Overcoming Mobbing A Recovery Guide for Workplace Aggression and Bullying

by Maureen P. Duffy, Len Sperry

Research shows that as many as 37% of American workers have experienced workplace abuse at some time in their working lives. Mobbing, a form of abuse in which individuals, groups, or organizations target a single person for ridicule, humiliation, and removal from the workplace, can lead to deteriorating physical and mental health, violence, and even suicide.

Overcoming Mobbing is an informative, comprehensive guidebook written for the victims of mobbing and their families. In an engaging and reader-friendly style, mobbing experts Maureen Duffy and Len Sperry help readers to make sense of the experience and mobilize resources for recovery. The authors distinguish mobbing from bullying-in that it takes place within organizational or institutional settings-and demonstrate how mobbing is not about the occasional negative experience at work; rather, mobbing involves ongoing negative acts, both overt and covert, that over time erode workers' confidence in themselves and in their workplaces. Demystifying the experience of mobbing through the use of examples and case studies, Overcoming Mobbing provides effective strategies for recovery from mobbing as well as for prevention. More than a simple self-help book, this guide offers a detailed presentation of the causes and consequences of mobbing, helps readers avoid falling into the trap of
misplacing blame, and holds organizations at the center of responsibility for preventing this devastating type of abuse. In addition to those who have experienced mobbing, this book is an invaluable resource for workplace managers and human resources personnel who wish to prevent or reverse mobbing within their own professional settings.

Genres: Nonfiction, Self Help

256 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2013

Reviews

['Atira · Rating 3 out of 5]

#Audiobook

[Richard Schwindt · Rating 5 out of 5]

The shift from individualized approaches to workplace abuse is picking up steam; more articles and books are appearing that point away from "bad apples" and towards groups within dysfunctional organizations. I write about mobbing and counsel mobbing targets. I have also experienced workplace mobbing. It is a unique horror, well understood but not yet widely understood. This book is highly articulate and does a terrific job of describing the organizational dynamics of mobbing and why it has such a disproportionate effect on the emotional and physical well being of targets. I would note this book also reveals intelligence on the subject of the healthy and unhealthy workplace. I loved their schema: "see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil". There are still a relatively small number of books on the topic of workplace mobbing. This is one that should be on the "must read" list.

[Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

As the book warns in the beginning, this was a very painful book for me to read. I, indeed, had to put it down a few times and big silent tears came to my eyes. As a victim, it entails the emotional trauma I experienced and lays out the almost diabolical steps involved. Most importantly to me, it lays out the steps needed to overcome and address it.

If you suspect that this has happened to you or a loved one. Please read this. This type of abuse does not only affect the victim or the victim's workplace. You can help.

[Gela · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 The book opens your eyes to the differences between bullying and mobbing. The authors never say anyone could be the victim of both, which I believe you can be.

[Kyren · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked it up for professional development and found myself unwittingly realizing that I too had been the target of workplace mobbing at a previous workplace. One of the most useful tools this book provides is how to identity and distinguish workplace 'mobbing' from workplace 'bullying'-- and how mobbing can be infinitely more psychologically harmful for both the target and the organization than even one-on-one bullying is. Given that every year 60 million people report experiencing workplace 'bullying' and that from those cases, fully 1/3 fit the criteria of 'mobbing' as articulated in this book (see https://www.workplacebullying.org/mul...), it's clear that workplace mobbing and its causes are a critical issue for anyone invested in workplace wellness and cultural health. All managers, supervisors, HR personnel, CEOs, EDs, and other leaders responsible for workplace health would benefit from this book. It has revolutionized the way I examine and assess workplace 'safety'.

[Begum · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have seen mobbing. I have seen how it is done. Not on myself, but on fellow co-workers. I have seen them resign or get fired. I have also seen them cry, self isolate or gain weight due to binge eating.

Therefore, the book was a relevant read for me.

I loved the part where the book talks about seemingly “open door policies” of organizations which are in fact used to create mobbing-inclined workplace environments.

The book describes how “open door policies” of high level executives may be used in order to systematically collect negative data about prospective or current mobbing victims.

It works like this:

The doors are closed for junior employees, but wide open for managers who would like to gossip and give away negative feedback about their team members.

Managers are encouraged to keep collecting negative information and regularly present it to the high level executives behind “closed doors”.

Although “open door policy” may evoke a positive meaning; under evil executives it may be used to systematically torture an employee, create a surveillance/ spying culture.

[Amanda · Rating 1 out of 5]

The book repeated the same information over and over, basically just saying what mobbing was. It didn't really offer any relevant information on what to do if you've been mobbed or anything else besides describe what mobbing is. I would have gotten a refund from Amazon if too long hadn't gone by in order for me to still be able to get a refund for this waste of time. The last 25% of the e-book is just footnotes. I completely regret purchasing this book.

[Tina Panik · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book clarified the culture of the early-middle years of my current career. Mobbing requires an institutional mentality that bullying lacks; that definition is just the beginning of this well written, well organized, valuable resource for workers AND managers. It Includes ways to evaluate your current work culture, and strategies to help those who are being mobbed. I wish I had found this title five years ago!

[Alex Watson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This happened to me, and this book went a good way into clarifying what I was experiencing in the workplace, and how groups of seemingly good people organise to 'mob' their victim and 'eliminate' them form the workplace. Recommend to any HR professional or person going through control, bullying, sexist or racist issues in the workplace

[Alex Devero · Rating 3 out of 5]

Office bullies can make life hell. However, by taking specific steps, they can be defeated. For every organization it is important establish support channels where victims of bullying can ask for help. Otherwise, workplace mobbing can destroy careers and lives of employees.

[Robin-warren Heydenberk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overcoming Mobbing is a useful reference for managers and leaders in the workplace.

[GreyAtlas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Detailed and crucial. I went through this and didn't know the name of it. I wish there had been more stories included and at times information felt repetitive, but it was useful.