REVIEW BY
DRS. GARY AND RUTH NAMIE OF THE USA
(www.bullybusters.org)
Corporate Hyenas @ Work by Susan Marais-Steinman and Magriet Herman is a sensitively
written guide to the silent workplace epidemic that has become an international
phenomenon. The audiences are individuals harassed by others at work, co-workers
who witness the abuse, and family members who want to better understand the
stages of decline and rebirth their loved ones endure as a result. However, the
astute executive or government bureaucrat will recognize the requisite steps to
creating a workplace free of bullies. Bullies are hyenas in this tale written on
the African continent. They quickly become the international metaphor for
especially cruel people who populate the workplace and terrorize others, often
colluding (as pack animals do) to shatter lives, careers and families of
innocent victims of their tyranny. The effective metaphor tends to elevate the
phenomenon beyond the familiar, to make the reader take notice that this happens
everywhere. It manages to convince the reader that she or he is a member of a
worldwide class of people, not just a lone employee.

This is a picture of the cover of the
first edition of Corporate Hyenas
at Work and the review by the Drs Namie is on the first edition
The book is a combination of thoroughly researched fact, fine prose, an open and
accessible page composition, ambitious illustrations and wisdom about recovering
and preventing personal devastation. The authors clearly know their audience
because the design and uncomplicated writing invite the anxiety-ridden reader to
a safe place to learn about what has plagued them for years and what to do about
it. Handy illustrations in the margins even immunize the reader to expect
emotionally-charged points. These devices are appreciated by traumatized readers
who have difficulty tackling the book about such a personal matter in a single
sitting. For those not directly experienced with bullying, the special attention
does not detract from the easy flow throughout the text.
The personal experiences of both authors drove the project, but invisibly guide
both the awareness-raising phase of the book and the coaching sections. In a
short 165 pages, they manage to document the typology of individuals who
terrorize others, the predictable support given by employers to the tyrants and
what targets of bullying can do to recover. They are especially wise about the
cycles of degradation and recovery innocent targets of hyena attacks predictably
and necessarily pass through. In the end , the book is inspirational to readers
because it bears witness that once victimized, a person can become
"hyenawise", better able to repel future attacks by tyrants.
The authors even find time to take the long view about the support hyenas draw
from the "globalization" movement and its tacit disregard for the
welfare of employees worldwide. As national boundaries fade and the corporations
become nations unto themselves, it is even more important that workers unite
across national boundaries to demand justice and freedom from such
unconscionable aggression sanctioned by employers. Abuse occurs in all nations,
even if mainstream media coverage, fascinated by financial reports of the
conglomerates, ignores the plight of millions. Marais-Steinman and Herman make a
cogent case for lionizing South Korean workers fighting for their rights.
Corporate Hyenas ranks by far as the most comprehensive, yet most easily
understood title in the international market. Those of us not in South Africa
can only hope the best selling book gets published around the world. Many
millions of people need to hear the profound messages found there.
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