Analyzing and Theorizing the Dynamics of the Workplace Incivility Crisis

by Michael P. Leiter

Contemporary worklife builds upon a foundation for teamwork among skilled and dedicated people. Despite the utility of supportive working relationships and despite extensive consulting activity on leadership and team building, employees complain extensively about mistreatment by their bosses and colleagues. Analyzing and Theorizing the Dynamics of the Workplace Incivility Crisis presents a theoretic framework for considering the fundamental issues of group dynamics and individual psychology that lie behind this ongoing workplace incivility crisis. It contextualizes the need for belonging as a motivation that shapes expressed social behaviour and intensifies received social behaviour. Looking at cognitive elements as well as rudeness rationales that pertain to workplace incivility and its justification, this work maps social constructs, including the role of team leadership, that lead to setting implicit social norms. In addition to formulating a theoretical framework, Analyzing and Theorizing the Dynamics of the Workplace Incivility Crisis considers methods to address the dynamics that perpetuate incivility at work and actively points at setting an action agenda to evaluate their impact.

94 pages, Paperback

First published October 24, 2012