Ethical Behavior and Leadership in the Face of Harassment & Bullying: Ethics Training 101

As ASCE becomes more diverse, we want every member to feel welcomed and valued. However, different cultural backgrounds can bring different understandings of acceptable behavior. Additionally, when volunteers are challenged (intentionally or unintentionally) in their volunteer roles, they can act out and make others feel uncomfortable or unwanted as part of ASCE. And what about “after hours” ASCE organized fun social events with students, younger members, plenty of alcohol and loud music? Members may confuse the setting and forget that they are at a professional function; expected to act responsibly and to treat each other with professional respect.

What should you do, as a member, if you see someone being made to feel uncomfortable? How can you intervene, in a positive fashion, to help the situation?

What do you do as a volunteer leader when a member tells you that they have been made to feel uncomfortable or unwanted? What do you do if the person who has made the member feel uncomfortable or unwanted is another volunteer leader, who still fills an important and active in your organization? How do you help the member who has been offended feel heard and addressed so they feel accepted and comfortable enough to remain an ASCE member? As a leader how do you help the “good volunteer” make amends to an individual they have offended, either knowingly or unknowingly, so they can continue to be valuable member and stop others from offending members?