**Reflect**: Vanessa, your detailed account of the workplace dynamics you observed offers a comprehensive view of how aggressive management styles can detrimentally impact team morale and cohesion. Your explanation of dehumanization and its link to loyalty within social groups is insightful and highlights the psychological underpinnings of such behavior.
**Inquire**: I’m curious about the longer-term outcomes of this supervisor’s management style. Have there been any noticeable changes in team performance or turnover rates? How have these aggressive tactics affected the overall productivity and atmosphere of the workplace?
**Suggest**: It might be beneficial to explore conflict resolution and team-building strategies that could mitigate the negative impacts of such a toxic environment. For instance, implementing regular, anonymous feedback mechanisms might help identify issues early and provide a safer space for employees to voice concerns.
**Elevate**: Consider examining the broader organizational culture to understand why such aggressive behaviors are tolerated or even normalized. Research indicates that supportive and inclusive leadership styles tend to foster better workplace environments and improve team outcomes. Promoting a culture of respect and collaboration might prevent the recurrence of such aggressive management tactics. A study by Tepper et al. (2017) on abusive supervision highlights the long-term detrimental effects on both employees and organizational effectiveness, emphasizing the need for systemic changes in leadership approaches.
**References**:
Tepper, B. J., Simon, L., & Park, H. M. (2017). Abusive supervision. *Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior*, 4(1), 123-152. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-orgpsych-041015-062539
· response posts is 150 words minimum
· In order to earn credit, all posts must be accompanied by at least one citation with accompanying reference outside of, or in addition to, the textbook. Wikipedia, ask.com, about.com and the like are not considered valid sources for any assignment in this course. Your post must adhere to APA citation rules. Grading will take into consideration grammar, spelling, organization, length, citations, knowledgeable content, display of logical reasoning, and adherence to APA citation and referencing
· Your meaningful feedback in these responses should reflect all four categories of the RISE model presented below: Reflect, Inquire, Suggest, and Elevate
Peer: Vanessa
I recently experienced aggressive management in my workplace involving a supervisor and her team of 12 during a fundraising campaign. When team members provided feedback or sought clarification on the campaign process, the supervisor responded by dismissing their concerns or repetitively provided the same answers until they ceased questioning. This decreased morale and created low self-esteem amongst the staff. Additionally, she engaged in preferential treatment. It was seen through promotions to those who were a part of her clique, while those who expressed feedback were penalized during their annual reviews despite the positive evidence.
Moreover, she created wider gaps in the team dynamics by incentivizing dishonesty. This individual manipulated the accounting audits and openly humiliated any team members who would question her collection methods and data criteria. When questions arose, she responded in a demeaning manner and then followed up with a request for a one-on-one meeting where she would scold the individual for being disrespectful in a public setting. As a result, team members found themselves increasingly isolated from each other. Responsibilities and project ownership were steadily taken away, accompanied by an escalation in micromanagement. Every decision required approval, so team members could not contact colleagues outside the department without this supervisor’s review.
One type of aggression in this scenario is dehumanization. Gilovich et al. (2018) suggested dehumanization often reinforces loyalty to valued social groups. A plausible reason for this method of aggression is that because this supervisor was newly inducted into the team, she needed to prove herself to many of the institution’s executive leadership members. The goals were daunting, and she needed a team supporting her vision. Instances where colleagues are referred to not by name but by their associated projects are examples of dehumanization. Collectively, these actions are part of the construal processes related to instrumental aggression to encourage conformity.
Another reason for this aggression may be due to the organizational transitions. This supervisor replaced someone who was abruptly relieved of their duties, possibly causing her to perceive the team’s loyalty to their former leader as a form of social rejection or a challenge to her authority. As Gilovich et al. (2018) explain, strong ingroup loyalty can significantly widen the divide between conforming members and outliers. Moreover, the current supervisor’s actions may also reflect dynamics of relational aggression, which includes forming alliances, gossiping, and excluding others—behaviors often seen as aligning with traditional ‘feminine’ roles of indirect conflict. Anton et al. (2022) also noted that aggression in workplaces, especially those dominated by traditional masculine roles, might be normalized, allowing such behaviors to persist and be supported. It can be assumed that the supervisor’s authoritarian leadership style is an attempt to maintain a status quo she thinks is necessary for achieving her goals.
References
Anton, C., Grueso-Hinestroza, M.P., Espinosa, J.C., & Turc, M. (2022). Workplace aggression, wellbeing, and job satisfaction: The specificity in border police organizations. Frontiers in Psychology, 13(1), 1004153. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1004153
Links to an external site.
Gilovich, T., Keltner, D., Chen, S., & Nisbett, R.E. (2018). Social psychology (5th ed.). W.W. Norton & Company.
"Place your order now for a similar assignment and have exceptional work written by our team of experts, guaranteeing you "A" results."
