Definition:
*Sabotage* refers to the deliberate act of obstructing, damaging, or undermining a person, project, institution, or process, often in a covert or indirect manner, with the intent to hinder success or cause failure.
Characteristics
Intentional and strategic disruption.
May be covert (hidden, passive-aggressive) or overt (blatant, confrontational).
Often motivated by rivalry, resentment, fear of displacement, or power struggles.
Can occur in academic, professional, institutional, or political settings.
Forms of Sabotage
Withholding critical information or resources.
Undermining colleagues through gossip or discrediting.
Delaying or obstructing publication, approvals, or decisions.
Creating bureaucratic or procedural obstacles.
Manipulating evaluations, peer reviews, or selection processes.
Support – actions that enable success, collaboration, or progress.
Application Example
In academic neurosurgery, sabotage may involve delaying a junior colleague’s publication or grant application to prevent them from advancing within the department.