Sexual Harassment In The Workplace

Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

Workplace sexual harassment results in negative emotions and increased stress levels. Increased Management training and awareness in sexual harassment issues will result in more positive emotions and a less stressful working environment.(TS)

I. Thinking. 4.

A. What is thinking and critical thinking?

B. How should critical thinking, brainstorming, and starbursting improve the plight of people in your organization? (IR)

II. Defining the problem and removing barriers. 8.

A. Define the problem

B. What barriers must be addressed, before or during resolution of this

problem. (Minimum of two barriers.) (TR)

III. Generating solutions (alternatives) and selecting the solution. 10.

A. Generating and selecting an alternative.

B. Why is this alternative best? (TR)

IV. Evaluating solution after implementation. 11.

V. Conclusion 12.

VI. Recommendations 13.

VII. References. 14.

Abstract

There are many different forms of harassment in the workplace but sexual harassment is on the rise in many job sites across our nation and is one of the most difficult to define. The different forms of sexual harassment were researched, and solutions were found on how to handle sexual harassment in the workplace. What are the rights of the victim and what are some solutions to the problem? Thinking and perception are also a factor in sexual harassment, based on ones opinion or outlook on the problem. Because perceptions of sexual content can vary from person to person, much brainstorming and critical thinking had to happen to come up with a solution to the problem and are further discussed.

Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

Thinking, according to Gary Kirby and Jeffery Goodpaster, (1999) in their book titled Thinking, is defined as "The activity of the brain that can potentially be communicated." Thinking is also a state of wondering. For example, when an individual is trying to figure out how something may work, they may keep looking at it, touching it, and wondering how it came to be. Also for example if a person stares another person up and down, it can be construed as a form of sexual harassment. It could still be considered sexual harassment, even though the accuser said nothing, no one was touch and thoughts not acted upon. Kirby and Goodpaster also stated "If we have thought of anything at the moment, than we have used the thinking process" (Kirby, Goodpaster, 1999, p.3).

In order to recognize the plight of improvement that critical thinking, brainstorming and starbursting have on ones organization we must first understand their meanings.

According to an online article by James J. Messina, Ph.D and Constance M. Messina, Ph.D, titled Ð''Overview of Critical Thinking,' thinking has five different parts as outlined:

1) Sensation: Our eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and skin all provide our bodies with sensations they pick up from the outside world and transmit, by nerves, to the biological structures, which will translate them.

2) Biological: Nerves input the sensations provided by the senses to the Brain, which then translates, decodes, and encodes messages and sends them out through the nervous system.

3) Psychological: Messages from the brain are then taken and translated into perceptions and reactions.

4) Cognitive: The thinking process of the perceptions and reactions turn into concepts, ideas, assumptions, suppositions, inferences, hypotheses, questions, beliefs, premises, logical arguments, etc...

5) Communications: The messages from the brain are taken and translated into verbal, non-verbal, and written language to communicate the thoughts and ideas which were generated. (Messina, 2004)

According to M.N. Browne and S.M Keeley, their book Critical thinking: Asking the right questions, defines Critical Thinking as "An awareness of a set of interrelated critical questions, plus the ability and willingness to ask and answer them at appropriate times" (Browne & Keeley, 2000). Critical thinking is most used by groups of people who are trying to either figure something out or come up with new ideas.

James and Constance Messina also state in their article Ð''Overview of Critical Thinking,' that critical thinking consists of three steps (Messina, 2004):

1. Becoming aware that assumptions exist

2. Making assumptions explicit

3. Assessing their accuracy

Do these assumptions make sense?

Do these assumptions fit reality as we understand and live it?

Under what conditions do these assumptions seem to hold true?

Under what conditions do they seem false?

Starbursting focuses on a topic and radiates outward with questions, with all ideas being considered. Any questions are legitimate and the more questions the better. Always begin by asking "What are the Questions?" (Messina, 2004)

Brainstorming as a noun, is defined online under Ð''OneLook Dictionary Search', as Ð''a group problem-solving technique in which members sit around and let fly with ideas and possible solutions to the problem.' Brainstorm was also defined as Ð''the clear (and often sudden) understanding of a complex situation (noun). The verb definition of brainstorm, was defined as

...