Laissez-Faire Leadership: How It Fuels Workplace Bullying

Leadership styles significantly impact workplace bullying. Dr. Hecker highlights the complex relationship between laissez-faire leadership’s role in workplace bullying, providing up-to-date research. Learn about the definition and manifestations of workplace bullying, such as verbal aggression and digital harassment. Understand the characteristics of laissez-faire leadership, gender differences in this leadership style, and the adverse outcomes associated with it. Familiarize yourself with the research that showed how laissez-faire leadership contributes to role ambiguity, employee stress, and increased bullying risk. In the absence of active leadership, there is a likelihood for power and control-seeking employees, such as bullies or individuals with narcissistic or antisocial personality traits, to step into the position of the leader, creating havoc. Furthermore, the ongoing lack of intervention in laissez-faire leadership can lead to the institutionalization of bullying, low psychological safety, and a decline in physical and mental health. By addressing these issues proactively, organizations can create a more positive, productive, and psychologically safe work environment for all employees.

*Blog image by Jehyun Sung @jaysung via Unsplash.