Customer Reviews

Bullying Bosses: A Survivor's Guide: How to Transcend the Illusion of the Interpersonal

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This book is a must read for anyone who has ever worked, has a job now or is thinking of entering the workplace. Knowledge is power and this book provides just that. `Bullying Bosses, A Survivor's Guide' is actually two books in one: Part I, provides an overview of Workplace Bullying and its components. Part II is a manual to aid Targets to become Workplace Warriors.

Part I provides an excellent summary of international knowledge on Workplace Bullying and additional information gleaned from Robert's practice working with Targets and organisations. He cleverly uses a descriptor, the `Ring of Fire', to describe how isolated Targets can become. He brings to life the specific false and unfounded criticism directed at a Target and skilfully cultivated by a Workplace Bully. It is easy to see why team members withdraw and leave the Target to eventual isolation. Robert explains the nuances of each act well and introduces specific descriptors about bullying bosses and their colleagues, who through doing nothing, collude with the Workplace Bully. Robert's depiction, of how the diverse facets of organisations work together to attack a high performer and bring him/her down, is very real.

Part II is a life line for Targets. It describes how to beat the Workplace Bully at his or her own game and become a Workplace Warrior. Robert describes the knowledge, skills and abilities a Target needs in order to take on a Workplace Bully. This is particularly pertinent in small cities and towns and highly specialised environments where jobs are not always plentiful and available and people cannot typically walk away and get another job. People do not speak out because they are afraid of being black listed; rather they stay quiet and tolerate the Workplace Bullying. `Bullying Bosses' describes ways of managing these situations from a position of strength. The book gives action plans for reaction and planning and outcomes to strive for.

This book is a necessary read for senior managers and human resources professionals who truly wish to prevent Workplace Bullying. They will learn what constitutes Workplace Bullying and how it works to break individuals emotionally and therefore impacts self esteem and consequently productivity.

The book is an excellent reference book for Targets who want to fight the silent epidemic and expose Workplace Bullies for the chaos and desolation they cause and the lives they ruin.


Andrea W Needham
`Workplace Bullying, The Costly Business Secret'
2003 Penguin NZ
January 2006

Usually when I write a review it is because a LOVED a book and want others to experience the same pleasure in a well-spoken and thoughtful author. Today I write a review as an urgent public service to innocent and unsuspecting employees everywhere. I empathize with and wish the very best to anyone struggling with workplace problems. I therefore urge you NOT to put your faith in this deeply flawed treatise.

Far from offering meaningful help and support, Mr. Mueller's book promotes self-destructive behavior that assures the escalation of workplace strife. I read this book from cover to cover, searching for ANY redeeming quality. I never found it.

In the name of vengeance, the author carefully counsels the reader to become the workplace equivalent of a suicidal bomber. Encouraging MUTUAL ASSURED DESTRUCTION seems to be the goal of Mr. Mueller, a failed and paranoid employment lawyer, who counsels employees to treat every workplace dispute as a struggle to the death. The tragedy is that victims of workplace bullies who turn to this book for help are doomed to be victimized again.

I gave "Bullying Bosses" the lowest score allowed. If I could have rated it "negative five stars" I would have, because the reader who takes this book seriously will end up WORSE off than if he or she had never encountered Mr. Mueller. Indeed, in Mr. Mueller's world there are no winners.

I can only assume that the reviewers who gave this book high marks either have no practical experience with the problem or else are more interested in "getting even" with a toxic boss, than in helping victims find a way to overcome a bad situation and succeed in the workplace. By counseling victims to connive and plot to achieve their moment of (vengeful) "pleasure," Mr. Mueller surely condemns them to a lifetime of regrets.

For more life-affirming advice on this subject, I suggest Roy Lubit's "Coping with Toxic Managers, Subordinates and other Difficult People," which focuses on using emotional intelligence to survive and thrive in the workplace. I also heartily recommend "Designed for Success-the Ten Commandments of Women in the Workplace" by Dondi Scumaci. Both men and women will benefit from positive approach to overcoming workplace problems advocated in Scumaci's book, including advice on dealing with difficult supervisors.

It is rare that a book of reference and self-help should read like an edge-of-the-seat John Grisham thriller. But this significant contribution to the study of bullying in the workplace often does. Robert Mueller, in his own words, is a "former attorney who represented a couple thousand employees suffering adverse employer actions, many involving bullying." He sure introduces the drama of the courtroom and the rudiments of the adversarial system into the 300 pages of his survivor's guide.

The author calls on managers to become aware of the dynamics that turn many workplaces into simmering stealth infernos. Employees should protect employers from bullies. Mueller leverages court cases and case histories into a cogent and methodological analysis of bullying tactics and strategies. Parallelly, he weaves a tapestry of legal, psychological, social, and cultural dimensions as he analyses the victim's mentality and reactions. Strewn among the pages of this rich presentation are highlighted tips and quotes.

Mueller's message is simple: targets of bullying have to face down their tormentors. They have to become "workplace warriors" with "shields and swords". Easier said than done - but, still, can be done, argues the author. The target has to discover and groom potential supporters, build a case against the bullying boss, collect potent data and identify patterns of misbehavior, craft a plan, and implement it. It's all about empowerment by regaining control over situations that frequently and falsely look hopeless. The author takes the victim by the hand and convincingly shows him or her how to do it.

I recommend the book to anyone who has ever been involved in on-the-job harassment, stalking, and bullying because it is both deep and practical, accurate but never arcane, eye opening and thought provoking and challenging - but never loses its empathy and compassion for the victims of this widespread and under-reported phenomenon. A gem. Sam Vaknin, author of 'Malignant Self Love - Narcissism Revisited'

This book describes the many facets of supervisory bullying behavior in the workplace. Mueller cautions often disbelieving employee victims that bullying bosses consciously calculate, select, and plan attacks on them. When attacks occur, targeted employees are shocked, confused, humiliated, and naturally seek to respond emotionally (e.g., fight or flight). Mueller asks that potential victions stop, step back and self-consciously maintain their emotions sufficiently to pursue more rational ends by using indirect tactics and activities that can generate coworker allies, support, resources, witnesses, and documentation advantageous to them. Employees are urged to stay focused on politically acceptable and legal objectives when interacting with and around workplace bullies.

The author offers an ideal model of employee survival and a guide for becoming a proactive, competent, resilient, life-changing Workplace Warrior. Mueller uses case examples to support the assertion that regular use of the guide can strengthen employees psychologically, strengthen their anti-bullying behavior, and limit the net demoralizing effects of scape-goating behavior and victimization in the workplace. The author will suggest key roles for coworkers, managers, therapists, counselors, and, of course, lawyers in the process of helping employee recovery, self-transformation, behavioral decision-making, and, ultimately, life changes.

I highly recommend this book to any one suffering from bullying behavior and to any responsible person who seeks to help empower workers in the attainment of safer, healthier, and more creative workplace settings.

David L. Johnson, Ph.D. Health Psychologist
Senior Author of Stop Smoking and Chewing Tobacco
for LIFE CHANGES

Bullying Bosses: A Survivor's Guide (How To Transcend The Illusion Of The Interpersonal) by Robert Mueller is a remarkable introduction to the complex world of counter-balancing the relationship between oppressed employees and their oppressive bosses. Logically analyzing the psychology of the belligerent and hostile superiors, Bullying Bosses offers readers a means for analyzing and responding to an employer's bullying behavior. Robert Mueller covers such issues as who challenges employees, support in the workplace, building a case against the boss that management can respect, collecting potent data, identifying patterns, crafting a simple strategic plan, grow beyond workplace turmoil into a clarity, strength and grace. Bullying Bosses is very strongly recommended for all readers searching for a "user-friendly" guide in dealing with the difficulties involved in poor employee-to-boss relationships.

This book is filled with eye opening information. Workplace violence and bullying is on the rise, and unfortunately it is done is such an environment that it is hard to forsee. Too many employees find themselves in a situation that escalates because they feel helpless. Many times the victim is accused of being a trouble maker, or a cry baby or not a team player and their complaints are not taken seriously.
This book shows how bullys identify and target their victim, and equally important this book gives concrete information to help someone identify a bully and protect themselves. Or what to do if they find themself already being victimized.
A must read, not only for employees, but for management to identify what to watch for in bullys. Most bullys are insecure and use their bullying to make themself feel important. When management recognizes this behavior in an employee, they can take a proactive step to keep the bully from being in a position where they can potentially damage the moral of their other employees and the success of the company.

This is a book for nearly everyone. The topics covered can help to identify behaviors you may see everyday. Very helpful, and often right on target with patterns and ways in which to work successfully.