Being a bad boss DOES work: Researchers find blackmailing employees can be productive (as long as you appear friendly while doing it)
- Study found nearly 1 in 2 people take advantage of others when possible
- Is especially true in power imbalance scenario, such as boss and employee
- They say 'blackmailing' can be successful if boss sometimes cooperates
- Otherwise, being blatantly selfish can work against these people
When given the opportunity, many people will take advantage of others in order to get ahead – especially if a power imbalance exists, as in the case of a boss and employee.
But according to a new study, these extortionists might not be so easy to identify.
Researchers found that bosses are more successful in their efforts to ‘blackmail’ employees into cooperation if they maintain a friendly demeanour, acting as a ‘wolf in sheep’s clothing’ to hide their selfish strategies.
Researchers found that bosses are more successful in their efforts to ‘blackmail’ employees into cooperation if they maintain a friendly demeanour, acting as a ‘wolf in sheep’s clothing’ to hide their selfish strategies
Bosses often turn to blackmail to drive cooperation, the researchers explain, pointing to the common example: ‘If you don’t want to do the job, I’m sure we’ll find somebody else who does.’
The study, led by a team from Harvard University, the Institute of Science and technology Austria, and the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Behaviour in Plön, Germany used both a model and an experimental setup to analyze behaviour of 160 students.
Participants were asked to take part in the ‘prisoner’s dilemma’ game, in which two players choose whether or not they will cooperate with each other to receive a cash payoff.
Through these experiments, the researchers found that nearly one in two people will take advantage of another if the opportunity arises.
The researchers set up the game in a way that allowed one of the players to swap their opponent if they were not satisfied with their behaviour.
This person would then be replaced with a previously inactive player, and suspended for several rounds.
‘This is the equivalent of a boss firing and replacing an employee,’ says Christian Hilbe of IST Austria.
Based on this, participants that were particularly ‘Machiavellian’ could create a false sense of security by initially cooperating, and later failing to do so.
Then, the ‘selfish’ player would receive a payoff, while the opponent would not.
According to the team, however, this strategy would only be successful in the short term, and eventually, opponents will stop cooperating.
The researchers found that both parties were most successful when opponents played along.
The extortionists themselves would receive a larger payoff, and those who allowed themselves to be exploited more frequently would fare better than those who did not.
Those who refused to cooperate would be banished to the ‘unemployed’ area, where they would eventually be sent home with a smaller prize.
Participants that were particularly ‘Machiavellian’ could create a false sense of security by initially cooperating, and later failing to do so, the researchers say.
And, most participants were aware of the situation, the researchers say.
Interviews revealed they quickly caught on to the strategies of the more powerful player, and realized they would be most successful by playing along.
But, in order to be most successful, the extortionists must also cooperate sometimes as well, they say.
Acting selfishly in a way that was too obvious would work against these people.
‘A heavy-handed boss who always solely relies on exploitation is not successful,’ says Manfred Milinski, Director at the Max Planck institute for Evolutionary Biology.
‘Without occasional cooperation, the system doesn’t work. It is therefore those people who appear to be friendly on the surface we maybe should be most wary of.’
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