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Quality and Risk Management in the IVF Laboratory
Figure 3.4
An illustration of the “detection-based mentality.”
The textbook by Heller and Hindle (2003) provides a wealth of advice on managing change.
The toxic workplace
If people lack confidence or are insecure in their competence, employment situation or personal life, this insecurity is often displayed in behavior that has been called the “detection-based mentality” (see Figure 3.4). An integral part of TQM is providing support to all staff members to allow them to develop as professionals and rise above such short-comings. However, if the managers (or owners) suffer the same issues themselves, then there is often an abuse of power that leads to a massive escalation of the problem until the organization becomes what has been described as a “toxic workplace” (“a place where people come to work so they can make enough money so they can leave it”: Jeffrey Pfeffer, cited in Coombs, 2001). By constantly criticizing or disrespecting the staff, these managers feel better able to “control” them and, at the same