Bullying and sexual harassment behaviours are a symptom of insidious power imbalances
There is a way to address this issue:
- The art of courageous conversations
- Standing tall with integrity (for all parties)
- Addressing the ‘power’ systems within the organisation
- Me Too – connecting with others and trusting each other ‘has your back’.
Supporting safety
- Understanding the extent of the problem (who, which levels, what roles are involved, who are the bystanders)
- Identification of the depth of the problem (from teasing through to derogatory remarks of racism or genderism, inappropriate innuendo or touching through to sexual abuse)
- Acknowledgement of the amount of bravery and courage that an individual must display in order to speak up and identify (and be identified) as being the one who disclosed
- Understanding the degree of stigmatisation that comes with disclosure and how this will be addressed
- Knowing what happens to the “bully” as they are likely to be in a position of power over the individual within the projects that are already funded and underway (they may be the Principal/Chief Investigator, what happens then?)
- Awareness of the safety mechanisms for the staff/person, their friends and colleagues needs to be set in place BEFORE the discovery sessions can take place
Trusted by
I really enjoyed the course both the online component and the 3-day face-to-face workshop.
“The workshop was just a lot more interactive and there were some good practical exercises that I enjoyed. For example I took away lots of tips on exercises including stillness and active mindfulness – that will help me to implement breaks in my very busy life. I think that’s really important according to what I have been taught to prepare myself for that peak performance state. I thought it only applied to sports but in fact for myself to really think clearly and present the version of myself to the team. I really need to be in that state.”
Thanks for training me to become a confident speaker.
“It has been one of the most valuable knowledge and skills gained through my PhD candidature. I enjoy applying the concepts learned, such as mindfulness practices into academic presentations or all aspects of my life.”
The importance of being in action, not letting resistance and hesitations get in the way.
“It’s given me a lot of tools and information that I can research more and new ways to think and how I can put things into action. Knowing that I have the ability, the resources, and the inner wisdom to do these things with courage, is great. The importance of being in action, not letting resistance and hesitations get in the way, trusting my own gut and my wisdom, the importance of affirmation has been really reinforced for me. Authentic Leadership is not about being a leader as the official title but leading your own life.”
