Workplace Articles By BCC
Effective Interventions
One of the major goals in enforcing leadership accountability is to assist the individual in taking greater responsibility for his actions by deepening his understanding of the experience of the person, usually a woman, who has been the recipient of his behavior--in other words, to have him stand in the other's shoes. Much as there is a dialectical relationship between the external and internal forces that have brought him to this juncture, the tools of education and self-reflection can provide the necessary intervention to help him reach this goal.
The educational component by its very nature can depersonalize and destigmatize the process, helping to remove the potential obstacles of self-blame and guilt which often hinder self-reflection. It should address two key elements, promoting a clearer grasp of (1) what constitutes sexually harassing behavior, and (2) the socialization process which leads to how these behaviors are so often perceived differently by men and women in our culture. For many of these men, the reality that they have offended comes as a shock. By understanding from a more intellectual or analytical perspective the risk of using one's own standard for evaluating the appropriateness of behavior, the individual can become more open to self-examination and taking more responsibility for his own conduct.
This process can be made more difficult because of common emotional barriers including anger, betrayal and a sense of victimization by the very process itself. These feelings, while often understandable, can provide a useful starting point in helping the individual deepen his understanding of both the source of his behavior and, more importantly, its impact.
The anger and betrayal are often focused on the failure of the recipient of the harassment to directly confront the offensive behavior rather than using an alternate complaint procedure. As a result, he feels victimized, frequently the "sacrificial lamb," especially when other similarly situated leaders have not been held accountable for comparable offenses. The counseling/coaching process, particularly when it is a mandatory corrective action, can provide the direct experience of being in the position of less power, an emotionally instructive experience that is parallel to that of the recipient of his offensive behavior.
Longer-term behavioral change may require more in-depth self-exploration that the organization may not be in a position to provide. However, the counseling/coaching intervention in the aftermath of a sexual harassment situation can be a critical component of an effective resolution strategy.
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