Journal of IOA: An Ombuds Story About Harassment and Bully from Mary Rowe

In the latest issue of the Journal of the International Ombuds Association, Mary Rowe, shares a tale from her time as the Ombuds at MIT. The full article, "An Unusual Harassment Training that was Warmly Received—and, as well, Inspired Bystanders—an Organizational Ombuds," is now available online. 

Here is the abstract:

Harassment and bullying are hard to endure and hard to stop. Many targets and bystanders fear to ask for help, fearing loss of relationships and other painful consequences. All organizations need training. However, sensitivity training about harassment is now unwelcome to many, and it is hard to prove such training is effective in terms of achieving desirable outcomes. This essay describes an effort to teach supervisors how to receive harassment concerns competently and effectively. Faculty and staff supervisors were asked to critique the performance of peers on videos—who were kind but making common mistakes—for their strengths and weaknesses as complaint-handlers. The training was voluntary, very well received, and effective in several different ways. Many organizations might adapt such training for their front-line supervisors.

(JIOA 2025.)

Related posts: Mary Rowe, MIT Ombuds, to Retire; Mary Rowe on Microinequities and Ombuds; Negotiation Journal Opens Access for Mary Rowe's Articles; (Guest Post) Mary Rowe Comments on the Proposed IOA Bylaws; MIT Digitizes Mary Rowe's Papers; Journal of IOA, Mary Rowe Special Issue: The Sources of Ombuds' Power.