Gidemy Elibray

Items

• The Fear of AIDS
• Micro-affirmations & Micro-inequities
• Harassment at MIT: Think Prevention
• Dealing with the Fear of Violence: What an Organizational Ombudsman Might Want to Know
• People with Delusions or Quasi-Delusions Who "Won't Let Go"
  In recent years an increasing number of otherwise productive people, who appear to have delusions or quasi-delusions and who "won't let go," have come to the attention of workplace and university complaint handlers. These are people who have ideas which appear contrary to fact, and who, in addition, seem obsessed about these ideas. Complaint handlers come to hear about this sub-group of obsessed people with delusions or quasi-delusions in two ways. People with obsessive delusions may come in as complainants, and then continuously refuse to settle or give up the complaint. This may be true even after a court has ruled against them. Or they may be reported to the complaint handler as harassers when they follow, skulk, stalk, scare or anger others, and apparently cannot be persuaded to give up the object of their interest. There has been little published in the human resource or dispute resolution literature about otherwise productive persons who present in workplace or academic settings as both obsessed and quasi-delusional. In this article, the author sketches out characteristics of a specific group of people who have some obsessive beliefs and ideas that appear not to be based in reality. She suggests some ways individual complaint handlers and organizations may deal with questions and concerns posed by such persons.
• BELONGING—The Feeling That We ‘Belong’ May Depend in Part on ‘Affirmations'
  This essay describes a poignant concern brought to the ombuds office that helped me to understand how micro-affirmations are a major part of the scaffolding of “belonging.”
• Concerns about Bullying at Work As Heard by Organizational Ombudsmen
• The Progress of Women in Educational Institutions: The Saturn's Rings Phenomenon
  This December 1973 report by Mary Rowe to the MIT Academic Council contributed to the discussion resulting in MIT's first policy against harassment. The article describes various aspects of structural sexism.
• Using Organizational Values and Mission to Guide Strategic Planning
  ISKCON Resolve is part of a global, integrated conflict management system serving congregations in a hundred countries for the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. This global system began in 2002—and is the only one of its kind in a worldwide faith-based organization. ISKCON Resolve is led by two organizational ombuds, Brian Bloch and Bob Cohen. They respond to visitors; train, serve and supervise dozens of mediators; and support the Governing Body Commission of the faith. This essay describes an event at which the two ombuds were supporting their incoming CEO in strategic planning for conflict management.
• Helping Hesitant Bystanders Identify Their Options: A Checklist with Examples and Ideas to Consider
  Organizational bystanders sometimes act heroically in emergencies. Less well known are the bystanders who act very effectively, in quiet ways, in reaction to (potentially) unacceptable behavior. In addition, many bystanders (and bystanders of bystanders) consider action, but hesitate. There are many reasons why hesitation is understandable and may be appropriate. However, in many situations, hesitation can turn into effective action. Drawing on examples from ombuds practice, this article aims to assist organizational ombuds in helping hesitant bystanders identify and evaluate their options. The article includes a checklist of questions for hesitant bystanders that ombuds may find useful—and adds to the literature about why bystanders do or do not decide to act after learning of unacceptable behavior. The checklist may also be useful to those engaged in training programs for bystanders and others who provide support to hesitant bystanders.
• Are You Hearing Enough Employee Concerns?
  This article provides an overview of non-union complaint systems in the U.S.
• “'Drafting a Letter' for People Dealing with Harassment or Bullying"
  As an early ombuds, the author discovered that drafting a structured letter about being mistreated often helped constituents—with respect to both process and outcomes. This article describes the origins of “drafting a letter” with its uses, benefits, and sources of power. Drafting such a letter provides a tripartite structure (see the Appendix) for a mistreated person to present evidence—from diaries, calendars, communications, videos, photos, phone records, etc. This structure helps in considering many options for action, for example, just thinking things through, gathering more evidence, informal discussions, mediation, or a formal complaint. Or the writer may send the letter privately to the perceived offender; such letters may work to stop specific misbehavior. If the behavior then does not stop, a safe-guarded copy of the letter can be used as evidence that the writer tried to stop it. And—very importantly—just drafting a letter may help with pain, anger, and grief.
• Consider Generic Options When Complainants and Bystanders Are Fearful
  Organizational ombuds usually offer a choice of different options to constituents who call the office with a concern. In serious cases, ombuds might offer formal options such as filing a formal grievance. In addition, the ombuds can offer informal options, such as helping a visitor deal directly with their concern or offering to facilitate discussion with those involved. However, aggrieved persons and proactive bystanders often are very fearful about anyone knowing they have complained. In this situation, a “generic” approach—that focuses on an issue without naming anyone—can help to address the issues involved rather than the individuals. This can be done in ways that shield the privacy of the complainant. In addition to helping individuals, generic options serve affinity groups and the organization by supporting needed systemic improvements. This article discusses how organizational ombuds and other complaint handlers can use generic approaches in their work.
• The Progress of Women in Educational Institutions: The Saturn's Rings Phenomenon
  The minutiae of sexism are usually not actionable; most are such petty incidents that they may not even be identified, much less protested. They are, however, important, like the dust and ice in Saturn's rings, because, taken together, they constitute formidable barriers. As Saturn is partially obscured by its rings, so are good jobs partially obscured for women by "grains of sand": the minutiae of sexism.
• Changing Behavior, Letting It Be—Or Maybe Making It Worse: Ideas to Consider
• The Several Purposes of the OO Crystal Ball
  Note: This article shows that ombuds can help identify and assess issues new to the organization.
• Dealing with—or Reporting—‘Unacceptable’ Behavior
  People in organizations often see behavior that they think is unacceptable, unsafe, illegal—even criminal. Why do people who observe such behavior hesitate to act on their own, or to come forward promptly—even when affected by that behavior? Why do they not immediately report those whom they see to be acting in an intolerable fashion? Hesitation of this kind has been recognized for years; for example, there is a controversial literature about the “bystander effect.” In real life hesitation is not confined just to bystanders. People in all roles may hesitate to act. Why do some people—including many managers—waver, rather than acting effectively to stop behavior they find to be unacceptable? The most common reasons for hesitation are: fear of loss of relationships, and loss of privacy, fear of unspecified “bad consequences” or retaliation, and insufficient evidence. There are many other barriers and they are often complex. Perceptions of the organization and of supervisors are important, as is a complaint system that is seen to be safe, accessible and credible. Some people do act on the spot or come forward when they see unacceptable behavior. Reviewing the reasoning of people with whom we have talked may provide ideas for employers designing or reviewing a conflict management system.
• Options and Choice for Conflict Resolution in the Workplace
  This chapter focuses on the need for providing choices for complainants.
• The Ombudsman as an Ounce of Prevention
• The Importance of Bystanders in Threat Assessment and Management
  Bystanders—those who observe or come to know about potential wrongdoing—are often the best source of pre-attack intelligence, including indicators of intent and “warning” behaviors. They are the reason that some planned attacks are foiled before they occur. Numerous studies of targeted violence (e.g., mass shootings and school shootings), have demonstrated that peers and bystanders often have knowledge of an attacker’s intentions, concerning communication, and troubling behavior before the attack occurs. This chapter describes—with empirical support—why threat assessment professionals should consider bystanders; outlines a model for understanding bystander decision making; reviews common barriers to bystander reporting; and suggests ways to mitigate those barriers, to engage bystanders at an individual level, and to improve reporting. The principal aim of threat assessment is to prevent (primarily) intentional acts of harm. When tragic incidents of planned violence occur, however, it is almost always uncovered “that someone knew something” about the attack before it happened. This happens because, as attack plans unfold, people in several different roles may know, or come to know, something about what is happening before harm occurs. The perpetrators know, and so may others, including targets, family members, friends, co-workers, or even casual observers.
• A Handy, Dandy, Quick and Practical Checklist for Women Trustees
• Systems for Dealing with Conflict and Learning from Conflict—Options for Complaint-Handling: An Illustrative Case
• Sources of Power in Negotiations
  Note: This one-page list was initially compiled for MIT Sloan course 15.667. It is also available in a longer, annotated version that includes examples and a table.
• Requests for Personal Work May Pose a Conflict of Interest
• The Saturn's Rings Phenomenon: Micro-inequities and Unequal Opportunity in the American Economy
  Later reprinted in Comment 10, no. 3 (March 1978): 3.