Malevolent Managers

Insights using Executive Impression Management

Dr Terry A. Sheridan employs a new and unique theoretical perspective to examine how malevolent, tyrannical and mediocre managers commonly use violence in the workplace, not necessarily physical violence, but bullying, overt and covert emotional abuse - all forms of negative behaviour that are damaging to individuals and organisations. The theoretical basis for the author’s analysis and prescriptions is the new perspective of Executive Impression Management, which stems from Dr Sheridan’s research into the differences between a number of types of executives from their co-workers’ point of view. That investigation developed indicators to identify different negative management types and also helped define what has been called respectful management - the sort exercised by those managers who are good stewards. What makes this book unusual is that it is derived from qualitative research and covers an area where hardly any scholarly work has been produced. The author argues that the research methodology employed has resulted in a better understanding of impression management than has hitherto been possible. It addresses the confusion that often abounds regarding who is a good or bad manager and the fact that we can identify bad management through measures of company or organisational performance, but not how and why it went wrong. It will assist the leadership of organisations to make the right decisions about recruitment and promotion and to identify and challenge poor performance effectively.