Aggression in the Workplace: Preventing and Managing High-Risk Behavior

Violence in the workplace has risen to "epidemic" proportions according to the Centers of Disease Control. In this volume, Dr. Marc McElhaney, a specialist in workplace violence, presents a comprehensive guide that no manager can do without when having to prepare for these potentially dangerous and often disruptive events. These are situations that often seem to explode in the workplace without warning, when in fact, they have often long incubated outside the manager's awareness. Utilizing a risk management approach that focuses on the process of how these situations evolve, as opposed to an oversimplified presentation of "profiles", will provide the manager with the needed tools to prevent and effectively intervene, to ensure a safe and cost-effective resolution. This book takes a comprehensive view that covers the broad range of aggression control strategies that an organization can utilize, from the fundamental building blocks of a primary prevention program to specific techniques that the manager can use to defuse and stabilize situations that are already threatening to explode. In between, the author presents a step-by-step description of the assessment and intervention process that should occur when and if an organization is faced with a potentially dangerous set of circumstances. Specific high-risk situations, such as employee termination, are discussed in detail, along with strategies that Dr. McElhaney has found to be particularly effective when having to stabilize, control and ultimately ensure a safe and long-lasting conclusion. Utilizing an approach that combines his knowledge and experience from the fields of threat assessment, risk management, conflict resolution and crisis negotiation, the author focuses on an approach that not only addresses the organization's immediate needs, but which also strives for a resolution and management plan that addresses long-term safety concerns.

Dr. Marc McElhaney serves as director of Critical Response Associates and its parent organization, the Centers for Dispute Resolution, LLC. He received his Ph.D. in clinical and community psychology from the University of South Florida, and currently resides in Atlanta, Georgia.

As a consulting psychologist and certified mediator, Dr. McElhaney works exclusively in the areas of threat assessment, critical incident management, and conflict resolution. Since 1977, he has consulted with hundreds of organizations (typically large corporations and law enforcement agencies) in regards to the assessment, management, and resolution of high-risk incidents. He has also helped schools and corporations develop workplace violence policies and crisis response programs, and has presented workshops and training programs in the areas of workplace violence prevention, conflict resolution, and crisis management.

The author is an active member of several professional organizations, including the American Psychological Association, the Association of Threat Assessment Professionals, the Association for Conflict Resolution, the American Society for Industrial Security, Psychologists for Social Responsibility, the Society for Human Resource Management, and the National Register of Health Care Providers in Psychology.

Dr. McElhaney welcomes your comments and inquiries. The reader is welcome to contact him toll free at 1-888-584-4200 or by e-mail at mmcelhan@aol.com.