Noting that mobbing, also referred to as harassment or intimidation, is usually experienced in business life, Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan defined it as a planned and systematic action, stating, “Mobbing aims to harm the individual.” Tarhan noted that fair functioning is absent in systems lacking a quality management approach, stating, “Bullying is frequently encountered in leader-focused systems. If there is a system-focused structure, bullying decreases.” Prof. Dr. Tarhan said that individuals who engage in mobbing are egocentric, Machiavellian, and perfectionistic.
Systematic emotional harassment exists in mobbing
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan noted that mobbing is also called harassment or intimidation, stating, “Mobbing is the act of an individual or a group of people engaging in harassing behaviors towards another individual or group. In mobbing, there is emotional harassment, and it is carried out systematically. In other words, a sudden burst of anger, like a flash in the pan, cannot be considered mobbing. In mobbing, various behaviors are employed with the aim of intimidating the person, that is, to achieve a certain goal, to harm the person. Of course, the element of intent is paramount here. The intention to commit mobbing is important. Acting in such a way as a result of one's character, without intent, may not constitute mobbing.” he said.
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan stated that mobbing is generally encountered in business life, saying, “It can sometimes be encountered in workplaces. If an impression such as ‘This one has it in for that one,’ or ‘This person is bothering the other, they’re going to make their life miserable’ is gained, meaning if these behaviors are observed to be directed towards an employee, especially by the manager, then that person is being subjected to mobbing.” he said.
Psychological bullying can occur
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan stated that mobbing is usually perpetrated by managers who hold power but have weak social skills in persuasion, saying, “Individuals with weak persuasion and strategy development skills have limited abilities in agreement, negotiation, and conflict resolution; they can act impatiently. Leaders or hasty and impatient managers with these characteristics can develop psychological bullying. That is, they target a person, bother this person; for example, they might yell and shout at these individuals in front of everyone. However, sometimes they do not act like physical abuse or physical harassment, but they do not greet them, do not shake their hand, ignore them. They don't even make eye contact with this person. They give this person too much work, trying to make them unbearable. Sometimes they intentionally create conditions for the person to make mistakes. When the person makes a mistake in front of others, they say, ‘See, this is how they are.’ They pick on the person. They do this deliberately and systematically.” he said.
Mobbing must be planned and systematic
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan emphasized that mobbing is both a crime against humanity and a crime defined in law, stating, “However, proving mobbing is not easy. It is important that it is planned and designed. It is systematic and aims to harm the individual. These types of mobbing are carried out very skillfully. In systems where there is no quality management approach, there is no fair functioning because relationship boundaries are not clear. As a result, the strong crush the weak. If there is a Machiavellian leader who deems every means permissible to achieve a goal and thinks only of their own interest, and if such individuals are the majority in this system, and the system promotes selfishness, then non-peaceful competition begins.” he said.
Bullying decreases in system-focused structures
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan emphasized that bullying is prevalent in leader-focused systems, stating, “If there is a system-focused structure, bullying decreases. In a leader-focused system, everyone tries to curry favor with the leader. In system-focused structures, opportunities open up for those who do the best work, whereas in leader-focused systems, opportunities open up for those who gain the leader's favor, leading to non-peaceful competition. Everyone starts undermining each other, trying to appear favorable to the leader, acting according to the leader's weaknesses. In such situations, horizontal mobbing emerges. That is, mobbing can occur among chiefs to please the manager.” he said.
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan said that mobbing or bullying is observed in workplaces where fairness and fair functioning are absent, and mobbing can also be encountered in places where discrimination and favoritism exist.
Peaceful competition is constructive
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan noted that peaceful competition is good and ensures development, but non-peaceful competition is destructive and damaging, stating, “Where non-peaceful competition prevails, everyone tries to trip up their friends instead of achieving a goal. Bullying, or mobbing, is more common in cultures where there is a ‘pull-them-down’ mentality. Unfortunately, mobbing also exists in our culture. How you say something is as important as what you say. Those who do not know how to speak or how to collaborate unwittingly engage in bullying.” he said.
Managers who engage in mobbing have three characteristics
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan noted that individuals who engage in mobbing also possess certain characteristics, stating, “If the character of the manager or leader in the system sees everyone who doesn't think like them as an enemy and gathers only those around their own interests, their potential for mobbing is high. Such leaders have three characteristics: They are egocentric, they only center themselves. They are Machiavellian, meaning they say, ‘Anything is permissible to achieve a goal.’ The third is that they are perfectionists; their expectations are high. To achieve their goals, they push themselves and others. They do not value the concept of rights and justice, constantly change what is right, and are unprincipled. Being egocentric, they are not system-focused, and therefore, an institutional structure has not been formed. There are victims in the group, and frequent job changes occur there.” he said.
Mobbing can also be applied from subordinates to superiors
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan noted that mobbing can sometimes also occur from subordinates to superiors, stating, “In such cases, the employee sabotages the work. They say ‘Yes’ but don't do it. They say ‘Alright, sir’ but don't follow instructions. They intentionally make mistakes. They cause their manager to make mistakes and put them in a difficult position. They spread baseless rumors about them. Sometimes, they even withhold information.” he said.
Mind reading should be avoided
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan advised individuals who believe they are subjected to mobbing to seek opinions from third parties, stating, “These individuals should try to identify mobbing without mind reading. They should seek an opinion from a third party. They should not perceive every action as mobbing. Sometimes, individuals who think they are being mobbed engage in mind reading. Let's say the manager is not smiling that day. They say, ‘He has it in for me, that's why he's not smiling,’ when in fact the manager is upset about something else and is not smiling because of that. Against such situations, it is necessary to avoid mind reading. Individuals who engage in mind reading both commit mobbing and become victims.” he warned.
It is essential to resist mobbing
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan stated that “mobbing increases if there are individuals who cannot defend themselves against it,” and said that to combat mobbing, a person must speak with the individual they believe is engaging in mobbing. Tarhan said, “It is very important for the person being subjected to mobbing to say no. It is important here for a person who believes their manager is engaging in mobbing to explain it in an appropriate language, saying, ‘I was deeply hurt and saddened by the behavior you exhibited or the things you said in front of everyone. I want you to know.’ When they say this, the other party might think, ‘This person's intention was not what I thought.’ If this person is mind-reading, their prejudice will dissipate. The power of bullying stems from the victim's acceptance and their failure to resist intimidation.” he said.