Petty tyranny

Petty tyranny^[1] (or petty authority or petty power) is authority exercised by a leader, usually one unchosen by the led, in a relatively limited or an intimate environment, such as that exercised by a fellow peer of a social group. It is a pejorative term, that carries with it a sense of authority that was gained, or is used, in an unfair or capricious manner.

Ashforth discussed potentially destructive sides of leadership and identified petty tyrants, i.e.leaders who exercise a tyrannical style of management, resulting in a climate of fear in the workplace.^[1] He proposed that following six characteristics to define petty tyranny:^[2][3]

1. arbitrariness and self-aggrandizement
2. belittling of subordinates
3. lack of consideration for others
4. a forcing style of conflict resolution
5. discouragement of initiative
6. non-contingent use of punishment

See also

• Abusive supervision
• Kick the cat
• Kiss up kick down
• Machiavellianism in the workplace
• Narcissism in the workplace
• Psychopathy in the workplace
• Toxic leader
• Workplace bullying

References

1. Petty tyranny in organizations , Ashforth, Blake, Human Relations, Vol. 47, No. 7, 755-778 (1994)
2. S Alexander Haslam (2004). Psychology in Organizations. SAGE. p. 142. ISBN 978-0-7619-4231-3.
3. Ronald E. Rice; Stephen D. Cooper (2010). Organizations and Unusual Routines: A Systems Analysis of Dysfunctional Feedback Processes. Cambridge University Press. p. 287. ISBN 978-0-521-76864-1.

Further reading

• Blake Ashforth (2003). "Petty Tyranny in Organizations". In Lyman W. Porter, Harold L. Angle, and Robert W. Allen. Organizational Influence Processes (2nd ed.). M.E. Sharpe. pp. 151–171. ISBN 978-0-7656-1134-5.