Relationships, power, and ambiguity: how do U.S. intelligence officer responses to toxicity affect support to the core mission?

Abstract

ABSTRACT Research has explored U.S. intelligence core teams at the cultural and functional levels. How intelligence officers respond to toxic interpersonal relationships remains unexplored. A May 2021 grounded theory and situational analysis study of variations of responses to workplace toxicity in the core mission identified nine response patterns and three impacts to mission support. The study also found that power, agency, and acumen played central roles, along with relational ambiguity and toxic memory as contextual factors. The findings generated five research propositions.