Intimidating Bosses Can Change — They Just Need a Nudge

In the short-term, abusive behavior in the workplace can propel employees to improve performance. In the long-run, however, abused employees perform much worse than others, among other consequences. And there are even psychological costs for the managers themselves. A body of research shows that instead of one-off behavioral training programs or punitive measures, targeted “nudging” programs can reduce manager abuse. These programs are three-fold: process-oriented leadership evaluation, situation-based leadership training, and employee self-shielding. These collective efforts can help develop constructive interactional dynamics between managers and employees rather than impose severe punishment on “great,” but abusive, leaders.