Leonardo Da Vinci said, "It is easier to resist at the beginning than at the end," which is sound social psychology. The more time and effort that people put into anything -- no matter how useless, dysfunctional, or downright stupid it might be -- the harder it is for them to walk away, be it a bad investment, a destructive relationship, an exploitive job, or a workplace filled with browbeaters, bullies, and bastards.
Robert I. Sutton, PhD.
from The No Asshole Rule/
Building a Civilized Workplace and Surviving One That Isn't
(c)2007 Business Plus Hachete Book Group USA, p. 99