Surviving the Toxic Workplace: Protect Yourself Against Coworkers, Bosses, and Work Environments That Poison Your Day

by Linnda Durre

Proven techniques for dealing with workplace issues successfully Do you dread going to work? Dealing with pestering coworkers, unmanageable managers, angry clients can take its toll on your job performance. And in these difficult economic times, no one can afford to lose their jobs. In Surviving the Toxic Workplace , syndicated author and psychotherapist Linnda Durre teaches you how to pinpoint and treat these office maladies with effective communication and conflict negotiation techniques that are sure to bring you peace of mind and peace at work. Surviving the Toxic Workplace shows

Genres: Nonfiction, Business

256 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2010

About the author

Linnda Durre', Ph.D., a psychotherapist, columnist, business consultant, corporate trainer & speaker to Fortune 500. A television & radio talk show host of "Ask The Family Therapist," on America's Health Network assc with the Mayo Clinic, aired @ Universal Orlando; & The Linnda Durre Show on www.810weus.com She was on Oprah, 60 Minutes, Today Show, O'Reilly, GMA, & wrote for Forbes, ACBJ, & OBJ. She was quoted/cited in NY Times, LA Times, Christian Science Monitor, USA Today, Parade, CNN, etc"

Reviews

[Rh · Rating 1 out of 5]

Sadly if you truly are working in a toxic workplace please do not buy this book. The solutions proposed are one paragraph long and appear to be in the form of a 'speech' you 'should' give to the person who is upsetting you. True these ideas may be helpful to give you an idea about the kind of person you may be dealing with, but suggesting that a reader can solve the problem themselves with a change of attitude and the right approach and speech, is in my opinion irresponsible and cruel advice. Any one who is suffering from a bullying situation or has been worn down by abuse, may not have the reserves or strength to " change " and learn and remember what they are supposed to say.
If you are suffering and searching for help, this book will not only make you feel guilty but will also offer a simplistic response which may make matters worse. Borrow it from a library, make your own mind up

[Kelsey Hanson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Maybe I'm just too cynical for my own good, but this book seemed like the textbook responses that HR gives you that does not work. Don't get me wrong, I will still try them (what have I got to lose?) and if they work I will revise my review, but this seems very similar to certain techniques that didn't quite work for me in the past.

[Tara Brabazon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a clearly configured book that aligns a toxic workplace with an array of discriminatory practices, including sexism and homophobia. 'Poisoning' becomes a metaphor and trope to understand what happens when a toxic individual infiltrates a workplace.

The books helps individuals suffering this workplace, but also demonstrates how managers can intervene to stop this behaviour.

[Ogi Ogas · Rating 2 out of 5]

My ratings of books on Goodreads are solely a crude ranking of their utility to me, and not an evaluation of literary merit, entertainment value, social importance, humor, insightfulness, scientific accuracy, creative vigor, suspensefulness of plot, depth of characters, vitality of theme, excitement of climax, satisfaction of ending, or any other combination of dimensions of value which we are expected to boil down through some fabulous alchemy into a single digit.

[Tricia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Each chapter could be summarized in one paragraph. Understand and humanize the toxic people, then confront them, if they don't change confront their boss, if they don't change confront HR, if HR doesn't so anything go legal and ultimately leave/take care of yourself if confronting people diplomatically doesn't work.

[Jennifer Biggs · Rating 3 out of 5]

By the end this book seemed a little repettive but it was a good read none the less full of lots of great ideas

[Allison · Rating 2 out of 5]

My boss saw me reading this at work. It was awkward.

[Toni · Rating 4 out of 5]

I will write to Duree and explain the reason I did not give her book four stars: because it was a little too even-handed about sexism. Later Duree recounts her experience of a woman who suffered years of blatant sex discrimination via the passive-aggressive rejection of her doctoral dissertation at a prestigious university. I believe Duree should be more considerate in her approach to employees so-called 'dark sexist themes'.

Unfortunately, the gender pay gap, misogyny, rape and murder are not even across sexes. Duree was sensitive to other marginalised groups, why not women? #CallingItOut

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some interesting ideas. I can't imagine having some of the conversations in the book as I don't think they would work in my office. I did find it a bit repetitive, but there were a few helpful suggestions that I can use.

[Jason]

Didn't finish