Of course, every voter in America is making up their mind about what they
think of the video of Trump talking about unwelcome sexual contact with women, including kissing them and grabbing their genitals.
But to me, a more interesting question is: "what should Billy Bush have done?" Now, admittedly, Bush appears to have been a young celebrity handler from Access Hollywood. I doubt that he felt empowered to do or say anything to his celebrity guest who was engaging in this kind of sexually explicit talk, but it's important to remember that this is someone's workplace.
"All supervisors or managers should understand
that they have the responsibility
to intervene in situations like this."
In addition to Bush, there were cameramen, sound people, a bus driver and others on the bus. While I didn't spot any women, that really doesn't matter. Everyone has a right to have a workplace that is safe and comfortable and free of unwelcome sexual content - including men. Most men in our harassment classes tell us that they don't like this kind of conversation. It's a myth that all men participate in or enjoy this kind of talk. And more importantly, organizations need to have consistent policies and values around such behavior, regardless of who is on the bus.
What Should You Do?
So what should Bush have done? And more important, what should you do? All supervisors or managers should understand that they have the responsibility to intervene in situations like this. And most importantly, they should be given the skills to do so. Bystanders like Bush -- while they may not have any responsibility under their organization's policy or the law -- should be encouraged to intervene and should be given an understanding of why an improved culture provides benefits for everyone in the workplace. For many people, however, such interventions feel awkward and it takes practice to understand what words to use and what actions to take.
 |
Did You Know?
|
All of our harassment classes focus on helping participants bring forth their own values. What works most effectively is for them to understand the problems created for everyone by having a culture that allows harassment and the benefits of discovering their own values to create a harassment free environment.
In addition, we always provide skills training for managers and bystanders in how to intervene so that they know how to stop unwelcome behavior that is inconsistent with their organization's values and policy.
We don't want anyone to walk out of our sessions feeling as unprepared as Billy Bush.
For more information, call or write us at: 303-216-1020 or [email protected]
Be sure to read Lynne's helpful books on how to handle tough conversations
with your employees and your boss.
|
|
|
3985 Wonderland Hill | Suite 106 | Boulder, CO 80304
|
|
|
|
