Mobbing: Causes, Consequences, and Solutions - Hardcover

"Duffy and Sperry have researched and addressed with great clarity a common, but little appreciated, societal problem- that of mobbing- which can occur in virtually any social organization. Indeed, they have gone a step further, studying the role of mobbing on mental and physical health. Because mobbing involves a group rather than individual dynamic, it is a ubiquitous, but insidious, form of trauma and can be expected to exact a high price on the health and well-being of its victims. This book is a comprehensive and invaluable addition to the literature on this common and vexing social problem." -- Robert Scaer, MD, author of The Trauma Spectrum and The Body Bears the Burden "Publication of this book is something to celebrate, a landmark event in the development of a body of knowledge that substantially deepens our understanding of what happens to people in their jobs....This is a foundational piece of work, one that will be read for decades to come." -- Kenneth Westhues, Professor Emeritus of Sociology, University of Waterloo "A fantastic, mesmerizing, encyclopedic narrative touching on every aspect of the phenomenon of mobbing, like no other single volume in the literature. The authors clearly have been in the trenches helping abused workers. Their advice is spot on and keenly oriented toward improving the individual victim's health and recovery from the mobbing assaults." -- Gary Namie, Director, Workplace Bullying Institute "Scholarly and sensitive, Duffy and Sperry's book finetunes the concept of mobbing in a holistic manner, examining antecedents, processes, and consequences, as well as recommending interventions in instances of school and workplace mobbing. The inclusion of emergent thematic areas, beyond those conventionally associated with the discipline, enriches the contribution. An excellent teaching, research, and practitioner resource based on extensive literature, real-life examples, and insightful analyses, the book widens the discourse and highlights important avenues to be explored." -- Premilla D'Cruz, Associate Professor of Organizational Behavior, Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, India "Duffy and Sperry achieve their goal to comprehensively contribute to an expanded awareness of the bullying and mobbing dynamics and their devastating effects in schools, workplaces, and other organizational settings. The authors pull together the vast scientific evidence of the last decade, offer poignant case stories, and provide clear-cut advice on how to stop mobbing." -- Noa Zanolli Davenport, co-author of Mobbing: Emotional Abuse in the American Workplace

An administrator known for her innovative on-the-job thinking becomes the target of anonymous rumors about financial mismanagement of her department. The rumors are proven baseless but her boss decides that she can't work with "that woman" anymore and prevents her from attending key meetings. The administrator sees a cardiologist for the first time in her life because of increasing chest pain, and her family doctor prescribes antidepressants "to get her over the hump." The administrator whose identity is interwoven with her job and company is bewildered by what is happening to her at work and says she doesn't know who she is anymore.

A middle school student is the target of relentless name-calling and slurs by a group of other kids at school. The slurs include derogatory comments about his sexuality, appearance, and family. The taunting has increased over several months, and many teachers have witnessed it. The student was the subject of a recent conversation in the faculty lounge, where some faculty members said the student needed to "toughen up," while others expressed concern for his well-being. The student's main strategy has been to try and keep away from the group of kids, but he finds himself trusting fewer of his "friends," feeling both angry and sad, and having a hard time concentrating.

What features of these two situations are almost identical, and why are they both classic instances of workplace and school mobbing? Mobbing is not the same as bullying, as the authors of this volume explain with cogent analysis of the organizational and contextual frameworks within which mobbing always occurs. From the Salem witch trials to workers trying to do the best they can at work, to kids whose humiliation in school has made the headlines, the authors offer numerous illustrations of mobbing, followed by insightful analyses and discussions of lessons learned. Duffy and Sperry provide a wealth of research to demonstrate the devastating toll that mobbing takes on its victims, their families, and the organizations where it occurs. The authors painstakingly avoid simplistic solutions to mobbing, such as removing the "bad apples," and instead, move the conversation forward by showing how bold and compassionate organizational leadership is required to improve conditions for the benefit of both individuals and their organizations.