Study: Bosses who bully may feel incompetent

[Kathy]

http://www.sfexaminer.com/local/ap/64147892.html

Study: Bosses who bully may feel incompetent

Associated Press
10/13/09 3:00 PM PDT

BERKELEY, CALIF. — A new study finds that bosses who don't feel like
they're cut out to handle their jobs are more likely to bully their
subordinates.

The study by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley and
the University of Southern California challenges the assumption that
power alone leads to aggression. It appears in the November issue of
the journal Psychological Science.

The study says feelings of inadequacy on the part of power-holders
threatens their egos and leads them to lash out at those around them.

It found that study participants who felt incompetent would go as far
as to sabotage an underling's chances of winning money.
The solution? Researchers say flattery could reduce tantrums and rants
in the workplace, although it may cause the boss to lose touch with
reality.