My, How the Mighty Have Fallen

"My, how the mighty have fallen." Most have heard this phrase at one time or another, yet in today's media cycle we are seeing it played out weekly, if not almost daily, as powerful men (no ladies "yet") have lost their positions of power and influence over sexual advances and other inappropriate behavior in the workplace.

Years ago, I had a roommate that was accused of sexual advances. He was a male real estate agent who was showing a woman a property when "she" came on to "him". When he did not give her what she requested, she filed (false) charges against him. For months he sweat out if he was going to go to jail over a he said/she said situation. As it turned out, the woman in question got more bold and tried the same thing on another male agent, bragging how if he didn't comply she already had another agent looking at charges. Little did she know another couple was in the house and overheard. So the couple and the agent went to the district attorney and told them the story. They put 2 + 2 together and dropped all charges against my roommate. It easily could have gone a different direction, though.

I see two major takeaways to our current state of women (and men) coming forward that all should take note of for future, professional reference.

First, such behavior and advances are wrong and "should" go without saying -- but obviously NEED to be stated again...and again...and again. But along with this understand that by exploiting another, you set YOURSELF up for potential exploitation as well -- via blackmail. I wonder how many women (or men) today that, instead of coming forward with their stories, are monetizing their stories via blackmail scenarios against the men (or women) guilty of the crime. How many CFOs, controllers, etc could be persuaded to dip into corporate reserves to pay out such dollars due to such scenarios? How many owners or managers are being persuaded to give such employees (male or female) advancements, raises, etc. in lieu of their "victims" coming forward to expose their exploits and thus lose their corporate positions or face criminal/civil charges? So if the proper moral course of action is not motivation enough for you to simply NOT act out such advances, consider how such advances caught on camera, video, text or email could be later leveraged against you for actions that could STILL later cost you your job, your professional license, your business, or your career.

Second, there is the innate danger of such he said/she said scenarios -- or in today's world he said/he said or she said/she said scenarios -- when no one is around to back up *your* side of the story. For years, I have advised real estate agents, financial advisors, insurance agents, or any who go into the homes of their clients and/or conduct private consultations with their clients to have some protocol to protect themselves. In some states (like Texas) you can record such exchanges as long as at least or only "one party" is aware of it being recorded and this will be admissible evidence in court, but that is not true in every state. Moving such meetings or consultations to more open, public venues where you can still have some form of private conversation is advisable. If in office environments leaving the door open, even for private meetings might also be considered. Just do not find yourself alone, if possible, with someone who can later claim the conversation went a very different direction -- or incorporate either technologies or protocols that reflect and protect *your side* of the story. But phone, email or text trails that speak to such advances will nullify even the best of such technologies and protocols. JUST DON'T DO IT!

So often people pigeon-hole the training I do into the small box of physical danger, and while that is a large part of what I address, it is by no means *ALL* that I address. Those who have been in my employee training programs for their companies and corporations know I have "big boy/big girl" conversations about such other issues, including those that can compromise internal employees for external bribery and/or blackmail scenarios. Some might do so for financial gain, others for data mining or corporate espionage, and still others for retaliation against the company and/or one of its particular people. Regardless, these are conversations that employers need to have with their people -- continually. It's all about learning to spot trouble *BEFORE* trouble spots you!

I know someone who can help!