The Risks Within: Preventing & Managing Workplace Violence

156 pages, published in 2022.
Marc Mcelhaney, Ph.D.

The term, “workplace violence” has become a frightful one, suggesting the seemingly sudden emergence of a crazed “active shooter”, resulting in multiple casualties. Dr. McElhaney, a psychological specialist in the prevention and management of high-risk behavior, urges us to reconsider our preconceptions and stereotypes if we are ever going to be able to successfully prevent these often-fatal events. Relying on real examples from his files, he demonstrates that these at-risk individuals always exist among us, often unrecognized, but for a variety of reasons and circumstances, have come to pose a danger to those around them. He introduces us specifically to the events surrounding Maria, Patrick, and Neil, otherwise “normal” individuals in most circumstances, but who had encountered a perfect storm of events in their lives that, without early recognition and intervention, could have resulted in violent consequences. In the second half of this book, the author provides us with a step-by-step guide to establishing a process that enables us to identify and safely manage these behaviors before they result in dangerous and fatal consequences. This is a critical read for any manager – or for any of us for that matter.