Arrogant bosses poor at performance: scientists

According to researchers, arrogant bosses can drain the bottom line because they are typically poor performers who cover up their insecurities by disparaging subordinates, leading to organisational dysfunction and employee turnover

A new measure of arrogance, called 'The Workplace Arrogance Scale' (WARS) has been developed by researchers at The University of Akron and Michigan.

"Does your boss demonstrate different behaviors with subordinates and supervisors?" asks Stanley Silverman, dean of UA's Summit University Colleges.

He says a "yes" answer could mean trouble.

Silverman warns that "yes" replies to these other questions raise red flags and signal arrogance.

"Does your boss put his/her personal agenda ahead of the organisation's agenda? Does the boss discredit others' ideas during meetings and often make them look bad? Does your boss reject constructive feedback? Does the boss exaggerate his/her superiority and make others feel inferior?" Silverman asked.

The Workplace Arrogance Scale (WARS) will be presented at the American Psychological Association convention in Orlando on August 2.

Arrogance is characterised by a pattern of behaviour that demeans others in an attempt to prove competence and superiority.

Silverman says this behaviour is correlated with lower intelligence scores and lower self-esteem when compared to managers who are not arrogant.

Left unchecked, arrogant leaders can be a destructive force within an organisation, notes Silverman. With power over their employees' work assignments, promotion opportunities and performance reviews, arrogant bosses put subordinates in a helpless position.

They do not mentor junior colleagues nor do they motivate a team to benefit the organization as a whole, contributing to a negative social workplace atmosphere.

Silverman says that arrogance is less a personality trait than a series of behaviors, which can be addressed through coaching if the arrogant boss is willing to change.