Breaking the Silence Habit: A Practical Guide to Uncomfortable Conversations in the #MeToo Workplace

The founder of the Uncomfortable Conversation, Inc. nonprofit and the Enliven Project outlines a five-part framework for facilitating necessary if uncomfortable conversations about sexual harassment and violence at work to promote healthier teams and safer working environments.
"Top consultant Sarah Beaulieu offers a five-part framework that enables employees to have difficult but necessary conversations about sexual harassment and violence and develop new, better ways of working together"--
Beaulieu, a speaker and consultant who trains workers and advises leaders on skills-based sexual harassment prevention and response, explains how leaders, managers, and employees can have uncomfortable conversations about sexual harassment and violence in the workplace. She explains the importance of having these conversations; a skills-based approach to sexual harassment prevention and response; assessing one’s experience with uncomfortable conversations about sexual harassment and violence; a five-part framework to build the capacity to engage in more meaningful and productive conversations about it (knowing the facts, getting uncomfortable, pausing as a tool to deal with reactions, using practical questions, and seeing the whole picture); putting conversations into practice, including the benefits of practicing, interventions, recognizing power and respecting boundaries, and responding to disclosures and supporting survivors; additional tools for breaking the silence habit by integrating uncomfortable conversations into daily practices; and navigating common conversation challenges. Annotation ©2021 Ringgold, Inc., Portland, OR (protoview.com)
Top consultant Sarah Beaulieu offers a five-part framework that enables employees to have difficult but necessary conversations about sexual harassment and violence and develop new, better ways of working together.In the wake of the #MeToo movement, employees and leaders are struggling with how to respond to the pervasiveness of sexual harassment. Most approaches simply emphasize knowing and complying with existing laws. But people need more than lists of dos and don'ts--they need to learn how to navigate this uncertain, emotionally charged terrain. Sarah Beaulieu provides a new skills-based approach to addressing sexual harassment prevention and response in the workplace, including using underdeveloped skills like empathy, situational awareness, boundary setting, and intervention.Beaulieu outlines a five-part framework for having conversations about sexual harassment: Know the Facts; Feel Uncomfortable; Get Curious, Not Furious; See the Whole Picture; and Embrace Practical Questions. By embracing these conversations, we can break the cycle of avoidance and silence that makes our lives and workplaces feel volatile and unsafe. Grounded in storytelling, humor, and dozens of real-life scenarios, this book introduces the idea of uncomfortable conversation as the core skill required to enable everyone to bring their full talent and contributions to safe and respectful workplaces.