Sexual Harassment (Part 1 of 2)
July 23rd, 2007This cast tells you how to handle a potential Sexual Harassment problem within your team.
Very few things strike fear in the heart of a manager more than the thought of a potential sexual harassment claim. The sanctions are severe, there’s the taint of an accusation that may never go away, the gossip… to say nothing of the loss of control of the process, and the danger of false accusations. All this on top of the fact that sexual harassment is not only beneath contempt, but it’s also inscrutably hard to understand, and even the finest employee can unknowingly step into this morass.
To some degree, we’re not surprised by most managers lack of understanding of the rules. For most managers, we don’t have time to try to understand the actual law, and even if we read it we wouldn’t understand its implications. Further, most managers don’t think themselves capable of such things (for all kinds of reasons). But, sexual harassment is an example of Horstman’s Unknown Briefcase Rule: If you were told to carry around a briefcase of unknown origin, and were ALSO told that there might be a nuclear weapon in it, it would certainly change your relationship to it enough to ask, “Okay, even if the chances of it going off are slim, if it did go off it would be VERY BAD, so tell me what I need to do it to keep it safe…just in case.”
This cast will keep you safe. Just in case.
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July 23rd, 2007 at 10:03 pm
Excellent cast gentlemen! I look forward to part 2. I have to admit I have been ‘trained’ by HR that this issue is always handled by them and if I’m lucky I may get an update. I have worked for large corporations where the annual class was conducted by HR and for a smaller company where the policy was a paper handout during orientation. I can tell the importance of this cast because Mark talked much slower
.
July 23rd, 2007 at 10:09 pm
Jim-
Mark did talk much more slowly. This is one of those subjects that causes such fear that managers take their eye off the ball and abdicate much of their responsibilities to the organization.
Glad you liked it!
Mark
July 23rd, 2007 at 11:53 pm
Solid cast, gentlemen. How should we provide to you copies of our company’s policy (scrubbed of identifying detail, of course)?
John
July 24th, 2007 at 12:57 am
John-
Just email them to showAT. Thanks!
Mark
July 24th, 2007 at 10:47 pm
Thank you Mike & Mark!! I personally asked about this podcast almost a year ago. Super glad you took time to do it. Look forward to part 2.
Thanks, Joe
July 26th, 2007 at 3:34 pm
Really good start - my only “complaint” is when you multipart the members-only casts, it’s A MONTH between parts - instead of a week between parts on the normal casts. That said, I really appreciate your first- or second-most important point: to remember that HR is coming at this with an enitrely different agenda than a manager is. Thanks again!
July 26th, 2007 at 3:44 pm
This issue has system-wide impact. Managers often focus on the admin issues and forget taking care of their teams. Individuals often treat those involved like a leper or herald him/her as a martyr. This polarization kills team morale.
Managers need to spend time dealing with the team. Yes, the political and administrative stuff for the company needs attention. Team members require care and an opportunity to process this.
-Jim+
July 26th, 2007 at 5:18 pm
Hugh-
I don’t think the Sexual Harassment cast is a members only one….you’ll see part two next week.
Mark
July 27th, 2007 at 3:10 pm
Yeah - I just realized that myself. Color me “knucklehead.” Hope you find the policy I sent useful.
August 26th, 2007 at 12:49 pm
Help! I seem to have deleted Part 1 of this cast from my itunes. Any way to reload it? I’d rather not re-subscribe to all the casts just to get it. Thanks!
August 26th, 2007 at 6:39 pm
highwayranger,
shift-click the flippy-triangle next to the podcast series name (the one the hides or shows all the contained shows). That should refresh the list and show you once again the show that you deleted. Then simple “get” the deleted show.
Mike
August 26th, 2007 at 9:56 pm
Thank’s Mike - This is something I had been trying to solve for weeks.
August 27th, 2007 at 6:18 am
Dang! Thanks Mike, that is very useful. I did not know you could do this either.
For the record: Option-click on the Mac. Should have tried that earlier. Many things have an alternative action when you hold Option.
August 27th, 2007 at 10:56 am
Perfect secret little solution Mike! Thanks!