CONFLICT MOTIVATIONS and TACTICS of TARGETS, BYSTANDERS, and BULLIES a Thrice-Told Tale of Workplace Bullying

13 CONFLICT MOTIVATIONS AND TACTICS OF TARGETS, BYSTANDERS, AND BULLIES A Thrice-Told Tale of Workplace Bullying P AMELA LUTGEN-SANDVIK AND COURTNEY VAIL FLETCHER dult bullying at work is a unique type of include a case study to show how targets, Aescalated, entrenched conflict that occurs bystanders, and bullies (dis)engage with bully- between and among organizational mem- ing conflicts in real-life scenarios. By exploring bers. Nearly half of all U.S. workers are bullying conflicts as experienced by these three affected by bullying during their working groups, organizational members and research- lives, either being targeted or witnessing abuse ers might have a better understanding of some as a bystander. The power disparity between of the forces that constitute the phenomenon bullies and targets, the aggressive character and potentially locate leverage points for more of bullying communication, and the persistent effective interventions. We begin by describing wearing down that occurs mark adult bully- the features that make workplace bullying a ing as a unique type of escalated, destructive unique type of conflict. From this, we outline workplace conflict. Adult bullying at work a typology of interpersonal motivations in is not, however, simply a dyadic one-on-one conflict situations adopted from the multiple conflict—many others are involved and goals theory ( Ohbuchi & Tedeschi, 1997 ) affected. Bullying conflicts are also extremely and a framework for conflict management difficult to resolve, and the targets’ tactics tactics adapted from Rahim’s (2002) theory (especially problem solving) rarely resolve the of managing organizational conflict. We then conflict and often make it worse. explain why the three factors of focus in the We tell a thrice-told tale of bullying con- chapter—profiles, motivations, tactics—are flicts from three standpoints: targets, bystand- useful for understanding bullying conflicts ers, and bullies. To illustrate the tale, we and subsequently flesh out these three factors 349 350 SECTION 2: ORGANIZATIONAL CONFLICT for each employee group in the thrice-told antagonism as time passes. In extremely esca- tale. We wrap up the discussion by exploring lated incidences, aggressors may even start to the contextual issues surrounding bullying objectify their targets, which enable the use conflicts, presenting ideas for transformation, of more aggressive, inhuman attacks. In some and suggesting potential avenues for further instances, “the total destruction of the oppo- research. nent is seen as the ultimate goal to be attained by the parties” (Einarsen, Hoel, Zapf, & Cooper, 2003 , p. 19). W ORKPLACE BULLYING Conflict, on the other hand, involves (a) AS A UNIQUE FORM OF CONFLICT parties that are interdependent (i.e., they have the capability to impede or interfere with Workplace bullying takes place between and the other), (b) a perception by at least one among people who work together and is party that an opposition or incompatibility marked by (or the potential thereof) exists among the goals or values, and (c) some type of inter- a pattern of repeated hostile behaviors over action among the involved parties ( Knapp, an extended period of time; actual or per- Putnam, & Davis, 1988 ). Bullying includes ceived intent to harm on the part of the actor [bully]; one party being unable to defend him- these general indicators of conflict but has or herself; [and] a power imbalance between additional features making them conflicts parties. ( Keashly & Nowell, 2011 , p. 424) that are “most like intractable, escalating vio- lent conflicts between unequals” ( Keashly & Power disparity is central to bullying conflicts, Nowell, 2011 , p. 427). In such conflicts, the and research calls the disadvantaged parties bullies’ goals might be to harm or drive tar- targets . The target’s disadvantaged position gets from the workplace; targets’ goals may can be due to position (e.g., supervisory bul- be to end abusive treatment and repair iden- lying 1 ), influence, or charisma; or can develop tity. And the aggressive character of bullying because of the persistent “hammering away” conflicts creates hostile work environments characteristic of bullying (Tracy, Lutgen- affecting many employees, whether directly Sandvik, & Alberts, 2006 , p. 163). targeted or not. Bullying is a pattern of communication, and when targeted workers try to explain their experiences, they often struggle with T HE COMMUNAL encapsulating their story, usually needing “to CHARACTER OF BULLYING CONFLICTS describe the entire set of behaviors and their interrelationships” ( Keashly & Jagatic, 2011 , One of the tendencies, especially in U.S. p. 50). The enduring character of bullying organizations and popular thought, is to indi- contributes to targets’ feelings of powerless- vidualize the problem of workplace bullying. ness. Persistent aggressive attacks contrib- Supervisors, manager, and bystanders often ute to increased stress and decreased coping blame the victims for their own abuse and capacity, which increase feelings of powerless- label targets’ reports of abuse as overexagger- ness, making targets even more easily bullied ated, subjective, and questionable ( Keashly, and less able to defend themselves. 2001 ). By attending to the experiences of Bullying is escalatory ; initially aggression more of the employees who are involved is passive, circuitous, and immensely diffi- and affected by adult bullying, we are better cult to describe, increasing in frequency and able to recognize the complexity of this type Chapter 13: Conflict Motivations and Tactics of Targets, Bystanders, and Bullies 351 of conflict and avoid, at least partially, such perform certain image management work, or myopic viewpoints. Thinking of bullying as some combination of these. The three factors a matter involving only a bully and a target flesh out bullying conflicts in particularly use- contributes to viewing it as a solely subjective ful ways. experience and stunts efforts to resolve this toxic form of conflict. From such a stance, managers and peers are less likely to believe M OTIVATIONAL GOALS, TACTICAL target reports and thus take corrective action COMMUNICATION, AND GROUP PROFILES ( Namie & Lutgen-Sandvik, 2010 ). Because workplaces are collective sites of human inter- Motivational goals and conflict tactics are action, what occurs between any dyad or inextricably linked. Motivational goals fuel among group members bleeds and buzzes action, giving behavior its energy and direc- throughout the workgroup and affects all tion. Motivation is the first link in a chain of in proximity ( Waldron, 2000 ). Thus, some interconnected interactions that lead to vari- understanding of target, bully, and bystander ous outcomes, both intended and unintended. perspectives—especially their motivations— To understand bullying conflicts requires sheds light on some of the reasons these con- understanding the motives of the actors who flicts are so difficult to resolve. are involved or affected. The drive for justice, Certainly, any view of the reality of bully- for example, is often an overriding motiva- ing conflicts is partial, and current research tion in bullying conflicts, particularly for on the subject may overemphasize the target targets, ( Cowan, 2009 ) but also for bystand- perspective. Although literature on adult bul- ers ( Lutgen-Sandvik, 2006 ) and even bullies lying extensively examines targets’ perspec- ( Crawshaw, 2007 ). Tactics in conflict manage- tives in these conflicts, it less often explores ment are the ways in which people approach bystanders’ experiences (for an exception, and engage with conflict, and tactics make see Vartia, 2001 ), and bully explanations sense in light of what motivates them. Tactics are nearly nonexistent (for an exception, see are driven both by personality tendencies, Rayner & Cooper, 2003 ). We call attention social situations, and the relational context to the fact that bullying conflicts involve all of the conflict. In all conflict, and especially affected workers, whether or not those work- in bullying conflicts, “the opponent’s message ers are actively engaged in conflict communi- behavior accounts for the majority of variance cation and behavior. Bullying conflicts slowly in communication strategies” ( Knapp et al., colonize and take over nearly all actions and 1988 , p. 416). Underscoring target, bystander, interactions in workgroups where it is present. and bully motivations and tactics helps us To gain a better picture of this involvement, better understand what is going on in these the core material in the chapter explores three conflicts, where to intervene, and why certain interrelated factors associated with targets, interventions are less than effective. In addi- bystanders, and bullies: (1) general profiles, tion to understanding motivations and tactics, (2) motivations to act or withhold action, and different experienced subjectivities (i.e., pro- (3) conflict tactics. We outline these factors files) can contribute to specific motivations because involved parties may be reticent or and tactics. unable to report them for a number of rea- Profiles are the common markers of per- sons. They might not fully understand their sons who self-identify as belonging to one motivations; they may feel bound by emotion of the three groups and report certain per- display rules; they might feel compelled to sonal or social characteristics in interviews or 352 SECTION 2: ORGANIZATIONAL CONFLICT Table 13.1 Motivational Goals in Conflict Management

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