Overwhelming, bad bosses lash out

BERKELEY, Calif., Oct. 16 (UPI) -- One-third of U.S. workers report that their bosses bully employees and researchers suggest it is because these bosses feel overwhelmed by the job.

Lead author Nathanael Fast of the University of Southern California and colleagues at the University of California, Berkeley, said bosses who perceive themselves to be incompetent are more likely to bully subordinates, because feelings of inadequacy trigger them to lash out at those around them.

The study challenges previous assumptions that abusive bosses are solely driven by ambition and the need to hold onto their power.

"Incompetence alone doesn't lead to aggression," study co-author Serena Chen of the University of California, Berkeley, says in a statement. "It's the combination of having a high-power role and fearing that one is not up to the task that causes power holders to lash out. Our data suggest it's ultimately about self-worth."

Participants who got ego boosts by scoring high in a leadership aptitude test or who recalled an incident or principle that made them feel good about themselves did not react with aggression, Chen adds.

"It is both interesting and ironic to note that flattery, although perhaps affirming to the ego, may contribute to the incompetent power holder's ultimate demise -- by causing the power holder to lose touch with reality," the researchers say.

The findings are scheduled to be published in the November issue of the journal Psychological Science.