You've never had a manager in denial of the facts and impossible to have an adult conversation with. You are very lucky.I'm having a slight bit of difficulty in envisioning how this phenomenon manifests itself.
I mean, we're adults. The work place is comprised completely of adults.
This. A bad manager can blame all problems on someone beneath him who he has taken a dislike to. The management hierarchy tends to support the chain of command by default, and these people know how to present themselves in a professional manner to their superiors, even when they are in the wrong.other types of bullies are far more clever and sociopathic in nature.
If it's a peer who's bullying, you at least have the possibility of standing up to him. But if it's someone in charge you have limited choices. Put up with it; stand up to him and suffer the consequences; or get the hell out. I guess that generally you try all three options in that order.