In this keynote, Mike Domitrz argues that respect must be the foundational value of any organization to prevent sexual harassment, eliminate fear, and drive productivity. He opens with a personal story about his sister’s 1989 rape, explaining how that trauma fuels his mission. Domitrz critiques the common PR‑driven fear of costly harassment scandals and reframes the problem as a lack of respect, not employee misconduct. He presents a simple three‑step framework for creating a culture of respect, emphasizing audience participation: asking whether helping a vulnerable person is the organization’s business (the answer is yes), then providing solutions that lift, not lower, standards. He stresses that respectful cultures naturally improve teamwork, goal achievement, and profits, turning respect into a catalyst for excellence. The talk calls on leaders to adopt these steps, intervene as bystanders, and raise the bar of integrity across the organization.
Chapters
When I walk onto a stage, people assume, he's here so we're not the next massive sexual harassment case in the country. Oh, no, no, no, he's here so we are never known for discrimination in our organization. But that's not why I'm here. We're in this room today because your leadership sees the potential, the possibilities for greatness if We take the foundation that's already here and just make it stronger and stronger and stronger because it is built on respect. The number one fear organizations today have is employees. The fear That some of them will get caught up in PR nightmares that cost millions, millions of dollars. But see, the problem is not employees. We have to prioritize respect so that it is the foundation for everything our organization does. That's how you build a culture of respect. That's what we need to transform. We need to change So that we truly have a workplace free of fear. For me, this is personal. In 1989, I was a college student and I received a phone call that one of my sisters had been raped. I was outraged. I was confused. I was lost. I was furious. I was angry. And over time, I would realize that anger is not going to change the world. Now, where it's come today is that organizations are built the same way. If you know someone That is a survivor of sexual harassment or sexual assault, please raise your hand. Look at all the hands up in the room right now. What are you doing right now in your organization to build mutually amazing relationships? The fact is, we have what it takes to To create this culture, it only takes 3 steps. 3 steps. What we've been doing for 30 years is working with audiences and asking the audience questions. Is it our business what happens to another human being right in front of us who's in a dangerous, vulnerable situation where we could help? Is that our business, yes or no? Yes. Here's the key though. Why? The audience's answers Determine where we go. And now we give them the solutions which they're asking for. Notice I'm not making it about what you did wrong. You are awful. You are horrible. How could you talk to someone that way? Weren't you at the training? What were you thinking? Oh, you're gonna get us all in trouble. No, it was, I know who you are. It wasn't lowering the bar. It was lifting the bar. That's how we connect with people, by playing to the highest level of integrity and respect for all people. We all can do these simple little steps of intervention that can make a massive difference. What happens to productivity? What happens to achieving goals, profits, teamwork? They're just an everyday occurrence, because that's what happens when you create a culture of respect. You create a culture of excellence.
