Written by I was reading a social media post about bad behavior in relationships and I was astounded by the statement “boys will be boys”. Is this perhaps a sterling example of poor or toxic behavior being normalized in society? Thomas Roulet, a professor of organisational theory at the University of Cambridge Judge Business School warns that a toxic environment is more than poor or abusive behaviors but the acceptance or normalizing of them. Often this accepted behavior allows the bully or abuser to gather collaborators and exert influence over others without needing to consider the consequences. Ultimately this relaxing of the usual societal standards of behavior will lead to an organization with an entrenched negative culture, where the individual may not even be aware of their antisocial attitudes.
Some environments are more prone to this situation, the sporting environment most certainly has an atmosphere of high competition and high spirits. We read about toxic masculinity and assume that the pervasively male environment is more likely to lead to this sort of brutish culture but in fact it is just as likely among girls and women. Girls focus on relationships and so often engage in relational aggression in sports which is a type of bullying that uses exclusion to target their victims. This coupled with a propensity to gossip about each other can create a very ugly environment for girls outside the clique.
Traditionally bullying is the repeated, targeted, and intentional act of aggression towards a target. The perpetrator is unprovoked and demeans and intimidates another person. The exploitation of an individual’s vulnerabilities is the primary goal, and in this control of that individual can be gained. The physical aggression inherent in male bullying is hostile but the female version can be insidiously more subtle, and therefore, harder to detect. Girl bullies work to gain popularity, status, and power and generally though they belittle their targets they are often insanely jealous of them. The covert nature of this bullying means that clues are often missed or misinterpreted as normal social interaction.
Sadly, in a competitive environment like the sports field, this situation can accelerate rapidly. Coaches need to invest in creating a culture that prohibits bullying and is mindful of the need to recognize effort rather than only congratulate success. Current leadership studies have highlighted that harmful traditional coaching practices have actually contributed by creating an ideal space for these activities to develop. The interrelationships between coaches, athletes, and other stakeholders are where prevention of this normalization of bad behavior must begin.