The Emotionally Unstable Workplace - Amnesty International Artwork

Office Detox Podcast

Office Detox is a show about business. Just like any great story, business is a battleground. The quote from Edmond Burke is very relevant here: “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” If we, who are basically trying to just make a living and do more good than harm are too passive, the rest – predators, narcissists and more are going to take over the place. All of the things that we love about business will vanish, leaving the thieves and conmen. It may be too late already – but call me an optimist? I’m going to try. And there is so much to love. In business, you can create your life. You are not in the safety of a lab or an educational institution. You are out in the real world – creating things that other people need. Ruled by the invisible hand of economics. Throughout the series, we are taking a look at the different factors, some of which were part of commerce and trade since it started, and others that have joined us more recently. Welcome to Office Detox - I’m your host, Stefania Sigurdson Forbes. If I didn’t love business, I wound not be doing this. But – there is a big gap between where business is, and where it could be. So my friends, let’s get started. And say hey business… we can do better.

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Office Detox Podcast

The Emotionally Unstable Workplace - Amnesty International

June 15, 2019 • Stefania Sigurdson Forbes

Have you ever walked into a place, and it is a pressure cooker? Like the pressure is so high you can hardly breathe? Like the pressure is so high, that it will blow at any minute? You may be working in an emotionally unstable workplace.

In episode 3 of Season 1 of Office Detox, we explore the unstable workplace, through the lens of the suicides of Gaetan Mootoo and Roz McGregor of Amnesty International.

On the night of the 25th of May, Gaetan Mootoo killed himself, aged 65, in the Paris offices of the famous human rights NGO. This researcher specializing in French-speaking Africa, unanimously respected, has spent his entire career, started 32 years earlier, there. He left behind his son, Robin and his wife Martyne. Five weeks later, 25-year-old intern, Roz McGregor. "Roz has been overwhelmingly described as a smart, motivated, ambitious, and enthusiastic person. She has been described often as 'bubbly'. Roz's work at IAP was of high quality and she was recognized as an excellent intern."

We dig into this story, and everything behind it. We also give tips on what you can do if you are in an emotionally unstable workplace right now.

Research

Books:
Dangerous Personalities by Joe Navarro - this includes the emotionally unstable personality "checklist"

Report:
https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/org60/9763/2019/en/

Articles:
https://blogs.mediapart.fr/edwy-plenel/blog/100618/gaetan-mootoo-1952-2018-elegance-one-just

http://www.rfi.fr/afrique/20180528-mort-gaetan-moutoo-droits-humains-afrique-amnesty-international

https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ga%C3%ABtan_Mootoo

https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2018/oct/22/amnesty-faces-scrutiny-as-inquiry-links-paris-workers-suicide-to-his-job

http://www.tlaxcala-int.org/article.asp?reference=24789

https://www.facebook.com/PayYourInterns/posts/we-are-deeply-saddened-to-read-the-story-of-roz-mcgregor-a-28-year-old-intern-wo/2168292216782484/

Music
Chris Zabriskie
Nature
Thoughtless

Kai Engle
Aveu
Denouement
Downpour
November

Synth Kid
Devotion
Heartache
Trapped in the Upside Down

TCM Underground
The Wizard of Lies

Music above is used under an Attribution License - http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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