Do You Know What the Mueller Report Has to do With You? What Are Investigations Supposed to Accomplish? 

Not to put too lawyerly a point on the issue, but in most situations, investigations are only supposed to find the facts.

When I’m tasked with conducting workplace investigations, for example, I’m usually asked to try to find out what happened: who, what, where and when, as opposed to recommending any action. In a few situations, I’ve been asked what I would recommend that the client do to rectify what’s happened. But most of the time, I’m simply sent into a situation to dig into the client’s conundrum.

“I’m usually asked to try to find out what happened:
who, what, where and when, as opposed to recommending any action.”

WHAT WAS MUELLER ASKED TO DO?  While reasonable minds could differ about the scope of his assignment, most would agree that his purpose was to find out what happened with the alleged Russian interference with our 2016 presidential election. While we all may disagree with his methods or results, Mueller has provided over 400 pages that detail his findings and attempt to resolve that mystery.

WHAT’S NOT MY JOB?  Investigations should be thorough, neutral, fair, and respectful to everyone involved. A good investigator does not start out to prove a specific finding, but to solve a puzzle, to the best of their ability. Of course, investigators are human and may make mistakes, but we should do everything possible to avoid the appearance of bias.

I was involved in one workplace investigation, for example, where the alleged wrongdoer objected to my conducting a second interview with them. I frequently need to do so because I have conflicting statements from other witnesses and want to be fair to the person against whom claims have been filed and want to give them a chance to respond to new allegations. Generally, they appreciate the opportunity. In this situation, however, the alleged wrongdoer was incensed, attacking me as biased and stating that: “You’re doing everything you can to get me fired!” I responded that was not my job and that I simply was trying to ferret out the facts to give everyone an opportunity to explain their version of what occurred.

Do You Know How Leaders Should Lead Through Biden, the #MeToo Movement and all the Rest of the Noise?

It’s been a year, hasn’t it? Most of the leaders we work with find their heads swimming these days trying to lead through the current upset over what’s in the news, #MeToo-type allegations, and daily concerns popping up from their own staff.

If there is one thing I have realized, however, from working with this subject for many years, it’s that leaders need to LEAD on issues of respect and civility, not just delegate the issue to someone in HR. One of the reasons we are still trying to manage these kinds of allegations is because we have lacked commitment from the top to move people to do the right thing.

Of course, there is much ado about whether things have gone too far, especially with the media abuzz over recent allegations against Biden. Is sniffing someone’s hair harassment? Touching someone on the shoulder? Do you and your staff know how to answer these questions?

Yet when we work with all kinds of groups – from factory workers to executives – everyone agrees that they want to be respected and that civility makes work more pleasant. There may be some grousing about laws and policies governing respect and civility taking all the fun out of the workplace, but when we point out that there are still countless things to make jokes about – just not those concerning race, gender, sexual orientation and so on – few continue to argue.

Do You Know Why Micromanagement is Bad for You as Well as Your Staff?

I have written about micromanagement before and how crazy-making it can be for employees in my Monday Memo entitled: How to Manage a Micromanager: What NOT to Do. 

What’s the Best Way to Open a Retreat or Team Building? Use My “Highs” & “Lows” Exercise