What will I learn about: the crucial difference between standard workplace bullying and mobbing, a covert, group-led form of organizational abuse designed to force victims out?

Understand the crucial difference between standard workplace bullying and mobbing, a covert, group-led form of organizational abuse designed to force victims out.

What will I learn about: why whistleblowers, cultural outsiders, and individuals who speak up against company policy are most frequently targeted for organized workplace abuse?

Discover why whistleblowers, cultural outsiders, and individuals who speak up against company policy are most frequently targeted for organized workplace abuse.

What will I learn about: Identify the three core dynamics—work group cohesion, organizational structure, and individual personality traits—that create the perfect environment for mobbing to occur?

Identify the three core dynamics—work group cohesion, organizational structure, and individual personality traits—that create the perfect environment for mobbing to occur.

What will I learn about: Recognize the devastating physical and psychological impacts of mobbing, such as PTSD and career derailment, which can completely shatter a victim's personal identity?

Recognize the devastating physical and psychological impacts of mobbing, such as PTSD and career derailment, which can completely shatter a victim's personal identity.

What will I learn about: Learn how the toxic effects of workplace mobbing extend far beyond the primary target, inflicting severe emotional stress on their families, bystander colleagues, and the company itself?

Learn how the toxic effects of workplace mobbing extend far beyond the primary target, inflicting severe emotional stress on their families, bystander colleagues, and the company itself.

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Overcoming Mobbing

A Recovery Guide for Workplace Aggression and Bullying

Maureen Duffy & Len Sperry

★ 4.3 / 5(28 ratings)

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Psychology Career & Success

If You're Curious About These Questions...

You should listen to this audiobook

💡Did you know that certain organizational structures can actually 'invite' collective bullying, making mobbing almost inevitable in some workplaces?
💡Have you ever wondered why standard HR solutions often fail to stop mobbing—and what unique strategies are actually required for true recovery?
💡What if you could identify the subtle red flags of mobbing before it escalates, saving your career and your well-being in the process?

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Key Takeaways from Overcoming Mobbing

✓Understand the crucial difference between standard workplace bullying and mobbing, a covert, group-led form of organizational abuse designed to force victims out.
✓Discover why whistleblowers, cultural outsiders, and individuals who speak up against company policy are most frequently targeted for organized workplace abuse.
✓Identify the three core dynamics—work group cohesion, organizational structure, and individual personality traits—that create the perfect environment for mobbing to occur.
✓Recognize the devastating physical and psychological impacts of mobbing, such as PTSD and career derailment, which can completely shatter a victim's personal identity.
✓Learn how the toxic effects of workplace mobbing extend far beyond the primary target, inflicting severe emotional stress on their families, bystander colleagues, and the company itself.

Learning Tools

Reinforce what you learned from Overcoming Mobbing

Mind Map

Overcoming Mobbing

Defining Mobbing+

The Three Core Dynamics+

Devastating Impacts+

Victim Recovery Plan+

Mobbing-Resistant Workplaces+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 7

According to the text, what is the primary distinction between workplace bullying and workplace mobbing?

A. Bullying is always physical, whereas mobbing is strictly psychological.
B. Bullying is typically perpetrated by a group, whereas mobbing involves a single aggressive manager.
C. Bullying involves targeted abuse by an individual, whereas mobbing is a covert, group-perpetrated effort supported by the organization to remove the victim.
D. Bullying results in minor disciplinary actions, whereas mobbing always leads to criminal charges against the perpetrators.

Question 2 of 7

Which of the following individuals is most likely to become a target of workplace mobbing?

A. A long-term employee who strictly adheres to the company's status quo.
B. A whistleblower who draws attention to unethical or inefficient business practices.
C. An underperforming manager who frequently delegates tasks to subordinates.
D. A highly competitive salesperson who consistently exceeds their quotas.

Question 3 of 7

The tragic case of Thomas McInvale illustrates three specific dynamics that lead to mobbing and influence a victim's response. What are these three dynamics?

A. Work group dynamics, organizational dynamics, and individual dynamics.
B. Economic conditions, management incompetence, and employee insubordination.
C. Communication breakdowns, lack of HR oversight, and psychological fragility.
D. Corporate greed, toxic leadership, and poor conflict resolution skills.

Question 4 of 7

What surprising finding does the text reveal about bystanders who witness workplace mobbing?

A. They usually join in on the mobbing to protect their own job security.
B. They report higher levels of stress than emergency workers and first-responders.
C. They are often held legally liable for the psychological damage inflicted on the victim.
D. They tend to become completely desensitized to workplace abuse over time.

Question 5 of 7

When a victim is attempting to recover from workplace mobbing, what does the text recommend regarding their social life?

A. They should temporarily isolate themselves to process their trauma in peace.
B. They should immediately confront their former coworkers to find closure.
C. They should prioritize networking and building a strong social community for support.
D. They should focus exclusively on professional networking rather than personal friendships.

Question 6 of 7

How does a 'speak no evil' company differ from a 'hear no evil' company regarding workplace abuse?

A. A 'speak no evil' company focuses solely on profits, while a 'hear no evil' company focuses on public relations.
B. A 'speak no evil' company actively values employee well-being, while a 'hear no evil' company has guidelines but only focuses on individual bullying rather than mobbing.
C. A 'speak no evil' company ignores all forms of abuse, while a 'hear no evil' company encourages whistleblowers to come forward.
D. A 'speak no evil' company fires bullies immediately, while a 'hear no evil' company relies on mediation and conflict resolution.

Question 7 of 7

According to the text, how does workplace mobbing frequently alter a victim's long-term career trajectory?

A. Victims usually transfer to a competitor in the same industry to seek revenge.
B. Victims often leave the organizational workplace altogether to pursue entrepreneurship or self-employment.
C. Victims typically switch to human resources roles to prevent others from experiencing abuse.
D. Victims generally stay at the same company but accept demotions to avoid further attention.

Overcoming Mobbing — Full Chapter Overview

1Recommendation
2Mobbing is organizational abuse intended to push targeted employees forcibly out of the workplace.
3Three key factors can both contribute to mobbing and significantly shape the victim’s overall response to it.
4Mobbing wreaks devastating harm on a victim’s health and professional career.
5Mobbing harms not only the victims themselves, but also their families, coworkers, and the companies they serve.
6Recovery is achievable if you make it your foremost goal.
7Putting people ahead of profits can create a healthy, mobbing-resistant workplace.

Overcoming Mobbing Summary & Overview

Overcoming Mobbing (2014) offers a practical guide to the problem of “mobbing” in the workplace. Based on clinical practice and research, it offers valuable insights into the conditions that allow for workplace mobbing, and gives tips on how victims of mobbing can best recover.

Who Should Listen to Overcoming Mobbing?

Victims of mobbing and their families
Workplace managers and human-resources personnel
Anyone who wants to make their workplace less hostile

About the Author: Maureen Duffy & Len Sperry

Maureen Duffy is a therapist and expert in workplace mobbing and bullying, and an affiliate with Qualitative Research Graduate Program at Nova Southeastern University. She also co-wrote the book Mobbing: Causes, Consequences and Solutions.

Len Sperry is Professor of Mental Health Counseling at Florida Atlantic University, and works as a consultant for various businesses on the prevention of mobbing in the workplace.