Month: February 2017

It is surprisingly easy to meet people who have experienced some kind of form of sexual harassment in their workplace. According to the statistics in 2015 from a survey conducted by the Huffington Post, 1 out of 3 women have been sexually harassed at work, and specifically, over forty percent of women who had non-managerial fast-food jobs reported that had been sexually harassed.

The article notes that this usually occurs through the misuse of authority by higher-positioned workers who are “abusing their power position.” According to chapter 8, managers, who are in high positions in charge of “reward and coerce” such as salary increase, promotion and holidays, hold significant power in the working relationship. This pressures employees into being obedient to their managers, even if the situation is unethical. For the fast food industry, this conflict usually happens in between workers and shift-managers.

Sexual harassment has been an issue for decades that has seen decent exposure, but statistics demonstrate that despite awareness, levels have remained relatively constant over time.

One reason supporting this lack of change is attributed to the phenomenon where people tend to avoid to talk about such experiences. For instance, only 40 percent of those who are sexually harassed report such incidences, leaving the majority of victims unreported.

To eliminate sexual harassment at work, I believe that education and awareness at the workplace is fundamental. Employees need to understand that sexual harassment is wrong and have to be encouraged to report it in a timely manner. Without telling people, the situation will not solve itself, nor will sexual harassment on a larger scale decrease. Further, companies should have well-established policies documented for such situations, which should prevent abuse of managers’ authority and protect the workers from mental health issues that subsequently follow sexual harassment.

References

Cohn, E. (2016, October 10). Next time you order fast food, consider what women face behind the counter. Retrieved from Business Insider: http://www.businessinsider.com/fast-food-workers-face-rampant-sexual-harassment-2016-10

Langton, N., Robbins, S. P., & Judge, T. A. (2016). Organizational Behaviour Concepts, Controversies, Applications. Toronto: Pearson. p274

Vagianos, A. (2015, February 19). 1 In 3 Women Has Been Sexually Harassed At Work, According To Survey. Retrieved from The Huffington Post: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/02/19/1-in-3-women-sexually-harassed-work-cosmopolitan_n_6713814.html

“Servant Leader”.

When I first heard the term, “Servant Leader,”  I found it immediately interesting because it seemed like an oxymoron. How can a leader who is supposed to lead followers be a servant?

According to the Comm 292 textbook, servant leadership is “a leadership style marked by going beyond the leader’s own self-interest and instead focusing on opportunities to help followers grow and develop.”

Servant leaders appreciate the individual characteristic of a group to maximize each member’s ability by helping and taking care of them. Not only do servant leaders tend to their followers for the result of their collective works, but they are also mindful of their lives outside the workplace and are cognizant of opportunities that reflect their talents. This concept of leadership is found to be unique in our society, as positions of authority are typically characterized by narcissistic and demanding leaders who often exude an overbearing demeanor. This traditional leadership style may still generate success, but there is a high possibility that the leader is not maximizing the opportunities for both employees and the company.

I personally admire the idea of servant leadership, as I believe that I am more of a listener than talker. If the concept of service leads to success, the leader will be highly respected and tightly knit to his or her followers who feel appreciated and exude a sense of self-worth. This pleasant environment within the company will potentiate successful results and mitigate issues with human resources, a lack of trust, and health. In turn, followers’ genuine passion and motivation towards their work may develop a whole new level of outcome for a company. However, I believe this would be strongly dependent on the leader and the followers’ personality and previous experiences. For instance, a servant leader with voluntary limited authority may not be able to lead her/his followers when it is necessary.  Therefore, I believe that the balance in between servant leader and authority is a significant factor to think about as a leader.

In the 21^st century, there appears to be room for various types of leaders, but in 2017’s climate of change and uncertainty, especially related to the United States’ election of President Donald Trump, the idea of leadership is being contested on a daily basis. Perhaps what has worked for Trump in the business world in the last few decades may not spill over in the ultimate leadership role, leading me to think, was he more of a global servant leader who demonstrates care for all people, or would he have started off on a different foot?

Langton, N., Robbins, S. P., & Judge, T. A. (2016). Organizational Behaviour Concepts, Controversies, Applications. Toronto: Pearson. p403

Image:

On The Beat: Servant Leadership [Digital image]. (2016, December 7). Retrieved February 5, 2017, from http://lawofficer.com/leadership/on-the-beat-servant-leadership/