, 2017).

Leader Behaviors and Bullying

Leaders’ open communication with their team can be used to discourage bullying behavior, especially when the overall organization does not have strong anti-bullying policies (Woodrow & Guest, 2017). Openly condemning bullying behaviors sets the tone that bullying is unacceptable within their team. Being physically present in the workplace also matters. Leaders who are not in the same environment as their subordinates may have a harder time detecting when bullying is happening, as they are not there to see it happening (Woodrow & Guest, 2017).

Reacting to Reports of Bullying

Beyond creating an environment that discourages bullying, leaders are responsible for adequately managing instances of bullying within their team. Woodrow and Guest (2017) identify four types of reactions managers can have to reports of bullying. Reactions include

• Unsuccessful:
  • Incomplete management: Attempting to help, but unsuccessfully managing bullying
  • Disengaged management: Not attempting to manage bullying
  • Destructive management: Perpetrating the bullying
• Successful:
  • Constructive management: Successfully managing bullying

Unsuccessful management of bullying (i.e., incomplete, disengaged, and destructive management) is characterized by a lack of resolution, a lack of awareness of bullying behavior, and a lack of policy adherence. Constructive management consists of opposing behaviors, including taking reports of bullying seriously, focusing on the well-being of the target, and engaging in formal human resource processes. Two key aspects of constructive management include informal confrontation and early intervention. Leaders should intervene at the first sign of mistreatment to prevent subsequent bullying behaviors. Additionally, this initial intervention should be informal with the goal of reducing conflict (Rayner & Lewis, 2010). However, depending on the severity of the bullying behavior, formal reporting may be necessary. 

To avoid the pitfalls of unsuccessful management strategies and engage in constructive management, leaders should take action in response to workplace bullying, specifically by stepping in at the first sight of bullying, supporting the target of the bullying, and engaging in both formal and informal resolution processes when appropriate (Rayner & Lewis, 2010; Woodrow & Guest, 2017). 

Conclusion

There are several strategies leaders can use to engage in constructive bullying management and create a team culture that discourages bullying. These include adopting leadership styles and behaviors that create a culture discouraging bullying and constructively reacting to instances of bullying. With leaders engaging in constructive bullying management behaviors, resolving issues of bullying instead of letting them persist within their teams, we come one step closer to eliminating bullying from the workplace.