I couldn't help but think, although the article is focused on academia, that doesn't mean these issues don't exist in industry or even other groups of people (families, friend groups, etc). I don't necessarily think the answer is always 'niceness,' although on some level everyone is deserving of respect, in my opinion. However, I also respect myself enough to leave situations that are not healthy for me (sometimes that is easy to do, sometimes not).

I could imagine in academia it could get especially tricky, if one was in a tenured position, working towards an career in academia, several years into a PhD program, etc and essentially facing a decision to possibly lose an opportunity for some academia goal or to continue to work with some dysfunctional person or group until the goal has been met (finishing degree, getting tenure, not giving up a hard-won tenured position). I mean, there are problems in industry too I guess, but the nature of the academia career track seems to make 'just leaving the dysfunctional situation' a much more meaningful decision, that could essentially end one's academic career or reduce its trajectory. If I don't like the dynamics at a company outside academia, it is relatively straightforward to find a new company to work at with minimal consequences (in fact, the move could help my career).