Mike DomitrzPresident, Author, and Speaker on Respect, The Center for Respect, Inc. · Author & Speaker on Respect for Schools, Corporations, & the Military since 1990 (has reached

These conversations are important to have in the workplace!

22 Aug 2023 · 1 min

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In this segment, speaker Mike Domitrz argues that traditional anti‑discrimination and harassment trainings, which center on telling employees what not to do, are ineffective at shaping workplace culture. He points out that without open, direct conversations about the behaviors we want to see, harmed or at‑risk employees feel ignored. Domitrz emphasizes that a “don’t” directive offers no actionable guidance; instead, organizations should focus on the opposite—explicitly defining and discussing the positive actions and norms they expect. The lack of these conversations leaves the workplace silent and perpetuates harm.

Chapters

If we don't have those conversations in our workplace, the people who are being harmed or near that direction think we don't care because we're not willing to have the conversations. And the weird part is we love telling people not to do these things. How many agree you've been to every training imaginable that is anti-discrimination, harassment, that is a no, don't do this, don't do that, whatever you do, don't do that one? If you've been to those trainings, say yes, I have. Have they ever worked effectively for culture, yes or no? No. Now, we don't like to admit it, but they don't typically work. All right, here's why. What do you do with a don't? There's nothing to do with a don't. So what's the extreme opposite? What's in that corner? What's the extreme opposite of workplace violence? Y'all, some answers. What we want to have happen. What's the to-do? And look how quiet we are, because we don't have these conversations.