Assignment task:
? 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.
Gilovich, T., Keltner, D., Chen, S., & Nisbett, R.E. (2018). Social psychology (5th ed.). W.W. Norton & Company.