No Bull Business Blog

Everyone must walk the talk

Excerpted from Executive Report: Dealing with Difficult Employees – Restoring Civility in the Workplace

Everyone must walk the talk. Even CEOs can't tell off-color jokes offensive to some people. Nobody is above the law or above company policies.

It is especially important for all people in the management ranks, from first-level supervisors to senior managers, to set the example. If any manager is allowed to get away with behavior that's supposed to be against company policies, like telling dirty jokes or engaging in other bawdy behavior, it will be impossible to credibly discipline employees for the same offenses.

The tone for the right behavior in any organization is set from the top. Executives determine the culture of a company both by what they do themselves and by demonstrating what will and won't be condoned.

A policy-on-paper-only, if not adhered to, actually does more harm than good. It gives plaintiffs' attorneys a chance to argue that the company knew better because it had a good policy on paper and deliberately chose to ignore it.

That kind of situation spurs juries to tack on multi-million-dollar punitive damage awards against employers.

Misbehavior by senior executives also allows plaintiff's' attorneys to introduce the dreaded "culture expert" at a trial who is then allowed to give expert testimony on how senior executives' misbehavior sets the tone for a fraternity-type old boys' network.

Such a culture expert was instrumental in obtaining a $250 million punitive damages award against the pharmaceutical giant Novartis in a class action suit known as Velez v. Novartis, which was brought by 5,500 female employees who were employed as drug reps. The company eventually had to consider itself lucky to be able to settle the case after an appeal for $152 million.

DIGGING DEEPER
Unacceptable behavior is growing in the workplace. And more and more, people are getting away with it. To help you nip it in the bud, read the Executive Report: Dealing with Difficult Employees – Restoring Civility in the Workplace

ManageElite: Great new tool for training managers

Most managers get little to no training. Yet they need it as much or more as anyone on the staff. Biggest problem? Getting the time to train. And it’s always expensive. Here's a new product that is extraordinarily affordable (only $37 a month for unlimited use) and fits every manager's schedule.

A new product called ManageElite just launched and it’s perfect for getting managers the training they need. It’s online and the training modules are short – only 10 to 20 minutes long. And it is interactive. Plus, it’s real practical stuff and many of the modules have real-life scenarios that require the manager to make choices.

And managers can do the training right at their desks – at any time. Even on weekends when they are at home.

There are also other interactive pieces and PDF handouts in many cases.

The modules cover everything from Handling Difficult Conversations to Interviewing job applicants to doing Performance Review. Plus, there are modules on those tricky compliance issues like Sexual Harassment, Workplace Bias and Retaliation.

But one of the best points, is that it really affordable. ManageElite's charter subscription is only $37 a month, though the cost will eventually go up. But charter subscribers will lock in at $37.

Check out the site at ManageEliteTraining.com