Leadership is often seen as a position of strength, guiding, inspiring, and shaping the direction of a team. But what happens when the very people a leader is meant to support turn against them?
Upward Bullying is an insidious and rarely discussed workplace phenomenon where team members deliberately undermine, intimidate, and sabotage their leader, often in a calculated effort to take control.
It’s not just conflict. It’s not just resistance. It’s a coordinated power struggle that can destabilize leadership, disrupt teams, and eat away at the foundation of an organization from the inside out.
“Upward bullying is like an infection in the organisation. It spreads from one person to another, and the consequence can be devastating.”
– Gary Namie
In this blog, we’ll uncover what Upward Bullying really is, why it happens, and how unchecked power dynamics, lack of accountability, and organizational change can fuel this toxic behaviour.
What Is Upward Bullying?
Upward Bullying is an intentional form of bullying where team members attack their leader, challenging their authority and attempting to take control of the work environment. It’s an abuse of informal power, where employees manipulate situations to discredit, isolate, and ultimately push out their leader.
At its core, it’s about control. The bully, often a team member who resents or disagrees with the leader, works to gain support from others, creating a mob-like dynamic where the leader becomes the target of collective hostility.
Upward bullying can manifest in many ways:
- Undermining the leader’s authority (ignoring directives, questioning their competence, spreading doubt).
- Passive resistance (deliberately missing deadlines, withholding critical information, refusing to collaborate).
- Spreading rumours and gossip (creating a toxic narrative that isolates the leader).
- Manipulating senior management or HR into siding with the bully’s perspective.
While some acts may seem minor at first, if left unchecked, they can escalate into an all-out effort to remove the leader, and it can happen fast.
The Cracked Foundation in a Towering Structure
Upward bullying is like cracks forming in the foundation of a towering building.
From the outside, the structure (leadership) appears solid and unshakable. But internal fractures, caused by resistance from below (team members), begin to weaken the system. Over time, these small cracks grow, spreading rumours, passive defiance, and manipulation, until the entire foundation is at risk of collapse.
Without proper intervention and reinforcement, the cracks can spread until the organization loses its most valuable leaders.
Why Does Upward Bullying Happen?
4. Lack of Support from Senior Leadership & HR
One of the biggest reasons upward bullying escalates is because senior management and HR fail to intervene.
In many cases, HR is manipulated by the bully into seeing the leader as the problem. Because traditional workplace dynamics assume that leaders hold the power, HR and executive teams may struggle to recognize a leader as a victim.
Without clear support systems, the leader is left to fight the battle alone, and in many cases, they eventually leave the organisation without the situation ever being resolved, taking their skills and experience with them.
5. Lack of Accountability for Inappropriate Behaviour
If employees face no consequences for undermining leadership, upward bullying is allowed to flourish. Organisations that fail to hold employees accountable for disrespect, insubordination, or manipulation create an environment where:
- Team members believe they can act without repercussions.
- Leaders feel powerless to enforce discipline.
- Bullying behaviour becomes normalized across teams.
Accountability isn’t about leaders being above criticism—it’s about ensuring that employees engage in professional, respectful interactions rather than tactical sabotage.
6. Organisational Change as a Trigger
Major organisational changes, such as restructuring, leadership turnover, or shifts in company culture—can create uncertainty and instability.
During times of change, employees may push back against new leadership, feeling that:
- The new leader is unfit for the role.
- Their status or influence is threatened.
- They should be the ones in control, not the appointed leader.
Without clear communication and a strong stance against disruptive behaviour, upward bullying can quickly spiral out of control in times of transition.
The Tree Choked by Its Roots
Upward bullying resembles a tree struggling to survive because its roots have overgrown and begun constricting its base.
The roots (employees) are essential for stability, but when they grow unchecked and entangle the leader, they can suffocate the very leadership that is meant to sustain them.
To restore balance, organisations must:
✅ Identify the early signs of upward bullying.
✅ Ensure HR and management support their leaders.
✅ Create accountability for inappropriate behaviour.
✅ Communicate openly about change to reduce resistance.
Final Thoughts
Upward bullying doesn’t just harm leaders—it weakens entire teams and organisations.
Left unaddressed, it fosters toxicity, instability, and high leadership turnover, driving out capable leaders who should be guiding the company forward. But when organisations recognize the early warning signs, support their leaders, and create a culture of accountability, they can prevent these destructive dynamics from taking root.
Have you witnessed upward bullying in your workplace?
Do leaders in your organisation have the support they need?
Let’s keep the conversation going, because strong leadership shouldn’t be a battleground.