Life at the Sharp End
Life at the Sharp End
Dr. Jason Price
15 • Managing abrasive leadership behaviour
44 minutes Posted Mar 18, 2025 at 11:00 pm.
Introduction
Laura's early experience of abrasive leadership
Myths and behaviour of abrasive leaders
Terminology • what is abrasive behaviour?
Why legislation won't stop abrasive behaviour
How can people managers identify abrasive behaviour early?
Is abrasive behaviour an HR problem?
Objections raised when abrasive leaders are challenged
Tackling abrasive leaders is a preventive action
Intervention is supportive, not punitive
The steps of coaching an abrasive leader
Preventing retaliation by abrasive leaders
Contacting Dr Laura Crawshaw
Lessons to learn about managing abrasive leaders
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Show notes
A toxic culture is one result of workplace behaviour that includes incivility, bullying, harassment and a host of other unacceptable conduct. What action can leaders take to address this behaviour, other than following formal complaint processes and HR disciplinary investigations?
Dr Laura Crawshaw is a researcher and practitioner who's spent her career looking into this behaviour, which she summarises with one simple word - “abrasive.”
Are abrasive leaders just difficult people who need to be identified and removed from the workplace, or can they be persuaded to change their behaviour?
Do they even understand what their behaviour is like and the harm it is causing to others?
Dr Crawshaw is known as the “Boss Whisperer” coaching leaders in how to prevent - and address - the destructive impact of abrasive behaviour occurring in their organisations.
If you’re a people leader who needs to deal with an abrasive individual that reports to you — or you’re someone working for an abrasive boss who just ‘rubs everyone up the wrong way’ —this episode provides important insights and practical techniques that’ll help you take action to intervene and turn the situation around.
Would you like to know more?
Visit priceperrott.com for this episode's show notes and subscribe to my Beyond the Bullet Points Substack for additional insights, commentary and related content.
LINKS
Follow Dr Crawshaw on LinkedIn
Visit the Boss Whispering Institute's website
Read Dr Crawshaw’s latest book, “Grow your spine and manage abrasive leadership behavior”