Abusive Leadership 1
Kevin Lacey
Abusive Leadership
BMAL 501
11/1/2019
Abusive Leadership 2
Abstract
Currently, job dissatisfaction sees more prominence from organizations as they look to control
the dramatic increase in employee turnover. Abusive managers contribute to job dissatisfaction
and cause all types of trouble. Corporations are starting to see that abusive managers contribute a
large portion of job dissatisfaction that it is creating an issue now and are taking efforts to help
find the origin of this event. At some point in time job dissatisfaction is sure to hit every
individual in some form. There are many different reasons a person can experience job
dissatisfaction. For the purpose of this paper, I am focusing on three key characteristics of
abusive managers that I have found most relevant. The three characteristics of abusive managers
that curse our current society includes, but isn't limited to change, narcissism, and leadership.
The negative impact on organizations by dissatisfied employees adversely affects the production
and attitude of the employees around them. Job dissatisfaction leads to higher employee turnover
as well as absenteeism, theft, and negative social interactions between employees. Some of the
reasons for job dissatisfactions include unproductive leadership theories, organizational
leadership that doesn't keep their employees excited, negative attitude and outside influence,
stress caused by dramatic change, and narcissism. These are all different factors that can
contribute to an employee becoming dissatisfied with their job. Job dissatisfaction not only
affects the individual it affects the whole organization.
Keywords: job dissatisfaction, change, narcissism, leadership.
Abusive Leadership 3
Introduction
There are many types of leadership that has effects on Job Dissatisfaction. Currently, job
dissatisfaction correlates with seeing emphasis from organizations as they look to curb the
increase in employee turnover. Leadership plays a huge factor in job dissatisfaction
as well as employee turnover. Abusive leadership can make or break a
company and force people who may love the company, into looking for a
new job based solely off whom and how they are being managed. Also
change can play a huge factor as well. Partnered with abusive leadership,
change can help run a company into the ground. Narcissistic leaders can be
categorized as abusive leaders but they stick out so much that they can be
listed on their own. These types of leaders don’t care about anyone or
anyone else’s opinions. There are many different reasons employees can experience job
dissatisfaction. These are reasons of dissatisfaction that currently plague our society; change,
narcissism, and leadership. There are plenty more reasons and characteristics but these three will
be the main concepts as we tackle abusive leaders.
Change
Change has become an issue in the workforce today because of increased competition and
demands. The companies that have been around a lot longer tend to have the most resistance
when it comes to change within the organization. Employees tend to stick to the basics of what
the learned when they first began the job instead of adapting to the new policies and changes that
may be put into place. I know firsthand how change mixed with abusive leadership can
Abusive Leadership 4
contribute to the downfall of an organization. All organizations must be ready to change at a
moment's notice if they want to continue to succeed and grow. “No company today is in a
particularly stable environment, even those with dominant market share must change, sometimes
radically” (Robbins & Judge, 2011, p. 590). I used to work for a company called Lendmark
Financial and the employees I came in with had been with the company for years taught me the
ropes and everything was going great. But, as times started to change of course the company had
to adapt as well. For a business to continue its successes in the market and not grow stagnant the
leaders of the organization must sympathize with the employees and have a valid reason that the
change is occurring. They brought in new management and along with new management came
new policies and procedures. At first, things were fine because a lot of the new policies coincided
with what was already in place. But our new manager came from a different region and was quite
different from the one we had before. He was a narcissist and he even admitted he was because
he stated it was a part of his “self motivation”. I will speak more on narcissism later on but this
was the start of a tumultuous time with this new leader. He brought in changes that turned the
entire office constructs we valued so dearly upside down. He managed with an iron fist and lived
by the, “my way or the highway rules”. This did not sit well with the coworkers of mine because
there was a system in place that was working and was continually getting better as the company
grew in size each year. Change is not a bad thing. It is all about how it is presented and how it is
incorporated into what is already going on.
The change that was brought into Lendmark did not destroy the relationship between upper
management and the employees, it was how the change was presented. Abusive leaders tend to
not care about what their employees think or how things that they bring in, will affect the people
that they have working under them.
Abusive Leadership 5
Leaders “must illustrate to your employees the benefits of change so that they, hopefully, develop
an excited and positive attitude. Point out how to change brings with it new ideas and
opportunities as well as the chance to shine as an important part of the company" (Mooney,
2016) Change is seen in an entirely different light in the Bible. As we read in Joshua 1:9, "Have I
not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for
the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go”. (Holy Bible, New International Version,
2001)
Narcissism
Narcissistic leaders have led their followers to great things, but narcissism has caused
organizations to lose key employees. “Narcissists must perform a variety of mental and social
gymnastics to protect their grandiose views of themselves” (Campbell & Twenge, 2013). These
types of leaders work best on their own and not in a teamwork setting. Narcissists project a
sense of superiority and feel as though they are above everyone else in the social “pecking”
order. "Narcissism, often seen with charismatic leadership, however, the few benefits of the
narcissistic construct, do not outweigh the disadvantages, and the consistent outcome of
counterproductive work behavior exhibited by both leader and follower" (Mainah & Perkins,
2014). In college I was the starting Quarterback for my University’s football team. The coach I
played for was very narcissistic and it affected the team in such a way that players started leaving
the team for reasons unforeseen. Narcissistic and abusive leaders kill motivation and it can
hinder progression because you lose touch with the people who are most important, the
employees. As the head coach your job was to motivate and help empower your players to bring
out the most in them. He struggled with this because in his playing days he was also coached by
a narcissistic leader and it rubbed off on him. He didn’t know how to properly compliment
Abusive Leadership 6
anyone without making it about him. I understood that it was how he was but it didn’t sit well
with my teammates and even the coaches. If you know anything about sports, you know that
things don’t always go the right way so in times of trouble there will be someone that has to take
the blame. My coach was not that type. Many successful leaders know that at times they have to
take the blame because in the eyes of the people under them they control everything.
Leadership
There are many different forms of leadership that can run an organization. Leaders that lack the
skill to build interpersonal relationships among themselves and employees struggle if they don't
have the skill and work ethic to gain the trust of their employees. Leaders that aren’t good at their
jobs fail to help inspire their followers to do great things with the organization. Charismatic
leaders all possess four key traits in some form or fashion. Defined vision, this vision inspires the
followers to get in line and help achieve the goal. Personal risk or the will to take on risk to
achieve the vision set forth by management. Having sensitivity to the needs of their employees
and not allowing their personal needs outweigh what is right for their employees. The most
defining characteristics are integrity and respect for all mankind. As a leader you have to treat
everyone as how you would want to be treated or how you would want your mom or dad treated.
Abusive leaders tend to not do this. Things like belittling employees or singling them out are
ways that abusive leaders lead and show their dominance. As a victim of abusive leadership, I
did my best once placed in a position of power to do the complete opposite of how I was treated.
No, things will not always go smoothly but if you stick with it and you are patient you will be a
very successful manager. Keeping things like employees and company values at the forefront of
how you operate will guide you down the right path. There are so many different forms of
Abusive Leadership 7
leaders and leadership, you just have to find your niche and make it work for you and your
situation.
Affect
Companies are not particularly concerned with losing all of their employees but do take lots of
pride in keeping their higher performing ones."If employees are not happy with their jobs,
several areas of their work are affected, and their behavior can also affect other
employees" (McFarlin, 2016). No company wants to keep hiring and interviewing employees
because it can be costly and can ruin a company image as well as exhibit a bad company culture.
Many companies take pride in employee retention. “Despite a growing awareness about the
value of retaining higher performing employees and evidence that there is a general negative
relationship between performance and voluntary turnover (Trevor, Gerhart, & Boudreau, 2016).”
“In the workplace, employee turnover carries a negative connotation. Turnover can be costly to a
firm because the organization loses its investment in human capital” (Vangel, 2011). Every
employee is an investment. From interviewing to training to actually working, it all coincides as
an investment. Everyone in the company or organization is a key component and should be
treated as such. That is why it is so important to pay attention to things that are causing stress or
strife inside the organization. Whether it is the environment or the management, you always need
to do what is best for the company.
Conclusion and Recommendations
Dissatisfaction comes in many varieties, and there isn't a solution for employees feeling
mistreated or unwanted. There are ways to try and curve dissatisfaction though. Hiring the best
managers, employee benefits/incentives, and team building are just a small tidbit of helping
Abusive Leadership 8
curve job dissatisfaction. Things that contribute to job dissatisfaction can be abusive leaders, lack
of consideration for their opinions in the workplace, and lack of benefits. The list of things that
cause this dissatisfaction contributes to the employees becoming emotionally strained. Many
organizations can control their employee's dissatisfaction by implementing programs that would
allow the employees to have a voice, without the fear of management retaliation. I work at PNC
Bank and we are granted the opportunity to voice an opinion on some things we would like to
see changed and it is acknowledged company wide. This boosts employee satisfaction because
their voice is being heard and it gives them a sense of belonging.
What are the overall strengths?
The emotional stress on employees goes hand in hand with job dissatisfaction. If organizations
can find a way to deal with the dissatisfaction of employees, it can drastically change an
employee's state of mind. It is important for employees who are dissatisfied with their current
standing in an organization to continue to put forth their best efforts. As we read in Colossians
3:23-24, "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for
human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a
reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving." (Holy Bible, New International Version, 2001) As
long as Christians realize that the work they are doing isn't just for the benefit of the organization
but also for the Lord it should help too, curb their dissatisfaction somewhat.
What are the overall weaknesses?
When the topic of dissatisfaction and turnover rate is being discussed employers must be aware
of the issues affecting their company and its employees. "If a skilled person leaves an
organization the effects will be very high whereas in case of a semiskilled or un-skilled person
Abusive Leadership 9
the effect will be less. As a result, a vacant place of a skilled labor may be filled by another new
worker, but production falls due to their skill difference" (Shamsuzzoha Md. & Shumon,
Employee Turnover-a Study of its Causes and Effects to Different Industries in Bangladesh,
2011, p. 68). It's very hard to replace veteran workers that are efficient and well acquainted at
their jobs. The task of creating solutions to curb the rising percentage of employees with
dissatisfaction in the workplace is vital for companies moving forward in a positive manner.
Finding solutions is not hard when trying to find what best fits your company. Just ask your
employees. Their voice is very important and can help you find out what is wrong within the
company without having to pay for an outside source to come in and examine things. At my job
we know our opinion counts and matters because we see the things we bring up, get corrected
and it means so much to the employees when executives go out of their way to do that. Not every
company will do this and it is effective because sometimes you may have things that need to be
corrected legally and that will call for outside help or mediation. But on a smaller scale employee
satisfaction can be made or broken by change, narcissistic or abusive leaders, as well as
leadership in general. It is up to you as the CEO or manager to find the problem and solve it in
the best possible way for you and your organization.
Abusive Leadership 10
References
Bennis, W. (1991). Leading Followers, Following Leaders. Executive Excellence. Retrieved 04
22, 2016, from http://ezproxy.liberty.edu:2048/login?
url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/204624215?accountid=12085
Campbell, W. K., & Twenge, J. M. (2013, 12). Narcissism Unleashed. The Observer, 26(10).
Retrieved 04 17, 2016, from
http://www.psychologicalscience.org/index.php/publications/observer/2013/december-
13/narcissism-unleashed.html
Holy Bible, New International Version. (2001). Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing
House.
Johnson, R. (2015). Key Reasons for Job Dissatisfaction and Poor Employee Performance. Small
Business Chron. Retrieved from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/key-reasons-job-
dissatisfaction-poor-employee-performance-25846.html
Maccoby, M. (2004). Narcissistic Leaders: The Incredible Pros, the Inevitable Cons. Harvard
Business Review. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2004/01/narcissistic-leaders-the-
incredible-pros-the-inevitable-cons
Mainah, F., & Perkins, V. (2014). Narcissism in Organizational Leadership. Virginia Beach:
Regent University's School of Business & Leadership. Retrieved 04 20, 2016, from
http://www.regent.edu/acad/global/conferences/virtual/2014/papers/2014_Moral_Leaders
hip_Conference_Mainah.pdf
Abusive Leadership 11
McFarlin, K. (2016). The Effects of Low Job Satisfaction. Small Business Chron. Retrieved 04
20, 2016, from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/effects-low-job-satisfaction-10721.html
Mooney, L. (2016). Benefits From Change in the Workplace. Small Business Chron. Retrieved
04 20, 2016, from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/benefits-change-workplace-13255.html
(n.d.). Narcissism in Organizational Leadership.
Nielson, B. (2008). Not All Leaders Are Charismatic. Ezine Articles. Retrieved 04 20, 2016,
from http://ezinearticles.com/?Not-All-Leaders-Are-Charismatic&id=1054232
Robbins, S. P., & Judge, T. A. (2009). Organizational Behavior (Liberty University ed.). Upper
Saddle River: Prentice Hall.
Rynes, S. L., & Gerhart, B. (2016). PERSONNEL PSYCHOLOGY: Performance Evaluation and
Pay for Performance. Annual Review of Psychology, 67. Retrieved 04 20, 2016, from
http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.liberty.edu:2048/docview/205751730/8CE8BD68FB
A34869PQ/1?accountid=12085
Shamsuzzoha Md., A., & Shumon, R. H. (2011). Employee Turnover-a Study of its Causes and
Effects to Different Industries in Bangladesh. Fakulta výrobných technológií, 64-68.
Shamsuzzoha Md., A., & Shumon, R. H. (n.d.). Employee Turnover-a Study of its Causes and
Effects to Different Industries in Bangladesh.
Trevor, C. O., Gerhart, B., & Boudreau, J. (2016). Voluntary turnover and job performance:
Curvilinearity and the moderating influences of salary growth and promotions. American
Psychological Association, 82(1), 44-61. Retrieved 04 20, 2016, from
http://digitalcommons.ilr.cornell.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1144&context=cahrswp
Abusive Leadership 12
Vangel, K. (2011). Employee Responses to Job Dissatisfaction. Schmidt Labor Research Center
Seminar Series. Retrieved 04 20, 2016, from http://web.uri.edu/lrc/files/Vangel-
Commitment.pdf
