The Complete Guide to Understanding, Controlling, and Stopping Bullies & Bullying at Work: A Complete Guide for Managers, Supervisors, and Co-Workers
According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), more than two million workers in the United States alone are victims of workplace violence each year, leading to millions of dollars lost in employee productivity. Many people believe that bullying occurs only among school-age children and fail to acknowledge the presence and devastating effects of bullying in the workplace. It is time that this destructive issue be addressed and resolved; however, you may be asking yourself how to accomplish such a task. The Complete Guide to Understanding, Controlling, and Stopping Bullies & Bullying at Work will provide you with valuable information on the topic, as well as unique solutions to the problem.
In this new book, you will learn how to identify the problem of workplace bullying, how to define the workplace bully, how to identify characteristics of a “targeted” employee, how to identify pathological characteristic of workplace bullies, how to bust bullying, and how to “bully-proof” your employees. This book also discusses the indicators of a toxic workplace, the causes of workplace bullying, reasons why workplace bullying is perpetuated and unchallenged by other employees, the connection between bullying and lethal workplace violence, and the legal aspects of bullying.
Furthermore, you will learn about “mob” bullying, the effects of bullying on the “target,” and the effects of bullying on the organization. The author also covers such special topics as workplace bullying in federal, state, and local organizations; the United States armed forces; Fortune 500 companies; and medical organizations, as well as “reverse bullying” by employees who inappropriately assert harassment and bullying by their superiors even though they have been fairly disciplined for sub-standard job performance.
This book goes one step further and provides solutions to end workplace violence, anti-bullying pledges, and examples of zero-tolerance bullying policies. If you are a manager, a supervisor, or even just an employee and you suspect bullying is occurring, you need to read this book. Whether bullying is already happening or you want to be sure it never does, The Complete Guide to Understanding, Controlling, and Stopping Bullies & Bullying at Work will provide you with everything you need to know to create a better working environment.
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This book was very revealing to me. As I’ve been out of the office environment for some time, I can’t say it was instantly useful. I can say, however, that after reading it I have a whole new perspective on many of my former co-workers. Looking back now, it’s easy to see how the things Kohut describes applies to all too many of them, and how the people who were targets of their bullying were chosen. The book made a lot of sense, especially in respect to how bullying starts and why it happens to certain people but not others.
Kohut goes into a lot of detail on the different personality types form whom most bullying comes from. Different kinds of bullies act differently, and for all kinds of varied reasons. Kohut shows you what to expect from each type and why they do what they do. Once you learn to look for the signs, I’ll bet you start noticing these traits in those co-workers who you find most problematic.
Of course, knowing why these people do things is useless unless you can stop or prevent it. And though I couldn’t apply her tips on how to avoid bullying, there is a lot here for people who think they are experiencing this kind of activity in their workplace. Not only that, but managers and supervisors will get some great perspective from this one. Highly recommended.
Comment by A reader — April 14, 2008 @ 9:00 am
5 out of 5 stars
Kohut’s book is unique among books about workplace bullying because it strikes a nice balance between the personal and the practical. On the one hand, it’s a sympathetic self-help book for people suffering from workplace bullying, but on the other, it offers detailed procedures to change terrible situations, both informally and organizationally. It also stands out for discussing how managers and supervisors can deal with bullying both from above and with their employees. Her approach is more clinical than others by her suggestions on a range of research, which is much more useful than the more touchy-feely books on the subject which just try to make you feel better. Instead, Kohut tries to help you understand how and why bullies act the way they do. This helps you realize a) that workplace bullying is not your fault but the result of various flawed personality types in others, and b) that once you understand the bullies, you can deal with them more effectively. The case studies she includes for every type and situation are excellent ways to understand both how bullies operate and how to deal with them. But what I found most useful were her two chapters “Surviving Workplace Bullying and Considering Your Options” and “Bullying and the Law” where she lays out a number of options for both staying in a threatening workplace and taking legal action in the most extreme cases. Apart from offering incredibly useful advice that applies to many different situations, Kohut also summarizes the best of the many other books and research on workplace bullying (so, in a sense, you get many books in one). She also includes extensive appendices that list resources for further information on particular topics as well as a number of exercises and self-assessments to best determine which of her strategies will work for you. I can’t recommend this book highly enough for people who not only suffer from workplace bullying but are ready to improve their situation as quickly as possible.
Comment by Craig — April 17, 2008 @ 12:25 pm
The Complete Guide to Understanding, Controlling, and Stopping Bullies and Bullying at Work was an eye opening book for me. In the midst of continual turnover in the workplace and constant issues with new employees, I have been left not really knowing what to do. After reading the introduction to this book, I realized that it was written by an author that has been in a similar situation herself. Margaret R. Kohut, the author of The Complete Guide to Understanding, Controlling, and Stopping Bullies and Bullying at Work, lived through bullying in the workplace and wrote a book to help others in the same situation. This book was great at categorizing different types of bullying and giving examples on how to encounter these issues. Bullying is a problem today in working America among bosses and co-workers. I am sure there are other resources out there to help deal with these issues, but I have yet to find one laid out in such an open and direct way.
This practical guide leads you through the reasons for the bullying. It shows you ideas on how to tackle each type of bullying in an appropriate way, and offers solutions and gives personal accounts from others that have dealt with the issue. It also lays out exactly what to expect from each type of bully and categorizes behaviors that profiles you as a target of such bullying. There are case by case accounts mixed throughout the book that show examples of how others have dealt with these same issues. Being bullied by a boss or co-worker can leave you feeling angry and helpless. This book gives encouragement and answers. It helps you to develop your own resources to combat the problem and take control over the unwinding situation.
Five star rating
Comment by Jennifer Knight — April 24, 2008 @ 7:27 pm
Margaret R. Kohut, MSW wrote this guide in response to the millions of Americans suffer or have suffered from workplace bullying. Kohut’s preface tells her tale of being bullied by her superiors and subordinates during a period of her service in the U.S. Armed Forces and gives credibility to the guide.
The guide itself is loaded with statistical data and lists of informative points with chapter dedicated to personality profiles of workplace bullies, profiles of targets, types of workplace bullying, how to survive workplace bullying, the legalities of bullying and violence in the workplace as a result of bullying.
Kohut covers a broad range of bullies from single to mob. Her facts are clear and to the point. She also specifically addresses bullying in the U.S. military.
Scattered throughout the guide are literary references and inspirational quotes that keep the reader intrigued and turning the page.
The thing to watch out for is that Kohut often repeats that the target of bullying does not realize it. As you flip the pages of the guide, you see bits of the personalities she details in your co-workers and indicators of a person being bullied in yourself.
Comment by Laura Stuart — April 29, 2008 @ 6:26 pm
As someone who has worked in an office in the past, the book The Complete Guide to Understanding, Controlling, and Stopping Bullies & Bullying at Work: A Guide for Managers, Supervisors and Employees by Margaret Kohut does not introduce anything new to me. My office, like many others around the globe was full of bullies and ruthless ladder climbers who care little for the carnage they leave in their wake.
What I like about the book is the fact that not only does it tackle bullying co-workers but also bullying bosses. With a bullying colleague you can always go to management, but when the bully is part of management, what do you do? Your options are usually limited: suck it up and deal with it or leave the firm. In her book, Kohut provides other options and explores the first option of “sucking it up.” In the current economic climate, it is not always easy to find a job at the same rate of pay you are getting at your current position. There is one complete chapter on how to stay sane while you stay in a stressful and bullying environment.
Overall I would give this book four out of five stars. This is often an unaddressed but ever present problem in today’s workplace and I would imagine more workplaces suffer from bullying than the ones that do not. I only hope this book makes its way into the hands of many of my former colleagues and managers.
Comment by M.P. — May 6, 2008 @ 12:09 pm