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Teachers' Perspectives on Principal Mistreatment
Teacher Education Quarterly, Fall 2006 by Blase, Joseph, Blase, Jo
Abuse in work settings is associated with a variety of deleterious outcomes for an individualís physical well-being, psychological/emotional well-being, work performance, and social relationships. Outcomes related to physical well-being include sleep disorders (e.g., nightmares or insufficient rest), headaches, backaches, fatigue/exhaustion, illness, hyperactivity, weight changes (e.g., significant increases or decreases), irritable bowel syndrome, heart arrhythmia, skin changes, ulcers, substance abuse (first time use), and suicide. Examples of psychological/ emotional outcomes of abusive workplace behavior are depression, anger, rage, helplessness, powerlessness, cynicism and distrust, self-doubt, guilt, shame, embarrassment, insecurity, disillusionment, poor concentration, lowered self-esteem, aggression or revenge, hypervigilance, panic attacks, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Harmful outcomes on work performance related to abusive behavior include reductions in job effort, commitment, satisfaction, and morale plus increases in absenteeism, turnover, and attrition. Social effects noted in the literature are isolation and loss of friendships (Bj rkvist et al., 1994; Davenport et al., 1999; Harlos & Pinder, 2000; Hornstein, 1996; Keashly et al., 1994; Leymann, 1990; Lombardo & McCall, 1984; Namie, 2000; Namie & Namie, 2000; Pearson, 2000; NNLI, 1993; Ryan & Oestreich, 1991).
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More specifically, examination of the research on abusive bosses has revealed a number of troubling findings: abusive conduct by bosses is commonplace in nonprofit and profit organizations; bosses are more typically workplace abusers, instead of an individualís coworkers; bosses have been described as exhibiting abusive conduct toward subordinates between 54% of the time and 90% of the time (Bj rkvist et al., 1994; Einarsen & Skogstad, 1996; Hornstein, 1996; Keashly et al., 1994; Namie, 2000; Namie & Namie, 2000; NNLI, 1993; Pearson, 2000; Rayner, 1998); male and female bosses are equally likely to engage in abusive conduct (Keashly et al., 1994; Harlos & Pinder, 2000), although abusive male bosses tend to more frequently use explosive behaviors, as compared to abusive female bosses (e.g., Harlos & Pinder, 2000); and women are targeted significantly more frequently, compared to males (Bj rkvist et al., 1994, CAWB, 2000). Lastly, research on abusive bosses indicates that individuals targeted for this type of abuse rarely have efficacious opportunities for redress. Research demonstrates that as a result of organizational culture (e.g., a ìmacho cultureÎ) and off-putting management practices (e.g., a cavalier attitude about abuse, attempts to justify abusive conduct), victimsí complaints about abusive bosses usually yield (a) no action (i.e., no response) from upper-level management/administration and departments of human resources, (b) efforts to protect an abusive boss, and/or (c) reprisals against the victim for registering complaints (Bassman, 1992; Davenport et al., 1999; Hornstein, 1996; Keashly, 1998; Keashly et al., 1994; Leymann, 1990; Namie, 2000; Namie & Namie, 2000; Pearson, 2000; Rayner, 1998).
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