Incivility in Academe: What if the Instigator Is a High Performer?

This analysis of workplace incivility focuses on instigators who are high performers, but have a negative effect on morale. We explore antecedents, manifestations, and consequences associated with these instigators, whom we label “High Performing Instigators.” This qualitative study indicates that HPIs are common in academe and engage in a broad spectrum of uncivil behaviors. The consequences of HPI behavior result in losses for all involved – loss of respect, time, emotional energy, and morale. One important finding is that there seems to be no change in HPI behavior in academe when comparing preand post-tenure status of faculty identified as HPI.