WEBVTT 00:01:00.236 --> 00:01:04.153 Dennis, I'm beginning to wonder how committed you are to this team. 00:01:05.035 --> 00:01:09.275 You called the regulators? Why didn't you come to me first? 00:01:09.300 --> 00:01:13.577 But I just want to make sure that, well, this isn't just some misunderstanding. 00:01:13.602 --> 00:01:16.740 We have an agreement that you'd be in, on time, every morning. 00:01:16.765 --> 00:01:20.346 The sitter backed out at the last minute. I had to find a replacement. 00:01:25.157 --> 00:01:31.400 As managers, supervisors and team leaders, we all know that the success of our organization, 00:01:31.425 --> 00:01:36.135 and our own personal success, hinges on our ability to work together, 00:01:36.160 --> 00:01:39.085 treat each other with respect and be productive. 00:01:39.452 --> 00:01:43.570 And, by now, we should all be aware that it's illegal 00:01:43.595 --> 00:01:49.126 to discriminate against anyone based on things like race, sex, age, 00:01:49.162 --> 00:01:54.107 religion, disability and a number of other protected areas. 00:01:54.544 --> 00:02:00.629 But what we may not know is that many of the same laws, rules, and regulations dealing with 00:02:00.654 --> 00:02:07.543 unethical or unsafe activities in the workplace also specifically prohibit retaliation. 00:02:07.766 --> 00:02:12.554 Retaliation is illegal and we all have a responsibility to make sure 00:02:12.555 --> 00:02:17.501 it doesn't happen in our workplace. Because we are in leadership roles, 00:02:17.526 --> 00:02:23.129 we need to know how to recognize, respond to, and resolve retaliation. 00:02:23.403 --> 00:02:28.434 But, before we can do that, there are a few things that we need to know about it. 00:02:35.851 --> 00:02:44.644 So, what is retaliation? At it's most basic level, retaliation means "to get revenge." 00:02:46.018 --> 00:02:50.729 Under several federal, as well as many state and local employment laws, 00:02:50.754 --> 00:02:55.058 retaliation is defined as any action or activity 00:02:55.083 --> 00:03:00.436 that would either dissuade a reasonable person from engaging in a protected activity; 00:03:00.472 --> 00:03:04.631 or punish them for having engaged in a protected activity. 00:03:04.904 --> 00:03:09.321 Examples of protected activities in the workplace include things like 00:03:09.346 --> 00:03:16.013 simply talking to your manager about something that you think could be illegal, unethical or unsafe. 00:03:16.614 --> 00:03:20.490 It's a protected activity to report or file a complaint... 00:03:20.533 --> 00:03:26.084 Or to refuse to participate in something that is illegal, unethical or unsafe. 00:03:26.161 --> 00:03:30.560 In addition, cooperating with an investigation into a complaint... 00:03:30.575 --> 00:03:35.254 Or being a witness in a court case are also protected activities. 00:03:35.932 --> 00:03:39.634 Now, besides having engaged in a protected activity, 00:03:39.668 --> 00:03:42.737 in order to be considered a target of retaliation, 00:03:42.762 --> 00:03:46.982 you also have to suffer what is known as an adverse action. 00:03:47.383 --> 00:03:51.713 For example, being fired can be considered an adverse action. 00:03:52.038 --> 00:03:57.146 Or being harassed, threatened, or even shunned by your manager or your coworkers 00:03:57.171 --> 00:04:00.061 can also be considered an adverse action. 00:04:00.334 --> 00:04:06.150 So, to put it all together... when an employee has engaged in a protected activity; 00:04:06.175 --> 00:04:10.938 and they suffer an adverse action and there is a causal relationship 00:04:10.998 --> 00:04:14.366 between the protected activity and the adverse action 00:04:14.702 --> 00:04:18.837 that's considered illegal retaliation in the workplace. 00:04:26.698 --> 00:04:32.512 Anyone can commit retaliation against another employee. And anyone can be the target. 00:04:32.594 --> 00:04:38.821 For example, a manager can retaliate by giving an unjustified poor performance review 00:04:38.846 --> 00:04:44.670 to an employee because he reported a violation of organization policy. 00:04:44.819 --> 00:04:51.696 Or a group of coworkers can retaliate by harassing, shunning or ostracizing an employee 00:04:51.721 --> 00:04:56.534 for participating in an investigation into a discrimination complaint. 00:04:56.661 --> 00:05:02.055 Or a manager can retaliate against a fellow manager in an effort to 00:05:02.056 --> 00:05:07.887 intimidate him into not reporting the acceptance of inappropriate gifts from a supplier. 00:05:15.765 --> 00:05:20.653 It's important to understand that retaliation is a big issue in today's workplace. 00:05:20.678 --> 00:05:24.775 It's already the fastest growing type of discrimination reported 00:05:24.800 --> 00:05:27.650 to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. 00:05:27.817 --> 00:05:31.278 Organizations that fail to prevent retaliation 00:05:31.303 --> 00:05:36.925 face the potential for millions of dollars in fees and damages awarded in lawsuits. 00:05:37.265 --> 00:05:43.001 In addition, an organization that develops a reputation for permitting retaliation 00:05:43.026 --> 00:05:46.572 will fail to attract and retain good people. 00:05:46.937 --> 00:05:51.161 And claims of retaliation - even if they prove to be unfounded 00:05:51.186 --> 00:05:57.761 can result in a real loss of trust among coworkers and significantly impact productivity. 00:05:58.726 --> 00:06:03.438 The bottom line is - just like any other kind of illegal behavior 00:06:03.463 --> 00:06:06.743 retaliation has no place in our organization. 00:06:06.952 --> 00:06:11.100 We all have a responsibility to make sure we prevent it. 00:06:11.125 --> 00:06:18.833 And, if we become aware of retaliation by anyone, at any level, we absolutely must report it. 00:06:19.507 --> 00:06:24.679 By working to prevent retaliation, we can help foster that necessary level of trust, 00:06:24.704 --> 00:06:32.515 respect and teamwork that will help ensure we continue to make our organization a great place to work. 00:06:42.253 --> 00:06:48.094 As managers, supervisors and team leaders, we have a special responsibility 00:06:48.095 --> 00:06:53.878 to ensure the professional and compliant behavior of everyone in our organization. 00:06:54.084 --> 00:06:58.542 And our actions significantly impact whether people will feel comfortable 00:06:58.567 --> 00:07:03.554 coming forward with any questions, issues or concerns that they may have. 00:07:04.126 --> 00:07:09.489 We also need to keep in mind that it's become significantly easier for employees 00:07:09.514 --> 00:07:15.203 to successfully claim they've suffered retaliation as the result of voicing concerns about 00:07:15.212 --> 00:07:19.260 something that might be illegal, unsafe or unethical. 00:07:19.568 --> 00:07:23.664 So, to prevent retaliation in our workplace... 00:07:23.689 --> 00:07:30.819 We need to learn how to recognize situations that have the potential to become or are retaliation. 00:07:31.241 --> 00:07:37.292 We need to respond immediately by reporting and investigating those situations. 00:07:37.373 --> 00:07:41.947 And we need to follow our organization's policy and procedures 00:07:41.972 --> 00:07:45.758 for resolving situations involving retaliation. 00:07:46.170 --> 00:07:53.650 Now, before we can respond to and resolve issues, we have to learn how to recognize retaliation. 00:07:53.675 --> 00:07:59.550 So, let's take a look at a few examples of what it looks like in the workplace. 00:08:08.363 --> 00:08:11.311 I'd worked for Abe for a couple of years or so. 00:08:11.336 --> 00:08:16.044 And to him, if you didn't hit the bars after work, do poker night with the guys, 00:08:16.069 --> 00:08:21.021 tailgate at football games, stuff like that... you weren't a team player. 00:08:21.201 --> 00:08:23.986 And, yeah, I had a problem with it. 00:08:27.214 --> 00:08:29.669 What a day, huh? Yeah... 00:08:30.280 --> 00:08:34.288 Hey, how about we grab some drinks? Umm.... 00:08:34.313 --> 00:08:39.392 Come on... Happy hour at Big Benny's. Drinks and dinner on me. 00:08:40.055 --> 00:08:43.770 Yeah, it's a gentleman's club, but big deal. It's got great food. 00:08:43.981 --> 00:08:47.587 And besides, it's part of being a good manager, right? 00:08:47.612 --> 00:08:50.169 Take time to get to know your people. 00:08:50.194 --> 00:08:53.763 Just call your wife. Tell her I'm making you work late. 00:08:53.789 --> 00:08:56.871 I appreciate the offer... but I think I'll have to pass. 00:08:56.896 --> 00:09:00.759 She's never going to know the difference. And besides, everyone else is going. 00:09:00.784 --> 00:09:02.672 I've got other commitments. 00:09:03.631 --> 00:09:07.728 Dennis, I'm beginning to wonder how committed you are to this team. 00:09:07.753 --> 00:09:12.120 It happened enough times that it felt like he was harassing me, you know. 00:09:12.241 --> 00:09:17.718 So I talked to his boss. He said it wasn't harassment, but that he'd talk to Abe about it. 00:09:17.885 --> 00:09:21.873 Things got better after that, so I thought that was the end of it. 00:09:22.032 --> 00:09:27.018 Except then, two months later, there was the thing with my performance review. 00:09:27.266 --> 00:09:28.891 It had to be connected. 00:09:28.916 --> 00:09:34.120 And that's something we can build on. As much as I hate to do this, though, 00:09:34.488 --> 00:09:38.168 I'm going to have to rate you down to satisfactory for the year. 00:09:38.343 --> 00:09:40.328 I don't understand. Why? 00:09:40.353 --> 00:09:46.046 Well, a couple of things. The fact that I haven't seen the progress that I'd like to see; 00:09:46.071 --> 00:09:51.271 and I don't think that your commitment to being a team player is where it needs to be. 00:09:51.391 --> 00:09:57.519 So, let's talk about what we can do to get that rating back up for next year, right? 00:10:07.624 --> 00:10:11.113 One of the most important things to learn about retaliation 00:10:11.138 --> 00:10:14.917 is the fuzzy line between perception and reality. 00:10:15.205 --> 00:10:18.518 That's especially true when it comes to performance appraisals. 00:10:18.543 --> 00:10:24.748 They're one of the most common areas where it's easy to create the perception of retaliation. 00:10:24.874 --> 00:10:27.867 And the shorter the time between the protected activity 00:10:27.947 --> 00:10:31.321 and the performance review that's worse than past reviews, 00:10:31.346 --> 00:10:34.713 the harder it will be to combat that perception. 00:10:35.067 --> 00:10:41.204 To prevent claims of retaliation, there should be no surprises when it comes to performance reviews. 00:10:41.305 --> 00:10:45.518 Give team members ongoing feedback throughout the year. 00:10:45.543 --> 00:10:53.114 And make sure that performance review conclusions are based on clearly, appropriately documented facts. 00:11:02.869 --> 00:11:08.624 I'm basically the kind of guy who minds my own business. But what was going on wasn't safe. 00:11:08.747 --> 00:11:13.385 Somebody was going to get sick, and I knew Gil wasn't going to do anything about it, 00:11:13.410 --> 00:11:16.584 so I called the regulators. That's what started it all. 00:11:16.610 --> 00:11:18.878 Karl. Got a minute? Sure. 00:11:18.930 --> 00:11:22.659 I need you to get suited up and check on the number 2 freezer. We've got a vapor leak in there 00:11:22.659 --> 00:11:25.204 and the safety auditors are coming tomorrow and I don't want them seeing it. 00:11:25.229 --> 00:11:29.259 So cram something in there to stop it up until I can get the contractor out here. 00:11:29.367 --> 00:11:33.719 Oh, man. Can't you have somebody else do it? I've got to pick up my kid and pack the boat. 00:11:33.744 --> 00:11:34.373 What? 00:11:34.398 --> 00:11:37.975 I'm taking the kid fishing tomorrow. You okayed the day off three weeks ago. Remember? 00:11:38.000 --> 00:11:39.895 Right. I forgot about it. 00:11:40.162 --> 00:11:42.035 What about Vince or Reggie? 00:11:42.065 --> 00:11:44.537 Sorry, but you got the short straw today, buddy. 00:11:44.562 --> 00:11:49.341 All due respect, but I always get the short straw. You always make me do things they could do. 00:11:49.373 --> 00:11:50.269 What? 00:11:50.294 --> 00:11:54.203 Everybody knows you're playing favorites with them. Those guys cut corners all the time. 00:11:54.228 --> 00:11:58.923 They leave frozen food sitting out too long; they ship pallets without inspecting for spoilage. 00:11:58.948 --> 00:12:02.651 That's why I called the regulators. People could get sick and you don't seem to care. 00:12:02.676 --> 00:12:07.307 You called the regulators? Why didn't you come to me first? 00:12:07.485 --> 00:12:09.485 Because I didn't think you'd do anything about it. 00:12:09.531 --> 00:12:11.894 Karl and I don't always see eye to eye, 00:12:11.919 --> 00:12:15.847 but accusing me of having favorites and letting people cut corners... 00:12:16.115 --> 00:12:18.135 well, that's the first I'd heard of that. 00:12:18.478 --> 00:12:24.081 And him going to the regulators first... well, sorry, but he crossed the line with that one. 00:12:24.231 --> 00:12:27.079 Just get in there and let me know when you've got it stopped up. 00:12:27.104 --> 00:12:31.443 And I'm going to need everyone here tomorrow. So your fishing trip's going to have to wait. 00:12:31.468 --> 00:12:38.300 You can't be serious. Sorry, but life's isn't fair. What can I say? 00:12:51.243 --> 00:12:57.506 When an employee makes a complaint against us, our first reaction is often to get mad and defensive 00:12:57.531 --> 00:13:00.077 especially when they didn't come to us first. 00:13:00.102 --> 00:13:02.257 That's only natural. We're human. 00:13:02.282 --> 00:13:06.262 But, as managers, we have to control our emotions, 00:13:06.400 --> 00:13:09.613 treat the employee professionally and with respect. 00:13:09.638 --> 00:13:14.724 And we have to ensure that our actions don't lead to claims of retaliation. 00:13:14.949 --> 00:13:22.132 For example, reacting by making rash decisions and arbitrarily denying benefits to an employee like 00:13:22.290 --> 00:13:27.188 training, vacations, and so on - can lead to claims of retaliation, 00:13:27.213 --> 00:13:33.172 particularly if denying those benefits can be connected to the employee's protected activity. 00:13:33.704 --> 00:13:37.425 We also have to be consistent in enforcing policy. 00:13:37.683 --> 00:13:42.835 Denying a benefit or privilege without an apparent, good business reason 00:13:42.860 --> 00:13:46.604 can make employees reluctant to come to us with concerns. 00:13:46.630 --> 00:13:50.800 Instead, they're likely to go outside the organization to complain. 00:13:51.186 --> 00:13:58.469 Bottom line, we're responsible for creating an environment where people feel safe voicing concerns. 00:13:58.641 --> 00:14:04.686 And when they do, we have to react professionally and take them seriously. 00:14:13.885 --> 00:14:17.262 The way Tom handled some of his patients; I didn't think it was right. 00:14:17.287 --> 00:14:19.388 So, yeah, I talked to my manager about it. 00:14:19.441 --> 00:14:23.400 You know, to be honest, what you're saying about Tom, it surprises me. 00:14:23.425 --> 00:14:26.374 I'm not making this up. I'm not saying that you are. 00:14:26.723 --> 00:14:30.826 But I just want to make sure that... well, this isn't just some misunderstanding. 00:14:30.851 --> 00:14:34.248 Roberto works with him all the time and he hasn't said anything. 00:14:34.273 --> 00:14:39.376 It's not a misunderstanding. What Tom's is doing is wrong, and I think he should be stopped. 00:14:39.428 --> 00:14:44.624 We did an investigation. I talked to Tom; I confidentially surveyed his patients, 00:14:44.644 --> 00:14:47.491 and we didn't find any abuse or mistreatment. 00:14:47.538 --> 00:14:52.094 I know Chloe can be a little thin skinned, so I reminded Tom to take it easy around her. 00:14:52.119 --> 00:14:54.825 And I said something about her to Roberto. 00:14:54.984 --> 00:14:58.599 Since the three of them work together, I figured Tom would tell him anyway. 00:14:58.624 --> 00:15:01.266 After that, I didn't think much about it. 00:15:01.291 --> 00:15:04.490 It started a couple of days after they finished the investigation. 00:15:04.551 --> 00:15:09.041 I got anonymous threatening emails; hang up phone calls in the middle of the night. 00:15:09.105 --> 00:15:11.260 And then there was that time on the stairwell. 00:15:11.285 --> 00:15:14.049 Hey, Chloe, how's it going? Hey, Roberto. 00:15:14.859 --> 00:15:17.140 Getting much sleep, lately? 00:15:30.402 --> 00:15:35.395 There are two traps that can be very easy to fall into when it comes to retaliation: 00:15:35.544 --> 00:15:39.381 assuming that if the original complaint turns out to be unfounded, 00:15:39.406 --> 00:15:43.826 there's nothing to worry about; and failing to keep things confidential. 00:15:44.414 --> 00:15:47.692 You can still be charged with retaliation, even if 00:15:47.717 --> 00:15:51.780 the original claim is investigated and found to be untrue. 00:15:51.973 --> 00:15:56.346 And we also need to be very careful about keeping things confidential. 00:15:56.553 --> 00:16:02.533 The best advice is to tell the people involved only what they need to know about the claims 00:16:02.534 --> 00:16:07.900 and protected activities, when they need to know it. No more. No less. 00:16:16.924 --> 00:16:22.413 Recognizing retaliation is an important step in helping to maintain a culture of respect, 00:16:22.443 --> 00:16:26.680 trust and compliance. But, it's only the first step. 00:16:26.950 --> 00:16:33.947 We also need to know how to respond to and resolve situations before they spiral out of control. 00:16:34.107 --> 00:16:38.342 And, to be honest, that can seem pretty challenging at times. 00:16:38.391 --> 00:16:42.164 So, to help give you a better idea of what we need to do, 00:16:42.189 --> 00:16:47.025 and, well, not do, let's take a look at the kind of example that can turn out 00:16:47.052 --> 00:16:50.775 very badly for us if we don't handle it correctly. 00:16:58.351 --> 00:17:02.847 How did it start? Well, to begin with, I had been having problems with Angie 00:17:02.872 --> 00:17:05.801 ever since she got back from maternity leave. 00:17:05.853 --> 00:17:07.935 Angie, you were 15 minutes late this morning. 00:17:07.960 --> 00:17:12.249 I know. But the sitter backed out at the last minute. I had to find a replacement. 00:17:12.274 --> 00:17:16.183 We have an agreement that you'll be in on time every morning. 00:17:16.345 --> 00:17:19.503 This is the second time in the last three weeks. 00:17:20.275 --> 00:17:25.233 Not only did she have attendance problems, but Angie's work just wasn't up to par. 00:17:25.369 --> 00:17:29.111 I told her if it didn't improve, I'd have to put her on probation. 00:17:29.158 --> 00:17:33.905 And then, two days later, things really got complicated. 00:17:34.213 --> 00:17:38.552 I'd like to report a policy violation. Come on in. 00:17:40.258 --> 00:17:43.715 Well, Fritz and I went to the office supply store over lunch to get some things 00:17:43.716 --> 00:17:45.856 for the government research project we're working on. 00:17:45.881 --> 00:17:48.082 Oh, sure. How's that going? It's fine. 00:17:48.225 --> 00:17:53.548 But, while we were there, Fritz charged ten dollars worth of personal stuff on the company card. 00:17:53.573 --> 00:17:58.198 That's a violation of policy, not to mention the terms of the research contract. 00:17:58.228 --> 00:18:03.245 Did you tell him what he'd done was wrong? No. That's your job. 00:18:03.658 --> 00:18:09.054 I'll be honest, I didn't appreciate her tone. But, I told her I'd look into it. 00:18:09.494 --> 00:18:13.370 Only before I could, she had told someone that she had filed a complaint. 00:18:13.395 --> 00:18:17.234 And pretty soon the entire department knew what was going on. 00:18:17.308 --> 00:18:21.232 Fritz's friends started avoiding Angie and refusing to work with her. 00:18:21.468 --> 00:18:27.015 And, as far as her performance issues, I started to doubt what I could and should do about it, 00:18:27.193 --> 00:18:31.978 because she might complain about me. And it turned into the perfect storm... 00:18:41.420 --> 00:18:47.354 When we have a legitimate performance issue with an employee who has engaged in a protected activity, 00:18:47.379 --> 00:18:52.518 we have to be aware of how our interactions with that employee will be perceived. 00:18:52.695 --> 00:18:57.922 Having to put an employee's work under closer scrutiny can be perceived as 00:18:57.952 --> 00:19:02.296 micromanaging them in an effort to find something to discipline them for; 00:19:02.321 --> 00:19:09.462 or selectively enforcing policies in order get them to leave, and it could be considered retaliation. 00:19:09.902 --> 00:19:14.337 We also need to be extremely careful and make sure that all our actions 00:19:14.362 --> 00:19:17.445 are based on sound business reasons. 00:19:17.493 --> 00:19:22.322 They must be consistent with our organization's policies and procedures. 00:19:22.347 --> 00:19:28.893 And everything related to our actions and decisions has to be appropriately documented. 00:19:29.449 --> 00:19:35.506 I must admit, given her history, my first impulse was just to fire Angie and be done with it. 00:19:35.757 --> 00:19:41.006 Instead, I called Kahlil in HR and got some advice, and I'm glad I did. 00:19:41.037 --> 00:19:44.717 Okay, then, based on what you've told me, here's what we need to do. 00:19:44.805 --> 00:19:49.252 If you haven't already, I recommend that you meet with Fritz and Angie individually. 00:19:49.304 --> 00:19:52.518 What do I say to them? I don't want to add fuel to the fire. 00:19:52.566 --> 00:19:57.704 Just explain that you and I will be conducting a full and impartial investigation into the complaint. 00:19:57.729 --> 00:20:00.617 And that everything will be kept as confidential as possible. 00:20:00.642 --> 00:20:02.935 Hmmm, that ship has already sailed. 00:20:03.118 --> 00:20:06.256 The whole department knows. It's part of the problem. 00:20:06.282 --> 00:20:08.971 Then you also need to have a brief meeting with the entire team 00:20:08.996 --> 00:20:13.975 and without getting into specifics, remind them of our policy around retaliation. 00:20:14.153 --> 00:20:17.000 The fact is, that regardless of their personal feelings, 00:20:17.025 --> 00:20:20.740 they need to continue to treat each other with professionalism and respect. 00:20:20.803 --> 00:20:24.112 Okay. What about Angie's performance problems? 00:20:24.137 --> 00:20:27.670 Her complaint and her performance are two separate issues. 00:20:27.772 --> 00:20:31.006 Now, assuming that you've documented things appropriately, 00:20:31.117 --> 00:20:35.648 I'll work with you on any disciplinary actions, and we'll try to prevent a retaliation complaint. 00:20:35.673 --> 00:20:37.150 We did investigate. 00:20:37.338 --> 00:20:40.703 Turns out Fritz paid for his personal stuff the same day 00:20:40.728 --> 00:20:43.186 when he turned his receipts into Accounting. 00:20:43.440 --> 00:20:45.833 I did talk to him about how serious it could have been 00:20:45.833 --> 00:20:51.316 had he used government funds for his personal items and counseled him not to do it again. 00:20:51.586 --> 00:20:56.282 Unfortunately, Angie continued to have attendance and performance issues. 00:20:56.324 --> 00:20:58.204 So, I had to let her go. 00:20:58.608 --> 00:21:02.935 It wasn't fun, but I'm glad I listened to Kahlil's advice, 00:21:02.984 --> 00:21:05.711 it could have been much worse. 00:21:14.908 --> 00:21:21.055 As managers, supervisors and team leaders, we have the primary responsibility 00:21:21.080 --> 00:21:27.394 to prevent situations in the workplace from escalating out of control and becoming retaliation. 00:21:27.677 --> 00:21:32.786 And there are a few specific actions that we can take to help us recognize, 00:21:32.811 --> 00:21:36.424 respond to and resolve retaliation issues. 00:21:36.955 --> 00:21:41.076 We need to encourage employees to come forward with concerns 00:21:41.125 --> 00:21:46.816 and take all reports of illegal, unsafe or unethical behavior seriously. 00:21:47.078 --> 00:21:54.109 We need to keep in mind that when a complaint is made, the potential for retaliation always exists. 00:21:54.134 --> 00:21:57.479 And we need to be proactive in preventing it. 00:21:57.651 --> 00:22:03.673 In addition, we need to treat everyone consistently, fairly, and respectfully. 00:22:03.758 --> 00:22:07.473 Consistently enforcing our organization's policies 00:22:07.498 --> 00:22:12.257 and procedures will minimize the chance for claims of retaliation. 00:22:12.871 --> 00:22:15.885 We also need to manage our own emotions 00:22:15.910 --> 00:22:20.869 and make sure that our actions don't create the perception of retaliation. 00:22:21.032 --> 00:22:26.234 And we need to proactively help others manage their emotions and actions, as well. 00:22:26.782 --> 00:22:32.233 Finally, we need to keep accurate and appropriate documentation. 00:22:32.322 --> 00:22:38.606 Good written records can often be critical in addressing "perception of retaliation" issues, 00:22:38.647 --> 00:22:43.568 as well as being vital in defending our actions in a legal proceeding. 00:22:43.883 --> 00:22:50.019 By being proactive in recognizing, responding to and resolving situations before 00:22:50.044 --> 00:22:54.902 they have the opportunity to escalate, we'll be doing our part to keep ourselves 00:22:54.927 --> 00:22:57.336 and our organization out of trouble. 00:22:57.361 --> 00:23:02.626 And we'll be helping to maintain a true culture of trust, respect, and compliance 00:23:02.655 --> 00:23:09.777 that enables good people to focus on being successful and productive.