
Unfortunately, the behavior
described in the NFL report is not uncommon. Psychologists will tell you that many people harass others for personal
power reasons. The harasser often feels
more important or virile by seeking to embarrass or intimidate the target and
decrease the target’s power.
So, I’m not surprised to hear of
bad behavior by NFL players, but I am surprised by the various reactions I’ve
heard to the NFL report. I’ve heard people
react by saying: “Well, boys will be
boys” or “This is football, that’s how people talk to each other.” In fact, though, these reactions run counter
to our nation’s laws. The laws regarding
sexual harassment apply to all workplaces and all workplace settings – even the
NFL. In addition, both women and men are
protected by the law – even male NFL football players who may not fit the
stereotypical profile of a likely harassment target. Apart from the law, there are business reasons
not to tolerate the behavior described in the NFL report. Research shows that workplaces in which employees
are bullied or harassed are less productive and less successful.
I do a lot of anti-discrimination and anti-harassment training for management teams. Most of our discussion is focused on how to prevent harassment and offensive behaviors in the workplace. In addition, I often ask the participants to complete a quiz designed to find out how much they know about harassment law. One question asks: “True or False – Men in male-dominated workplaces usually have to change their behavior when a woman begins working there?” The answer, of course, is “false,” because harassment and offensive, off-color behavior is not appropriate in the workplace regardless of the gender of a company’s employees. On occasion, though, training participants think I’ve asked a trick question and then complain that our harassment laws mean they cannot have fun in the workplace.
This is not a trick question –
and we can have fun, just not at the expense of others. We may make mistakes in
our interactions with people in our workplaces, but the best way to comply with
our laws and enjoy our workplaces is to try to treat everyone with dignity and
respect. With that as our mantra, we
will not only comply with the law but have happier and more productive
workplaces. I cannot help but think that
if the Miami Dolphins had used that mantra, they may have had a better season.
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