THE WORLD LOSES HUMANITARIAN JUDGE HARRY PREGERSON

In many aspects of society, the human element has being eroding. In the workplace, employees are generally considered commodities and/or liabilities. In The Washington Post obituary, we gain a glimpse into the life of Judge Harry Pregerson, who defied the evolution in the legal system, which resulted in courts being, as Mark Twain once admonished, “Young man this is a court of law, not a court of justice.”

I have personally just gone through a four-year court battle on what should have been the resolution of a very simple matter, but which became more complicated than Google’s algorithm. The culprit was a system that allows the arcane technical components to deflect from the real issues. In essence, Judge Pregerson separated shit from Shinola to give people what they are fundamentally entitled to - Justice.

The legal system needs to be reformed where not only the human element is brought in, but also compassion. This is the most fundamental issue lacking in the courts today. Out of most people’s reach to get justice today. By him cutting through shit, it made justice available to the majority.

Andrew Faas is the author of ‘ From Bully to Bull’s-Eye: Move Your Organization Out of the Line of Fire, and a Public Voices Fellow at Yale University

Treason By Any Other Word

Why is everyone dancing around the word treason? We all remember at the Republican National Convention where former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn chanted ‘Lock Her Up’, referring to democratic candidate Hillary Clinton. People should now be saying, “hang him, hang him, hang him”!

Lying to the F.B.I. about Russian involvement is nothing short of treason. Lawmakers must resist imposing capital punishment before the due process has concluded, a process which is essential to our very democracy. It is puzzling to me that more people aren’t weighing in on this critical dynamic, including the media.

Politicians from both sides of the aisle are joining the growing bandwagon of those being judge and jury, relative to the zero tolerance policy. This smacks of McCarthyism because it goes against the fundamental principle of “innocent until proven guilty”. It is not sufficient to say that just because people say and accuse someone of a crime that it’s true.

Mr. Flynn is rightfully being given the right to defend himself. Now that he’s admitted to lying to the F.B.I., he is guilty of treason and deserves the maximum sentence the law can give. This same procedure should be followed for all other people involved, with maximum sentencing given to others.

Although no one other than Flynn has been implicated so far, the investigation is entering Trump’s inner circle. It is logical that a next step will likely be to re-examine Mr. Trump’s firing of former F.B.I chief James Comey because he wouldn’t fire Flynn.

Andrew Faas is a Public Voices Fellow at Yale University.

Complicit – Top Word for 2017!

According to Dictionary.com, the word ‘complicit’ is the word of the year for 2017. In a Washington Post article by Amy B. Wang, she explains the meaning, “choosing to be involved in an illegal or questionable act, especially with others”, in today’s political climate.

This is in fact the perfect word for our times. Combatting complicity comes with a heavy price tag, which is why bystanders are reluctant to raise their hands up in resistance. The primary reason for this is that most people don’t have a choice because of retaliation.

In my book, From Bully to Bull’s-Eye: Move Your Organization Out of the Line of Fire, I advise people on how to safely expose wrongdoing. If you implement the twelve actions I clearly elucidate, you can become part of the solution to the greatest challenge of our times.

Andrew Faas is a Public Voices Fellow at Yale University

Photo credit: Wikimedia

Be Proactive - Protect Your Employees First!

In an article in The Washington Post, Shauhin Talesh discusses the idea that insurance plans covering corporate harassment allegations actually benefit the employers, not the employees.  This tactic is akin to the ineffective harassment training I have blogged about previously.

Companies use these ‘arcane tools’ as legal shields for themselves, and not to protect the victims. Not until organizational leaders stop trying to protect their own behinds, and begin being proactive and transparent in creating positive, safe and fair cultures, where bullying, abuse and harassment are just not tolerated.

In my book, From Bully to Bull’s-Eye: Move Your Organization Out of the Line of Fire, I advise that when inappropriate behaviour does occur, it is swiftly investigated and dealt with.

Andrew Faas is a Public Voices Fellow at Yale University

Photo credit: flickr.com

What We Really Should Be Thankful For

On this American Thanksgiving, we have time to reflect on the past year. Charles M. Blow summarizes his astute observations of the administration’s tumultuous year in this Op-Ed column. Meanwhile, the Washington Post’s Dana Milbank opines about the valiant fight so many are shouldering in an effort to save our democracy and how thankful we should be to those who defend us everyday. These pieces reflect the dire situation the US is in today; and while I am thankful that there is resistance, I live with the hope I can say the same next year. 

Photo credit: Wikipedia

Lest the Worst of Our History Repeat Itself!

I have always believed in thinking in time. The book by that name offers insights, where had we paid more attention to what the past can teach us for the future, good and bad, the course of history could have been very different.

In The Washington Post, Robert A. Ventresca provides a great perspective on how this dynamic is unfolding before our very eyes. And, as I have written in a previous blog post, we are now witnessing a repeat of history with the systematic dismantling of democracy, the abnormal becoming the normal, and the retaliation of those who oppose.

In my book, From Bully to Bull’s-Eye: Move Your Organization Out of the Line of Fire, I emphasize that unless bystanders become protectors, defenders, resistors and activists, the barbaric barbarians will rule the world, as they almost did in the early 1940’s. Next time it won’t be almost. 

Author: Andrew Faas

Photo credit: Wikimedia

What About the Other 95%?

The news headlines over the past few weeks, about which I have written numerous blogs, have shown how publicly shaming some men, mostly the rich and famous, can actually make a big difference and work. Now, while the topic is still front and center, is the time for us to expose and bring to justice the rest of the predators.

In my book, From Bully to Bull’s-Eye: Move Your Organization Out of the Line of Fire, I discuss the processes to follow to address this societal perhaps the most insidious of our time. From the distinct perspectives of the victim, the bystander and the bully himself, I offer suggestions on how to make the necessary changes within a culture to change it from toxic to healthy.

Additionally, we must look at the broader scope of abuse and harassment. This abhorrent behaviour permeates all levels of society and spares no one. As I have asserted before, one’s gender, occupation level of educational, political affiliation or socioeconomic status has no bearing on who will be the victim, the bystander or the villain. 

Furthermore, usually when sexual abuse and harassment occurs, there are other forms of abuse and harassment.  Evidence of this is the fact that bystanders are afraid to speak up. How else could one explain how the abuses have continued on for, in many cases, decades?

With the groundswell of people coming forward to share their difficult and very personal stories, hopefully the attention that this real threat to our democratic way of life can be properly and effectively addressed. I encourage you to share your stories with me via social media or my webpage. As more and more bystanders find the courage to become a part of the #MeToo movement, the result will be safer and healthier children, families, places of work and communities as a whole.

Photo credit: Phillip Taylor

WHY ARE WE AFRAID TO USE THE “L” WORD

Having viewed the news and read articles, such as the one by Matt Zapotosky in the Washington Post, I have been appalled by how the legislators and media have avoided the word liar. This is particularly disturbing when the subject is Russia, when Trump’s advisers have ‘spotty’ memories. Those people within Trump’s inner orbit have repeatedly adjusted their stories when confronted with documents or testimony that contradict previous accounts.

This prompted California Senator Ted Lieu to bravely ask Attorney General Jeff Sessions, at his hearing earlier this week, “Were you lying then, or are you lying now”?

CNN reporters Poppy Harlow and John Berman asked Mr. Lieu if he thought that ‘name calling’ was proper; and was it the right example to set for his children? Lieu responded in essence by suggesting that not calling people out sets the wrong example.

I believe that the real issue here is that the so-called justice system is skewed in favour of those who can manipulate their words to technically provide them with cover. Let’s all remember a lie is a lie.

Photo credit: Vimeo.com

Turning the Screws on Harassment and Abuse

The Washington Post article by Gretchen Morgenson describes how a federal judge’s ruling delivers a message to Wells Fargo’s board of directors, and others, who may be listening, who are less than vigilant when monitoring their company for misdeeds. This ruling is significant and about time!

Recently, high-profile sexual harassment allegations, about which I have written extensively in my blogposts, are making rank-and-file employees worry about their past workplace actions. In an interesting article by Nellie Bowles in the New York Times, we discover that men are beginning to take notice of their actions. More importantly, and in step with my recent blog, Ms. Bowles references a report from the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission that shows all of the money spent on harassment training has had little effect.  The time has come for strong consequences to be applied when inappropriate actions take place whether it is physical, mental or emotional.

In my book, From Bully to Bull’s-Eye: Move Your Organization Out of the Line of Fire, I discuss the responsibilities boards of directors have when it comes to bullying and harassment within their organization. In an article I wrote for the magazine Directors and Boards, which I included in my book, I explain that bullying is potentially the greatest risk an organization can have. Far too often, this type of harassment goes unchecked because it is integral to the culture of the organization. In a later article for the same magazine, I go on to explain that there is real hope for companies both culturally and financially, as the next generation begins to populate the boardrooms, reflecting contemporary values that will address corporate culture.

Photo credit: Public domain

Uber Transforms Its Notorious List of Core Values Into Cultural Norms

In an article in The Washington Post, Jena McGregor explores Uber’s new cultural policy, where ‘Hustlin’ is out. Doing ‘the right thing’ is in’.

Uber's new CEO, Dara Khosrowshahi, immediately recognized the need for sweeping changes to the way the company did business. He asked for feedback from more than 1200 employees the company's new cultural 'norms'. He wrote, "the culture and approach that got Uber where it is today is not what will get us to the next level. As we move away from an era of growth at all costs to one of responsible growth, our culture needs to evolve."

Creating a bottoms-up approach is exactly what ‘Emotion Revolution in the Workplace’ initiative is all about. The key to success here is what Uber does about it beyond the words.

 Heidi Brooks, from the Yale School of Management, recognizes that the Uber choice to focus on "norms" rather than values is a nice way of holding the focus on what people actually do, rather than what they intend/pretend to do. We have so much normative behavior around tolerating the gap between intended behavior and actual.

She further shared with me that crowd-sourcing the norms is an interesting choice at this juncture for them. We’re interested to know more about how they weeded out and focused on what they selected. That process could be a powerful one, especially if enacted from the perspective of emotional intelligence.

In my book, From Bully to Bull’s-Eye: Move Your Organization Out of the Line of Fire, I provide specific and pragmatic advice on how to create cultures within organizations that can create the sweeping changes Khosrowshahi envisions. I hope the transition from words on paper to actual practice becomes a reality in the very near future.

Photo credit: flickr.com

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