Toxic

Why do organizations keep causing harm? And how do we cure toxic cultures?

"A timely, rigorous, and deeply unsettling book."—Amy C. Edmondson, Novartis Professor of Leadership and Management, Harvard Business School, and author of The Fearless Organization

Not a week goes by with out yet another major organizational scandal: Open AI’s agents going rogue, Volkswagen’s emissions cheating, Boeing’s persistent safety issues, endemic police misconduct at the Oakland PD, and sexual abuse at yet another Roman Catholic Church. So why do do organizations keep causing these harms?

Benjamin van Rooij and Nicholas Lord argue that to truly understand and address the impacts of dysfunctional organizations we must look beyond leadership and understand the deeper problems in the organization itself. To do so, Toxic uses dozens of in-depth case studies to connect the dots between various scandals and illustrate the deeper toxic patterns within organizations that lead to them.

Each chapter recounts compelling stories of individuals caught within these toxic systems and addresses urgent societal challenges such as environmental degradation, the opioid epidemic, the harms of social media, and police abuse. Stories include:

• Facebook sought to grow from 1 billion to 5 billion users, leading it to enter Myanmar’s volatile ethnic context without having the knowledge or capacity to do proper content moderation, and thus contributing to genocide.
• Don Parus, a BP engineer made an all-out effort to warn company leaders to invest in safety, just months before a major explosion killed fiteen and injured hundreds at its Texas City Refinery.
• Keith Batt, a rookie at the Oakland Police Department, was made to witness, condone and participate in falsifying arrest records, planting evidence, and even in unsanctioned violence, all within two weeks on the job.

Revealing, accessible, engaging, and unsettling, Toxic breaks down the core characteristics of toxic organizations and shows readers how to recognize and address toxicity in their everyday lives.

Standard and Primary covers are widely available through general retailers. They often have higher print runs and can be cheaper, especially during sales.

In contrast, Direct Market (DM) and variant covers are primarily sold in comic shops. DM editions tend to have more limited availability and may be more valuable to collectors.

The main differences lie in artwork style, availability, price, and collector appeal. Ultimately, the choice between standard and variant covers depends on personal preference, budget, and individual collecting goals.

Comic book enthusiasts have various formats to choose from when collecting their favorite stories.
Here's a brief overview of the main types:

Omnibus

• Large, hardcover collections
• Usually contain complete runs or extensive story arcs
• Typically 800-1000+ pages
• Higher price point, often €100-€150

Oversized Hardcover (OHC)

• Similar dimensions to omnibus, but thinner
• Collect shorter runs or story arcs
• Usually 300-600 pages
• Priced between €30-€50

Hardcover (HC)

• Standard-sized hardcover books
• Collect 6-12 issues typically
• Similar dimensions to single issues, but with a hard cover
• Priced around €25-€35

Trade Paperback (TP)

• Softcover collections
• Standard comic book size
• Usually collect 4-6 issues
• Most affordable option, typically €15-€25

Other Formats

• Absolute Editions: Oversized, deluxe hardcovers (mainly DC Comics)
• Compendiums: Massive paperback collections
• Graphic Novels (OGN/GN): Original stories not previously released as single issues

The choice between these formats often depends on personal preference, budget, and collecting goals. Omnibus and OHC editions offer larger artwork and more content but at a higher price, while TPs provide a more affordable way to collect complete story arcs