So, you’ve taken the harassment training...
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Certain workplace behaviors are clearly illegal...
Illegal Behavior
Discriminatory harassment
Physical harassment
Sexual harassment
...
© 2021 Reliable Robotics Corporation
...but there are types of unwanted behaviors well before the “legal” boundary is crossed
Illegal Behavior
Discriminatory harassment
Physical harassment
Sexual harassment
...
?
© 2021 Reliable Robotics Corporation
How we define and respond to these types of unwanted behaviors defines us as an organization
Illegal Behavior
Discriminatory harassment
Physical harassment
Sexual harassment
...
?
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No asshole policy
No jerks policy
No inconsiderate jerks policy
Golden rule policy
Be excellent to each other
© 2021 Reliable Robotics Corporation
© 2021 Reliable Robotics Corporation
Strive to be excellent to each other at all times.
Avoid heinous behavior.
We’re all human
We all make mistakes sometimes. No one is perfect.
Observe and correct your mistakes. Take feedback graciously. Give feedback considerately.
© 2021 Reliable Robotics Corporation
Examples of “heinous” behavior
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Scenarios
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Alice and Bob
Alice and Bob have created separate proposals for how to design a subsystem.
Alice tells Bob that they should go with her proposal because she’s designed a similar system before like this and she knows it will work.
Excellent?
Heinous?
© 2021 Reliable Robotics Corporation
Carlos and Dave
Carlos and Dave have created separate proposals for how to design a subsystem.
Carlos tells Dave that his proposal is better because he’s been working in this domain longer than Dave and has developed better intuition than Dave.
Excellent?
Heinous?
© 2021 Reliable Robotics Corporation
Edgar and Francis
Edgar and Francis have created separate proposals for how to design a subsystem.
Edgar doesn’t discuss Francis’ proposal directly but instead says that Francis always has the wackiest ideas that never seem to work in practice.
Excellent?
Heinous?
© 2021 Reliable Robotics Corporation
Garret and Helen
Garret and Helen have created separate proposals for how to design a subsystem.
Garret tells another co-worker, Iris, that Helen’s proposal doesn’t make any sense and Helen is an idiot.
Excellent?
Heinous?
© 2021 Reliable Robotics Corporation
Joe and Kelley
Joe and Kelley have created separate proposals for how to design a subsystem.
After a long period of rising tensions while they debate their proposals, Joe lets loose a slur of expletives, storms out of the room and slams the door.
Excellent?
Heinous?
© 2021 Reliable Robotics Corporation
Further reading
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Graham’s Hierarchy of Disagreement
Heinous
Not Productive
Productive
Mildly Productive
© 2021 Reliable Robotics Corporation
© 2021 Reliable Robotics Corporation