Tackling Toxic Bullying in Corporate Leadership

Washington DC, United States Jul 23, 2026 ALN: Toxic bullying in the workplace is usually discussed as an HR issue. But what happens when the bullying is happening inside executive ranks, boardrooms, and positions of power? The implications of such behavior extend beyond individual experiences; they can affect corporate culture, employee morale, and overall organizational effectiveness.

In recent years, the conversation surrounding workplace bullying has gained traction, with a growing recognition that it is not just a problem for lower-level employees but also a significant issue among executives and leaders. The dynamics of power, fear, and control often play a crucial role in how bullying manifests at the highest levels of an organization.

I am the Founder, Chair and CEO of the Exceptional Women Alliance Foundation, and Dr. Joanna Dodd Massey is one of our awardees. She has spent more than 30 years inside corporate power structures, bringing a wealth of experience and insight into the complexities of leadership and organizational behavior. Joanna is a psychologist, public company board director, and former Fortune 500 executive, who has advised CEOs and board chairmen during crises, governance disputes, and some of the most high-pressure moments in corporate leadership.

In this conversation, we discuss why toxic bullying still exists in today’s business culture. The prevalence of such behavior raises questions about the effectiveness of existing policies and the overall health of corporate environments.

Larraine Segil: You’ve written extensively about hate speech, online hostility, and modern conflict. What are you seeing happen inside corporate culture right now?

Dr. Joanna Dodd Massey: I spent decades in Hollywood managing high-profile personalities and crises, and something changed culturally when social media arrived. Public humiliation became entertainment. Emotional aggression became branding. And now, behavior that would have ended someone’s executive career gets rewarded with clicks, attention, and followers. This shift has not only transformed public discourse but also infiltrated corporate environments.

What is concerning, and rarely discussed, is that this behavior is not limited to social media communications. We have seen it in politics, but it is also in the workplace, the boardroom, and conversations on text. The biggest problem is that Corporate America still has a dangerous habit of mistaking emotional aggression for leadership.

Segil: What does that bullying actually look like at the executive level?

Massey: It is more sophisticated than social media bravado. Most executive bullying does not involve screaming across conference tables. It looks like intimidation, humiliation, retaliation, narrative manipulation, exclusion, or attempts to damage someone professionally. This form of bullying is often insidious, making it difficult to identify and address.

And behind closed doors, corporate bullying often has very little to do with business and everything to do with ego, fear, humiliation, and control. I recently experienced this personally. A leader tried to mock me on social media and later sent hostile text messages to a colleague and me. What struck me was how revealing that conduct was. Not about any underlying dispute, but about what some executives believe is acceptable when accountability comes for them.

Segil: How do you think executives justify that kind of behavior to themselves?

Massey: Human beings are not perfect narrators. We experience events through emotion, identity, fear, stress, ego, and loyalty. Some people genuinely believe their version of events. Others knowingly manipulate narratives because controlling the story gives them power. Both dynamics exist. I worked in the media industry for decades, and I understand that owning the narrative means owning power. Some executives are not trying to solve conflict; they are trying to win the story.

The bigger problem is that curiosity has been replaced with certainty. People no longer ask, “What am I not seeing in this situation?” Instead, they ask, “How do I prove I’m right?” This shift in mindset can lead to a toxic culture where dissent is not tolerated, and bullying behaviors become normalized.

Segil: Some executives would argue that strong leadership requires pressure, deadlines, and difficult conversations. Where is the line?

Massey: Setting deadlines is not bullying. Holding people accountable is not bullying. Healthy organizations require candor, urgency, disagreement, and sometimes intense debate. Bullying is different. Bullying humiliates people. It intimidates people. It retaliates against people. It attempts to overpower rather than persuade. Strong executives should absolutely be direct and decisive. But there is a difference between strength and degradation.

People mostly equate emotional aggression with men, but it is not a male problem or a female problem. It is a power problem. The dynamics of power can exacerbate bullying behavior, as those in positions of authority may feel emboldened to act in ways that are detrimental to others.

Segil: Does power make these dynamics worse?

Massey: Absolutely. The more power people accumulate, the fewer honest feedback loops they often have. Employees become cautious. Boards become political. Loyalty and fear replace candor. Over time, some leaders experience disagreement as disloyalty and accountability as personal attack. That is when bullying behaviors escalate because intimidation starts replacing productive disagreement.

I have sat at the table with billionaires, media moguls, celebrity talent, chairmen, and CEOs. The strongest people in the room are almost never the loudest. Truly powerful people do not need to humiliate others to establish authority. They understand that true leadership is about fostering an environment where everyone feels valued and heard.

Segil: So where do we go from here?

Massey: We need to stop romanticizing emotionally aggressive behavior as strength. Bullying, belittling, and berating are over. The executives who succeed today are not the loudest people in the room. They are the people who are capable of disagreement without dehumanization. They are capable of having a 365-degree view of a situation. And they are wise enough to know that the chair they occupy will be there long after the human being who sat in it is gone.

Addressing toxic bullying in corporate leadership requires a cultural shift that prioritizes emotional intelligence, empathy, and respect. Organizations must implement robust training programs that educate leaders on the impact of their behavior and the importance of fostering a positive work environment. Additionally, establishing clear policies and procedures for reporting and addressing bullying can empower employees to speak up without fear of retaliation.

Furthermore, organizations should encourage open dialogue and feedback, creating an atmosphere where diverse perspectives are valued. This can help dismantle the power structures that allow bullying to thrive and promote a culture of collaboration and mutual respect.

In conclusion, tackling toxic bullying in corporate leadership is not just about addressing individual behaviors; it is about transforming the entire organizational culture. By fostering environments where healthy communication and respectful interactions are the norm, organizations can not only improve employee satisfaction and retention but also enhance overall performance and success.

Larraine Segil is Founder, Chair and CEO of the Exceptional Women Alliance.