Thread: When a latent bully's insecurity is ignited — when he feels his status is threatened, he isn't getting enough positive attention/credit -- he searches for a new target and tests whether people will tolerate abuse of that target. It usually begins with a single act. It's a bully's test. If he gets away w abusing that target — if bystanders tolerate, amplify, or reward him for it — the bullying rapidly escalates via recruitment of 'accessory bullies,' more frequent & harmful actions, greater stigmatization & dehumanization of the target, etc.

A thread: Bullying atrophies societies and thwarts progress.

The far-reaching costs and casualties of workplace/professional #bullying are substantial and well-documented, yet frustratingly absent from most public discussions about bullying.

1/12 I don’t want to have to make the "business case" for why we should care about bullying. I really don’t. But if you haven’t been a target or cared deeply about someone who has, it might be hard to get your head and heart around the devastation of the experience.

2/12

"An emerging body of research suggests that mediocre academics in particular resort to bullying, to remove their competition. Experimental research has shown that when male hierarchies are disrupted by women, this incites hostile behavior specifically from poorly performing men."

https://twitter.com/profbradgibson/status/1512799553686323201

2/n What are the structures that support bullies?
1) Obscure evaluation criteria. "This allows perpetrators & their allies, who are likely to be men & from the highest ranks institutions, to use ever-changing performance criteria to justify denying their targets…promotions…"

Guys, please do a better job crediting others' work.

We inevitably influence each other's thinking & often don't remember where we heard something. But I'm still seeing WAY too many examples of leadership influencers failing to credit others w less power & smaller platforms. I most often see it in the tweets & posts that use strong, simple language about what good vs. bad leaders do; about DEI, & about 'hot' psychological topics.

Giving credit costs nothing, earns you respect, & creates opportunities for those whom you credit.

1/ I am *extremely cautiously* optimistic that the tide might be turning in academia, such that people are beginning to see and publicly acknowledge the existence of a real, destructive, & pervasive systemic bullying & mobbing problem among scholars. 2/ I cannot adequately acknowledge the *extremely cautiously* part, because it is uncommon for people in systems to be able to come to terms with their own contributions to abusive behaviors. -- whether as bystanders or as bullies.