Page 210 - Becoming a Successful Manager

Handling Harassment 201

that goes on around you that might interfere with the privacy of
your employees or affront their sensitivities. Collect documentation
about accusations of harassment, but don’t judge quickly. Keep your
management apprised, and if you observe harassment in any form,
stop it right away. When your position on harassment is clear to all

of your employees, their actions will reflect your model, and that
will lead to a safe and productive work environment for everyone.
The following Discovery Lesson will help you practice the
skills covered in this chapter and identify these kinds of situations.
This all comes back to the differences between looking and seeing,
because when you actively observe what is taking place around
you, you’ll be more likely to see problems developing in time to
take appropriate action.

Discovery Lesson

This lesson is an exercise in observation and awareness. It is a chance for
you to set your antenna to detect something that might be there.
As you move throughout your department, look closely and listen
carefully to everything that is taking place. As employees are carrying
out their tasks, what else is happening that might impinge on their per-
formance? Look for any indication of an “in” group and an “out” group,
and see how members of the latter are treated. Observe what impact
that status has on job performance and the climate of the workplace.
If there is tension, productivity suffers; if there is mutual support, that
spirit of cooperation makes tasks easier for everyone, and that’s what
you want.
Sometimes language indicates problems. If anyone is being derided,
for example, even casually, that might point to future problems. If some

continued