50 Activities for Promoting Ethics within the Organization

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11. Ethical Corporate Citizenship

Verbally Abusive Behavior

60 to 90 minutes

OVERVIEW

Participants are encouraged to think about the ethical ramifications of verbally

abusive behavior/situations in the work environment.

PURPOSE

To make participants aware of how verbally abusive behaviors affect job

performance, organizational perspectives, and interpersonal relationships.

GROUP SIZE

Ideal group size is 18 to 20 participants.

ROOM ARRANGEMENT

Select a room large enough for a subgroup to break out. Set up the main work area

in a “U” shape, allowing room for the facilitator to enter the “U” and be in the

middle of the discussions.

MATERIALS

•

Overhead projector

•

Transparencies 11.1 through 11.7 showing questions

•

Tape for hanging the flipchart sheets on the wall

•

Magic markers

•

Post-it



notes (3 x 3 size), in bright colors if possible

•

Flipchart with the activity headings written at the top of each page. (As the

pages are completed, they should be hung on the wall for viewing.)

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Headings and set-up for flipchart sheets:

●

●●

●

WHAT DOES THIS

COMMUNICATE TO

THOSE WORKING IN

THE ORGANIZATION?

●

●●

●

GROUND RULES

●

●●

●

HOW DID THIS MAKE

YOU FEEL?

How did this experience

affect...

YOUR

WORK

YOUR

HOME LIFE

●

●●

●

WHAT ARE WE

GOING TO DO TO

ENSURE THAT WE

ARE NOT

CONTRIBUTING

TO THE BEHAVIOR?

●

●●

●

HOW DOES IT

AFFECT HOW WE

VIEW OUR

ORGANIZATION?

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PROCEDURE

1. Spend the first 5 minutes establishing ground rules with participants. These

rules encourage a more open environment, permitting individuals to share

without feeling they are overstepping bounds. The rules might deal with

confidentiality, for example: “What is shared in the room stays in the room”

and “No names—company or people.”

2. Show the first transparency question, “How many of you have witnessed

verbally abusive situations in your workplace?” Ask participants to pair up to

share their experiences with one another for 5 to 10 minutes.

3. Next, facilitate a discussion for approximately 10 minutes by inviting the

group as a whole to share experiences. Use the question on the second

transparency (“How many of you have personally experienced verbal

abuse?”) to stimulate the discussion. Note: Be prepared for emotions to

surface during this part of the exercise. Intercede if you observe any

participant becoming emotional; say something like: “Before you finish, let

me share with you an experience of my own” to allow the participant to

compose him- or herself. Of course, you could also ask, “Would you prefer to

tell us the rest of this terrible story later?”

4. Proceed to the next question on the next transparency, “How did this make

you feel?” Have a flipchart sheet ready with the same heading at the top. This

part of the exercise calls for participants to answer the question individually

and silently. Instruct them to write their feelings on the Post-it



notes (one

comment per sheet). Invite participants to share what they’ve written and then

to hang the Post-it



notes on the flipchart sheet. Facilitate any discussion that

takes place at this time.

5. Show the next transparency on the overhead and ask the question, “How did

this affect your work?” The flipchart page will be set up as a “T” chart with

“Your Home Life” covered up at this time. This part of the exercise has

participants working alone. Instruct them to write their comments on the Post-

it



notes (one per sheet). After a few minutes, invite the participants to share

what they’ve written and then to hang the Post-it



notes on the flipchart sheet.

Facilitate any discussion that takes place at this time.

6. Show the next transparency and ask the question, “How did this affect your

home life?” Uncover the right side of the “T” chart on the flipchart titled,

Your Home Life. This portion of the exercise, once again, is completed

individually. Instruct the participants to write their comments on the Post-it



notes (one per sheet). Encourage discussion among participants of what

they’ve written and then invite them to hang the Post-it



notes on the flipchart

sheet.