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3-2009 or : Is it Happening in Your Academic Library? Susan Hubbs Motin St. Cloud State University, [email protected]

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Recommended Citation Motin, Susan Hubbs, "Bullying or Mobbing: Is it Happening in Your Academic Library?" (2009). Library Faculty Publications. 28. https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/lrs_facpubs/28

This Conference Proceeding is brought to you for free and open access by the Library Services at theRepository at St. Cloud State. It has been accepted for inclusion in Library Faculty Publications by an authorized administrator of theRepository at St. Cloud State. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Bullying or Mobbing: Is it Happening in Your Academic Library?

Susan Hubbs Motin

The behaviors of bullying and mobbing have only be- excellent service-oriented library can be, or they can gun to rise in the public’s awareness or towards the create a culture of , stress, and distrust which legal standing of . But, like harassment, hampers providing the best possible service to patrons bullying and mobbing can lead to the same results and inhibits the free flow of ideas and creativity. Until for employees: a loss of dignity, self- and Thomas Hecker’s article on mobbing in li- productivity, as well as an excessive amount of non- braries, which appeared in the 2007 issue of The Jour- work related stress and other related health issues. nal of Academic Librarianship,1 there was no discussion Unfortunately, librarians, media specialists and other of bullying or mobbing in libraries. who work in libraries and information centers can Unfortunately, bullying and mobbing can begin also experience bullying and mobbing. It is important at a very early stage in life. This has tragically played for people who work in libraries and information cen- out in a number of school shootings across our na- ters to understand bullying and mobbing, and toward tion in recent years. It was also highlighted in a very that end this article provides definitions and a brief personal way when my eight year old daughter was history of bullying and mobbing, presents scientific being bullied and wrote the following Haiku to help statistics, describes the characteristics of the various her articulate her feelings about bullies. types of bullies, exposes who bullies tend to target and explores what is happening in the legal arena. The bullies that bug One does not normally equate bullying and mob- Are the worst kind of them all bing with libraries. There is a presumption that li- They think it’s a ball2 braries exist on a higher plain; that they are places of refuge, bastions of freedom and evidence of civiliza- While there is a significant amount of research tion at its best. Although this may generally be true, and literature on bullying by children and adolescents, however, any time you have complex personalities only recently has there been an acknowledgement that interacting there is potential for conflict. Individuals bullying can continue later in life or that it can even can either fulfill the goals and aspirations of what an begin in adulthood, when brought into the workplace,

Susan Hubbs Motin is Professor at St. Cloud State University, e-mail: [email protected]

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its effects can be devastating to individuals and can Once you realize that this behavior is happening cause institutional chaos and instability. Bullying or to you in a repetitive manner, it is extremely impor- mobbing has been an accepted behavior in the his- tant that you do the following things. First, you need tory of our . Individuals who are bullied to truly know and believe that you as the Target have or mobbed are told by colleagues that they need to not brought this on yourself and did not do anything “toughen up,” “stop being so sensitive” and “just roll to deserve this treatment. Second, you need to begin with the punches.” However, individuals and some to keep detailed notes of when bullying or mobbing enlightened are realizing that just as has occurred, who was there to witness this and what is damaging to an institution, so too is was said or done. If there are witnesses, you need to ignoring and permitting bullying and mobbing in the ask them if they will write down date/time/place workplace. During my twenty-five years as a librar- and what they recall was said and done. However, ian, I have experienced being bullied and/or mobbed you should realize that research has shown that most by both supervisors and colleagues. I have also wit- people who witness bullying or mobbing may at first nessed others being bullied or mobbed and listened be willing to write something up but, as time goes on with to many emotionally distraught and and the possibility that they might be drawn in or stressed librarians that have shared with me their bring the wrath of the bully down upon them, they painful experiences and sought me out for my advice may retreat or consciously avoid you. Third, let your and affirmation that they were indeed being bullied family and close friends know what is happening to or mobbed. I have always wanted to share with them you. They will be the people you can count on to listen some substantive information that would allow them and be supportive. As a cautionary note, you should to realize that they are not alone and that bullying or be prepared to have your friends and family ask you as mobbing does not end after high school. what you could have done or why you are the Target. Dr. Ruth Namie and Dr. , in their Research has shown this is a normal reaction and you book The Bully at Work What You Can Do to Stop the will need to educate your family and friends about Hurt and Reclaim Your Dignity On the ,3 use the what is bullying or mobbing and that a Target is not term Targets to mean those who are or have been responsible for what is happening to them. The best bullied. They successfully make the case that people analogy in the research is likening bullying or mob- who are bullied are not victims but have been targeted bing to a person who has been raped. For many years, by the bully/bullies. They also do not capitalize bully victims would be accused of dressing provoca- unless it begins the sentence. I agree with the use of tively, inappropriately flirting and thereby “bringing this terminology and punctuation and will employ it it on themselves.” It has been only fairly recently ac- throughout this paper. knowledged by the courts and society that a person who has been raped does not bring on this violent act Definitions but that it is perpetrated on them. Bullying or mob- Bullying at work is the repeated mistreatment of a bing is the same thing; it has been perpetrated on a Target by one or more bullies. It is malicious verbal blameless Target.5 harassment (including snide or sarcastic remarks) and can also include such non-verbal behavior as dismis- History sive body language including eye rolling, turning of the The study of or mobbing goes back and making dismissive sounds. People who also back to 1982 when Dr. , Ph.D., address you in a condescending or hostile tone are bul- M.D., a German industrial psychologist and medical lying. Bullying also includes intentional work interfer- doctor began researching and publishing his findings ence such as sabotage. Mobbing is a specific type of on a phenomenon he named using the English word bullying where a majority of people in the workplace “mobbing.” It became a well known concept in Eu- emotionally and bully an individual. It can be rope but was virtually unknown in the likened to creating a scapegoat or the pecking to death until 1998, with the publication of the book Mobbing: of one chicken (perceived as weaker) by the rest of the Emotional Abuse in the American Workplace6 and in chickens.4 Bullying or mobbing is about control. The 2000, The Bully at Work: What You Can Do to Stop the bully wants to be in control of its Target(s). Hurt and Reclaim your Dignity on the Job.

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Beginning in the 1980s, Dr. Leymann created the 10. Body aches—muscles or joints (45%) world’s first clinic to treat people who where emo- 11. Exhaustion, leading to an inability to func- tionally abused. He defined workplace bullying/mob- tion (41%) bing as: 12. Compulsive behaviors (40%) 13. Diagnosed (39%) Psychological terror or mobbing in working 14. or that led to dra- life [involving] hostile and unethical com- matic changes in lifestyle (38%) munication which is directed in a systematic 15. Significant weight change (loss or gain) manner by one or more individuals, mainly (35%) toward one individual, who, due to mobbing, 16. Chronic fatigue syndrome (35%) is pushed into a helpless and defenseless po- 17. Panic attacks (32%) sition and held there by means of continuing 18. TMJ (jaw tightening/teeth grinding) (29%) mobbing activities. These actions occur on a 19. Skin changes, e.g., shingles, rashes, acne very frequent basis (statistical definition: at (28%) least once a week) and over a long period of 20. Use of substances to cope: tobacco, alcohol, time (statistical definition: at least six months’ drugs, food (28%) duration). Because of high frequency and 21. Asthma or allergies (27%) long duration of hostile behavior, this mal- 22. Thinking about being violent towards others treatment results in considerable mental, psy- (25%) chosomatic, social misery.7 23. Suicidal thoughts (25%) 24. Migraines (23%) Dr. Leymann focused his research on how to treat 25. Irritable bowel syndrome (colitis) (23%) people who had been bullied. He discovered people 26. Chest pains (23%) that had been bullied suffered a more intense and long 27. Hair loss (21%) term level of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) 28. Fibromyalgia—inflamed joints and connec- then other people who had experienced some traumat- tive tissue (19%) ic event which had led them to have PTSD. Dr. Ley- 29. High blood pressure/hypertension (18%) mann was concerned about the health consequences 30. Ulcers (11%) from such prolonged exposure to bullying/mobbing 31. Angina (11%) stress. Continued research has proved that Dr. Ley- 32. Heart arrhythmia (5%) mann was correct in his concern. The Workplace Bul- 33. Heart attack(s) (3%)8 lying and Trauma Institute (now known as The Work- Dr. Leymann died of in the spring 1999. place Bullying Institute) (WBI) performed a survey in His clinic has closed, but his colleagues continue 2003 relating to health. Here is their finding: to maintain and update his website. Dr. Leymann’s Overall Ranking of the Prevalence of Symptoms, ground breaking research is the basis of all the re- most to least frequent search literature on bullying or mobbing. 1. Anxiety, stress. excessive worry (76%) 2. Loss of concentration (71%) Statistics 3. Disrupted sleep (71%) How prevalent is bullying or mobbing in the United 4. Feeling edgy, irritable, easily startled and States today? According to the survey done by the constantly on guard (paranoia) (60%) Workplace Bullying Institute and Zogby Interna- 5. Stress headaches (55%) tional in September 2007, with 7,740 respondents (a 6. Obsession over details at work (52%) scientifically representative sample of adult Ameri- 7. Recurrent memories, nightmares and flash- cans) on the topic: backs (49%) • 37% of workers have been bullied 8. Racing heart rate (48%) • Most bullies are bosses (72%) 9. Needing to avoid feelings, thoughts, and • Most Targets (57%) are women situations that remind you of trauma or a general • Bullying is 4 times more prevalent than il- emotional “flatness” (47%) legal harassment

March 12–15, 2009, Seattle, Washington 294 Susan Hubbs Motin

• 62% of employers ignore the problem ties or skills and they use their power to compensate • 45% of Targets suffer stress-related health for their shortcomings. problems Another personality is the threatened / • 40% of bullied individuals never tell their inflated self-appraisal. This has been described as a employers person who has had her own ego threatened because • Only 3% of bullied people file lawsuits9 of her own overly inflated self-appraisal or from With 37 percent of workers having been bullied, overly inflated outside appraisal. This person will feel this works out to be an estimated 54 million Ameri- very threatened by being the new boss, especially af- cans. Other studies have shown that 1 out of 6 Ameri- ter following a highly regarded and effective leader. can workers are being bullied. The most common type This person is also threatened by more experienced of bullying is women on women. staff. This is the type of personality that administra- tors will often hire to do the “cleaning up” of what The Different Types of Bullies the administration believes to be the problem depart- How does one become a bully? According to Dr. ment/area. Gary and Ruth Namie, bullies have become bullies The final personality for a bully is the narcissistic through “personality development, by reading cues personality. The best explanation comes from Wyatt in competitive, political workplace and by accident.” and Hare’s book Work Abuse where they use the fol- The Namies categorize bullies into Chronic Bullies, lowing American Psychiatric Association’s diagnostic Opportunist Bullies, Accidental Bullies, Substance manual’s definition: Abusing Bullies, Constant Critic (extremely nega- tive, nitpicker, perfectionist whiner, complainer, fault Clinically speaking, any socially dysfunction- finder, liar), Two-Headed Snake (passive-aggres- al person who feels entitled to use power to sive indirect, dishonest style of dealing with people control others he is afraid of, who lives in pre- and issues), Gatekeeper and Screaming Mimi. They tentious rather than reality, and who do an excellent job of describing the characteristics consistently views himself as superior to his of each type and give “Handling Tips” for each type, fellow human beings and craves being told so, but theirs is a more layman’s way of describing these has a mental disorder called narcissistic per- bullies. I have found that Davenport, Schwartz and sonality disorder.11 Elliot in Mobbing: Emotional Abuse in the American Workplace give a more psychological categorization of Organizations can also allow bullying or mob- bullies. They categorize them to include the evil, di- bing to flourish through their vine right, threatened egotism/inflated self-appraisal, or structure through bad management that has and the narcissistic personalities. The first type of bully they categorize is the evil Excessive bottom-line orientation at the ex- personality. In his book People of the ,10 Peck con- pense of human resources, highly hierarchical cludes that evil “is that force, residing either inside structures, no open door policy, poor commu- or outside of human beings, that seeks to kill life or nication channels, poor conflict-solving abili- liveliness.” This concept of evil in a person is the only ties and no or ineffective conflict manage- way some Holocaust scholars have come to conclude ment or grievance procedures in place, weak that Hitler and his henchmen could have planned the leadership, pervasive scapegoat mentality, Holocaust and brought it to its horrible fruition. This little or no teamwork, and no or ineffective type of bully is especially scary. education.12 A second type of bully is the boss who believes that it is her divine right to exercise her power as she Also, according to Davenport, Schwartz and El- chooses, with no restraint and that whatever she does liot, other organizational cultures or structures that is for the good of the institution. She believes that as will allow for these types of behaviors are a stress- the boss she is bullying the Target for the good of the intensive workplace, monotony, disbelief or by institution. In reality, these bosses are the people who managers, unethical activities, flat organizations and are power hungry. They do not have leadership quali- downsizing, restructuring or mergers.

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Who are the People Most Likely to be selor can use various recognized treatments, includ- Targeted and Why? ing talk therapy or behavior modification techniques. As mentioned above, the research has shown that They may also refer you to a medical doctor for anti- most of the people being bullied or mobbed are depressive drug therapy, since the threat of suicide is women. In over half of the bullying that occurs, it is very real. one woman bullying another woman. If one has been Also, as noted above, when dealing with bully- bullied or mobbed, there may be some redemption in ing or mobbing, take notes on all incidents but do the research by the WBI that shows Targets are inde- not share them with anyone at work until you are pendent, skilled and bright people. They also are co- prepared to be attacked by the bully and her bully operative and nice people. Finally, Targets are ethical, backers. Do not share information with the human just, and fair people. Interestingly, the WBI research relations department. Remember, they work for the has also shown that 63 percent of Targets had some institution and the bully will probably know about college or college degree and that 21 percent held a your bullying/mobbing complaint before you get back graduate or professional degree. They cite four major to your . If you have a union, you also need to be reasons why people become Targets. First, the cautious. Some unions have backed employees who have brought complaints about bullying or mobbing Targets refusal to be subservient, to not go while others have been dismissive of the employee, along with being controlled (reported by 58 given them bad advice, or have sided with the institu- percent of respondents); Bully envied the tion against the individual when the union felt it was Target’s superior competence (reported by 56 to its advantage. Individuals need to know or spend percent of respondents); Bully envied Target’s some time learning about their ’s culture social skills, being liked, positive attitude (re- and who they will be able to trust and ask for visible ported by 49 percent of respondents) and support in their struggle against the bully or bullies. finally, ethical -type behavior One option for dealing with bully or mobbing (reported by 46 percent of respondents).13 comes from the nursing profession. Like the nurs- ing profession, the library profession is predominately Bullies have no shame and, if allowed to continue made up of women. We could learn from our nursing their odious behaviors, they will do so with impunity. colleagues by employing a system nurse’s call, Code Bullies are also lazy and will stop if Targets learn and Pink. In this system, if a nurse is bullied by a doctor, employ strategies which have proven to be effective. the nurses’ rally around the Target and the group in- forms their supervisor(s) that they will no longer work How to Deal with Bullying/Mobbing in your with the bully until there has been a formal apology Workplace—Strategies and Options and that all bullying will stop, and that there can be no So what do you do when you realize that you are being retaliation. Another option that may be open to a Tar- bullied or mobbed? First, you should not try to deny get is to go two steps above the bully’s boss. If the bul- it to yourself. Keeping a stiff upper lip or withholding ly is the Target’s boss, there is a real chance they may it from family and friends can only cause you more be “bullying down” from their boss. By being removed health and emotional problems by not allowing you to two steps away, there is a chance the Target might be release your stress and . Remember, it has been heard and some bullies revealed. If an individual is shown intense bullying or mobbing can actually have granted a meeting, one should be prepared with a list such a devastating effect on a person that it becomes of times, dates, places and any witness statements. It Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome (PTSD). is important to remember to remain calm and factual. Second, you need to seek out a qualified health Sometimes the ultimate supervisor, in this case the professional. Dr. Ruth Namie and Dr. Gary Namie, president of a university can take steps to change the suggest that you will need to screen counselors to culture. This was recently reported in the Chronicle of learn if they know and understand about bullying at Higher Education14,15 when the new president Richard work, so that the counselor will not try to you Davenport, of Minnesota State University, Mankato for what is happening to you. Since clinical depres- arrived on campus and began hearing from people on sion, is so prevalent among Targets, a qualified coun- campus that there were a number of bullies on the

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campus. President Davenport decided to investigate. the workplace. Due to Dr. Leymann’s work in mob- He hired consultants who surveyed the campus com- bing, the Scandinavian countries have led the way. In munity and reported back that one-third of those March of 1994, Sweden enacted an ordinance against who were surveyed said they were bullied or mobbed victimization at work defined as, “recurrent reprehen- in the past year. sible or distinctly negative actions which are directed Finally, an individual will need to decide to if she against individual employees in an offensive manner wants to leave or if she should stay and fight. If an in- and can result in those employees being place outside dividual chooses to leave, there also are some consid- the workplace community.” In Great Britain, the laws erations. An individual can choose to do a quiet exit, are being formulated around Health and Safety or arrange for positive references, and if there is no con- Law codes. Additionally, France, Ger- cern of continued bullying in the form of retribution, many, Italy, and Australia all have or walk way and work on healing after this traumatic ex- are working on governmental policies or laws against perience. However, if an individual is concerned about bullying or mobbing. Of the industrialized nations, retribution after she has left the institution; there are Canada and the United States are the nations lagging several options a Target can employ. Let your supervi- behind in this area. sor and other higher ranking administrators know in In the United States, workplace bullying or mob- writing that should they as individuals or as represen- bing is extremely difficult to try to prosecute because tatives of the organization release to future employ- currently, bullying or mobbing does not fall under any ers or others any information about the mistreatment federal or state laws. It cannot be prosecuted through they will be held liable. Having an attorney draft and normal harassment or discrimination laws. In these deliver this letter could be well worth the cost. Also, types of harassment or discrimination, having a pro- let them know that you are aware of the law regarding tected class status is the important factor. Some at- of character. One service available is Doc- torneys have attempted to prosecute under Title VII umented Reference Check (DRC) [(800) 742-3316] using the hostile environment argument or by using http://www.badreferences.com/. For a small fee, they tort law which includes various theories of intention- will contact an employer and ask for a reference about al infliction of emotional distress, defamation-libel/ an individual. DRC will send the individual the re- slander, and breach of contract, public policy, wrong- port that was given to them. ful discharge, and workers ’ compensation. All of these After reading a great deal of research and having have met with little or no success.17 2009 may be the firsthand accounts on bullying and mobbing, I have year where workplace bullying and mobbing is finally several final pieces of advice to share. First, for people addressed by thirteen states. 116 legislative sponsors who are starting a new job, let it be known that there are working to get a bill through these states that can is nothing to hold you to this job, if this job does not be used as a model for other state legislative bodies. work out, you are fully prepared and able to leave and The WBI has been and continues to be heavily in- find another position. I also would advise individuals volved in working with these legislative sponsors and not to share very much of their personal life with any continually updates their website with new develop- one at their new position. If you choose to fight in ments as they occur. Attorneys are also becoming in- terms of a legal battle, you need to know that, in the volved in writing articles about bullying and mobbing United States, it currently is an uphill and difficult and challenging other attorneys to create laws in their battle. states that will combat this behavior.18 As individuals who may be Targets, it is important to find out what The Law(s) Regarding Bullying/Mobbing is happening in your state. According to Dr Heinz Leymann, “In the societies As librarians we are often asked for reading rec- of the highly industrialized western world, the work- ommendations, I would highly recommend the fol- place is the only remaining battlefield where people lowing resources for people who are Targets or for can ‘kill’ each other without running the risk of be- employers who wish to learn more about bullying or ing taken to court.”16 In term of bullying or mobbing, mobbing and how they can create a healthy workplace several European countries have led the way in terms to not allow or to stop these behaviors at their in- of establishing laws to stop bullying or mobbing in stitutions. An essential book to read is The Bully at

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Work What You Can Do to Stop the Hurt and Reclaim OHS Canada, Canada’s Occupational Health & Safety Maga- Your Dignity On the Job, by Dr. Gary and Ruth Namie. zine 18, no. 8 (2002): 12/15/08. Their website for the Workplace Bullying Institute is 6. Davenport, Noa, Ph.D., Ruth Distler Schwartz, important for keeping up with this topic http://www. and Gail Pursell Elliott. Mobbing: Emotional Abuse in the bullyinginstitute.org/. Their corresponding website American Workplace. Ames, Iowa: Civil Society Publishing, for employers is designed for institutions who want to 2002. create policies for their institutions http://www.work- 7. Leymann, Heinz. “The Mobbing Encyclopedia.” doctor.com/.19 For more information on mobbing, http://www.leymann.se/ (accessed 12/14, 2008). Mobbing: Emotional Abuse in the American Workplace 8. Namie, Gary, Ph.D. and Namie, Ruth, Ph.D. “The by Davenport, Schwartz and Elliot is excellent. Other Workplace Bullying Institute.” Workplace Bullying Insti- important scholars in this area are and tute. http://bullyinginstitute.org/ (accessed 12/11, 2008). Neil Crawford who wrote the first book on the sub- 9. Ibid. ject in the United Kingdom, Bullying at Work: How 10. Peck, M. Scott. People of the Lie: The for Healing to Confront and Overcome It. Other authors from the Human Evil. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1983. United States include Loraleigh Keashly, Kenneth 11. Wyatt, Judith and Hare, Chauncey. Work Abuse. How Westhues, Ph.D. and David Yamada, J.D… Also, to Recognize and Survive it. Rochester, Vermont: Schenk- technology has added some more interesting resourc- man Books, Inc., 1997. es for the academic community. First, the blog Bully- 12. See note 6 above. ing of Academics in Higher Education20 and the blog’s 13. See note 3 above. accompanying Facebook21 account. In the past three 14. Fogg, Piper. “Academic Bullies.” Chronicle of Higher years, there has been a plethora of books published Education 55, no. 3 (09/12, 2008): B10-B13. and numerous websites created. A number of these 15. Fogg, Piper. “Take that, You Bully!” Chronicle of are just a rehashing of the work that was done by Higher Education 55, no. 3 (09/12, 2008): B13-B13. Dr. Leymann and the other early bullying and mob- 16. See note 3 above. bing scholars and they do not add significantly to the 17. Yamada, David, J.D. “Potential Legal Protections scholarly literature. and Liabilities for Workplace Bullying.” New Workplace Every person in the workplace has the right to Institute. http://www.newworkplaceinstitute.org (accessed be treated with respect and should not be bullied or 12/14, 2008). mobbed. It is my great hope that the information con- 18. Morris, Sarah. “The Anti-Bullying Legislative tained in these pages will be of assistance to librarians Movement.” Bench & Bar of Minnesota: Official Publication and information professionals that will allow them to of the Minnesota State Bar Association LXV, no. X (2008): survive and thrive while having to cope with the bul- 22-25. in their lives. To bullies everywhere, I would add 19. Namie, Gary, Ph.D. “Work Doctor ® Consultants to the warning, we know you are out there and we are not Employers.” http://www.workdoctor.com/ (accessed 12/14, going to take it anymore! 2008). 20. Proudhon, Pierre-Joseph. Bullying of Academics in Notes Higher Education 2008. 1. Hecker, Thomas E. “Workplace Mobbing A Discus- 21. Proudhon, Pierre-Joseph. Facebook: Bullying of Aca- sion for Librarians.” The Journal of Academic Librarian- demics in Higher Education 2008. ship 33, no. 4 (2007): 439-445. 2. Motin, Emily. “Buggy Bullies.” Haiku, 2005. 3. Namie, Gary, Ph.D. and Namie, Ruth, Ph.D. The Bully at Work: What You can do to Stop the Hurt and Reclaim Your Dignity on the Job. Naperville, Illinois: SourceBooks Inc, 2003. 4. Westhues, Kenneth. Workplace Mobbing in Academe: Reports from Twenty Universities 2004. 5. Westhues, Kenneth, Ph.D. “At the Mercy of the Mob: A Summary of Research on Workplace Mobbing.”

March 12–15, 2009, Seattle, Washington