Human Resources – Part of the Problem or Part of the Solution?

An article by Claire Cain Miller in the New York Times about reporting incidents of sexual harassment in the workplace provides both a real picture of what has been happening and what continues going on, as well as some sound advice on what to do if you are ever a victim.

The culprit, other than the predator, is the Human Resources Department, who according to the research I have done for my book, From Bully to Bull’s-Eye: Move Your Organization Out of the Line of Fire, is part of the problem versus part of the solution in the majority of organizations. I fully concur that women do not report sexual harassment primarily because, as Ms. Miller points out, “mostly they fear retaliation, and for good reason, research shows”.

The suggestion that organizations provide an Ombuds person is one of the most effective ways for people to come forward. We should also note that this goes beyond sexual harassment. The same dynamics occur with other forms of harassment and abuse.

Photo credit: Nick Youngson

FOXES IN THE HEN HOUSE

In the New York Times article by Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey, Harvey Weinstein is exposed as a sexual predator. I wrote about this same dynamic when it happened at Fox Media. These lurid activities occurred within a culture of silence.

It is encouraging that Mr. Weinstein says he is working towards mending his way, admitting that it won’t be easy, in a carefully crafted statement. The good thing that could come from this is giving those who have been targeted the courage to come forward to expose these predators who feel they can abuse with immunity. Like Fox Media - there are more ‘Foxes in the hen house’.

The Times also discusses the internal board scrambling resulting from these latest revelations. The moves came as employees and business partners of the company voiced concern about sexual harassment allegations, revealed in a New York Times investigation. It begs the question, after going on for 30 years, and the executives and the board didn’t know about it, how far removed are they, and what else is out there that they don’t know?

Harvey Weinstein embodies a culture whose power is on the wane, as discussed in Ann Horniday’s Washington Post article. The sexism Weinstein embodies has been reflected in the ‘male gaze’ of Hollywood movies. But that gaze is beginning to wander.

In my book, From Bully to Bull’s-Eye: Move Your Organization Out of the Line of Fire, I explain how a toxic culture creates cover-ups and denials around sexual harassment. I also advise on what specific steps employees facing these horrendous situations can and should do.

Photo credit: Vimeo.com

The Queen Bee in the Workplace

Olga Khazan’s updated article on women who bully, published in The Atlantic last month, is reflective of the dynamics I outline in my book, From Bully to Bull’s-Eye: Move Your Organization Out of the Line of Fire, where I explain how a toxic culture creates and supports bullying.

Women are often singled out as being difficult to work for or with, but the dynamics that cause this are based in fear, just as they are with men.

The way that these situations can be made healthy is for upper management to agree that the culture of their organization must adopt the ethic of reciprocity in all of their interactions with all stakeholders, especially fellow employees. This paves the way for the creation and sustainability of psychologically safe workplaces.

Author: Andrew Faas

Photo credit: gratisography.com

A TIMELY LESSON ON LEADERSHIP

Just like a breath of fresh air, Lt. Gen. Jay Silveria firmly reminded his audience of some 4000 cadets of the Air Force’s staunch belief in “the power of diversity”. He further insisted that “small thinking and horrible ideas” had no place there. His actual remarks, included in Jonah Engle Bromwich’s New York Times column, are very powerful and should be studied by everyone in a leadership position. His message was very well framed, open, honest and direct. Although he occasionally referred to his crib notes, the message came from his heart - something that those who heard it will remember for the rest of their lives.

This belief system is in sharp contrast to the toxic cultures that have been exposed and about which I have written at such companies as Uber, Fox News, Wells Fargo and Volkswagen in terms of dealing with critical situations. In all of those cases, as in most that we see related to wrongdoing, discrimination, and harassment, they first deny, deny, and deny again; and then leadership claims no knowledge of the issue and/or they cover it up, versus tackling it head-on in an open direct non-threatening way. But these companies must espouse a psychologically healthy workplace, where there are ground rules that must be followed; and if you don’t like them, get out.

In my book, From Bully to Bull’s-Eye: Move Your Organization Out of the Line of Fire, I discuss how strong leadership from the top is essential for creating and maintaining psychologically healthy organizations.

Photo credit: United States Air Force Academy

The Importance of Learning to Civilly and Effectively Communicate Disagreement

With all of the noise about the National Football League, the message in Bret Stevens lecture published in the New York Times is that the most effective way to resist, protect and defend democracy and a civilized society is to effectively communicate disagreement. Today, most of what we are hearing is the ranting of polarized positions.

Whenever I engage in a debate I ask myself if there is a one percent possibility that my position is wrong. If the answer to this is yes, then I owe it to myself and to the people implicated by the debate to consider the opposing view. What is required here is the ability of people to have critical discussions when they disagree, as discussed in N. Gregory Mankiw’s article in the Times. Unfortunately, this is outside of most people's comfort zones. I believe that if more of us used the power of Emotional Intelligence, coupled with the Golden Rule, they can revive the art of disagreement. Not having constructive debates puts at risk the voices of reason, and gives licence to the loudest belligerent voice in the room, which undermines the very essence of democracy.

In my book, From Bully to Bull’s-Eye: Move Your Organization Out of the Line of Fire, I explain how taking civil action is critical to changing a culture. The NFL exemplified this action as they knelt down during the playing of the National Anthem.

Photo credit: Aidan Jones

I returned to work after my psychotic break, but my bipolar disorder did, too.

In his article in the New York Times, Zack Mcdermott shares the story of his challenging return to work after a psychological leave of absence. This experience happens to more people than we like to think. My book, From Bully to Bull’s-Eye: Move Your Organization Out of the Line of Fire, is a story of hope for so many people who suffer symptoms of mental illness with virtually no support in the workplace.

Given that one in five people have a mental health condition in any given year, everyone has someone close to them who is affected. Empathy, support and appropriate interventions are the prerequisite keys to being able to overcome most conditions. Workplace culture is also critically important, where the signs of a problem are usually always evident. Rather than just be a bystander to this, we must take action because early interventions can and do save lives.

To understand the magnitude of this reality, consider the 2016 Harvard/Stanford University study, which found that 120,000 deaths annually could be attributed to workplace stress. Given the fact that these are premature deaths, workplace stress is the number one killer.

Saving lives, for example, means sending people to the hospital when a heart attack is occurring or symptoms are present. In one company, I heard from an employee who was actually contacted while in the hospital being checked for a possible heart attack by HR to reschedule for the next day for the time lost while in the hospital. This went against the company’s own policy, but nonetheless was the action they chose. If this insulting behaviour were not bad enough, they followed up by penalizing the person with graveyard shifts for the next month despite the employee being their top producer. My hopes for the future for this company and companies like it are dim. They will likely lose their best employees and suffer above-average turnover.

If your situation resonates with either of these stories, it’s time for you to take action, which may mean standing up for what is right or possibly changing employment. The ethic of reciprocity suggests that we do unto others, as we would have them do unto us. Enacting this principle into the workplace works wonders!  

Predator Bullies Turn the Victim Into the Villain

Whenever someone, in this case a man, makes someone else, in this case a woman, feel unsafe in any way, they have crossed the line. When confronted about this act and told that you are a liar, it reminds you of all the people who have ever doubted your word before. By calling the victim a liar, the predator bully is attempting to turn the victim into the villain - a very common tactic used by bullies. This dynamic has reached epidemic proportions in workplaces across North America.

Finally, Amber Tamblyn is taking the bull by the horns. In her opinion piece in The New York Times, she articulates what people who are abused go through. My advice to people who feel vulnerable is to invest in a discrete body camera with a listening device. It is legal to record as long as one of the parties agrees; and, they are one of the parties.

As unconventional as this may sound, this is the kind of action that is required when such injustices occur. There may be discomfort transitioning from being a bystander, where you are expected to endure this abuse, to becoming an activist, where defending your dignity is the right thing to do despite the fear of retaliation.

Stories like Amber’s serve to give hope to women who have been beaten down for generations. In my book, From Bully to Bull’s-Eye: Move Your Organization Out of the Line of Fire, I encourage women to stand up for what is right. As she reiterates, “The women I know, myself included, are done, though, playing the credentials game. We are learning that the more we open our mouths, the more we become a choir. And the more we are a choir, the more the tune is forced to change.”

Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

Vatican’s Cultural Revolution is Fizzling

In his New York Times article, Jason Horowitz writes about a priest working as a diplomat in Washington who has returned to the Vatican amid suspicions by American officials that he possessed child pornography.

I have featured the Catholic Church in my book, From Bully to Bull’s-Eye: Move Your Organization Out of the Line of Fire, as a "Disjointed Culture", which means that there are a number of subcultures because of the autonomy given to Bishops and Cardinals around the world.

Pope Francis’ elevation provided some hope that the church would become an example for a cultural revolution, which would correct the many sins of the past. Sadly, Pope Francis is failing miserably at this, which is reflected in the continued decline in parishioners, clergy and as a result influence. This is unfortunate, particularly in a time when we need individuals and groups to provide guidance, hope, charity and most of all moral authority.

Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

Resistors, not Trump, Will Make America Great Again

In his latest op-ed piece, Charles M. Blow, in his New York Times article, explains exactly how our very democracy is being dismantled.

I share Charles Blow's extreme frustration and admire his consistency in building resistance, calling on people to resist what is now painfully obvious - the systematic destruction of democracy. A few months ago I wrote a book review on Eric Larson's "Beasts in the Garden of Evil”, which describes how in just eighteen months Hitler dismantled democracy in Germany. I predict Trump will break this record. The only way to stop him is resistance. 

In advance of the Athens Democracy Forum, The Times solicited essays on some of the challenges facing nations today. In this piece by Serge Schmemann, we can see yet another perspective showing that American democracy is under attack.

In another article by Kishore Mahbubani, it becomes abundantly clear that the Western ideology is being replaced by nationalistic positions by such powers as Russia, Japan, China and Turkey.

As new heads of state emerge on the international stage, the future of geopolitics is changing hands. Cooperation will likely prove to be far more successful than upheaval.

I have written about the necessity for people to take action in my book, From Bully to Bull’s-Eye: Move Your Organization Out of the Line of Fire, pointing out that bystanders help perpetuate the crisis by not becoming involved in resisting those who created it in the first place.

Author: Andrew Faas

Photo credit: Titanus

Sexual Harassment Eludes Yet Another Board of Directors

Katie Benner and Nathaniel Popper write in the New York Times that Mike Cagney, a co-founder of Social Finance, is stepping down as chief executive and chairman after sexual harassment claims at the start-up Silicon Valley investment firm.

Boards of Directors would be wise to become more proactive in finding out what is actually going on in their organizations. In the many situations I have dealt with on harassment, wrongdoing and workplace culture, it never ceases to amaze me on how long this goes on before it is exposed; and how boards take cover by claiming ignorance. More often than not, feigning ignorance is not the real reason; rather it is gross negligence and/or a cover-up.

I have written about this dynamic in my book, From Bully to Bull’s-Eye: Move Your Organization Out of the Line of Fire, pointing out that boards need to be held accountable for breaches of workplace safety, especially psychological safety. 

Photo credit: Wei Tchou