The Addictive Organization: Why We Overwork, Cover Up, Pick Up the Pieces, Please the Boss, & Perpetuate Sick Organizations

by Anne Wilson Schaef, Diane Fassel

Schaef and Fassel show how managers, workers, and organization members exhibit the classic symptoms of addiction: denying and avoiding problems, assuming that there is no other way of acting, and manipulating events to maintain the status quo.

Genres: Psychology, Nonfiction, Business, Self Help

240 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1988

Reviews

[Seymour]

An important exploratory work from the late 80s on the roots of toxic work cultures and interesting to reflect on how things have evolved in some ways better and in others worse. Both addiction understanding has changed and the pervasive power of work cultures. For instance, 12 steps is not the only option and we have smartphones and homeworking now. It would be interesting to see it updated. It's still packed with challenging and relevant material. Treats how addicts and co-dependents function in the workplace as well as how workplaces can be addictive. Interesting as a wider application of concepts from addiction theory. Lots of food for thought.

[Cliff Stockton]

Helped me find a reason behind many crazy work environments. If you find yourself wondering if you are going crazy at a work environment, read this, there may be a problem in your work situation. Many social service organizations are depicted within.

[Brian]

This book tries to apply recovery concepts to organizations but is so slanted and biased. The hyper-feminist slant is so prevalent and the arguments against process and systems are CLEARLY directed at things like organized religion and the like. This book definitely lacks any kind of Industrial/Organizational Psychology merit and fails to apply even good, unbiased scholarship to its analysis. Do NOT waste your time reading this book for an understanding of how elements of addiction apply to "organizations" if you are expecting a good, scholarly perspective. It's obvious it's written by two angry authors with an axe to grind.

[Victoria Slotto]

Read for my thesis 1991

[Reuel]

A look at work-related problems from the perspective of addiction. Lots of issues are being reviewed from this perspective in the late 1990s. It's not the whole story, but it adds a viewpoint worth considering.

[Kathleen]

The Addictive Organization: Why We Overwork, Cover Up, Pick Up the Pieces, Please the Boss, and Perpetuate S by Anne Wilson Schaef (1990)

[Jody Davis]

A little confusing at the beginning but really good after figuring out what the book was talking about.