AboutDr. Mac Expertise I can answer any question that has to do with working relationships, management skills or lack there of, conflict, and leadership. I primarily work with troubled teams, groups with poor management, or general dysfunction for over twenty-five years. I am also a professor at the University of Denver in the Alternative Dispute Resolution department. Go to www.greggiesenassociates.com to see my client list.
I'm using the alias "Dr. Mac" because he is the main character in my latest management book, Ask Dr. Mac. He plays a newspaper advice columnist on business issues.
Experience Again, twenty-five years of experience here. Email me at ggiesen@greggiesenassociates.com with any specific questions not related to this site.
Published articles written by Greg Giesen:
• Conflict Between Two Employees May Reflect on Organization, in the March, 2003 issue of the Denver Business Journal.
• Meeting Management: Let’s Cut to the Chase, in the March, 2003 edition of CHRA’s The Advisor magazine.
• From Conflict to Collaboration, appearing in the March, 2003 edition of Executive Excellence Magazine.
• Leading From Within, appearing in the April, 2003 edition of Personal Excellence Magazine.
• Only an Integrated Approach Will Increase Employee Motivation, May, 2004, OD Network magazine, Practicing.
• Motivational Mastery, appearing in the March, 2005 edition of Sales & Service Excellence Magazine.
• Creating Collaboration: A Process that Works, appearing in the July, 2007 edition of Projects & Profits magazine, India.
• The Value of Vision, Submitted to Chicken Soup for the Soul’s Lessons in Leadership, due out in January, 2009.
Books written by Greg Giesen:
• Creating Authenticity: Meaningful Questions for Meaningful Moments, 2001, ISBN: 0-9721114-0-9
• Creating Authenticity: Meaningful Questions for the Minds and Souls of Today’s Leaders, 2002, ISBN: 0-9721114-1-7
• Ask Dr. Mac: Take the Journey to Authentic Leadership, 2007, ISBN:
0-9788555-0-7.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
• Your Best Year Yet Certification, Best Year Yet, LLC.
• DiSC Certification, Resources Unlimited.
• Social Styles Pro II Certification, Cahners TRACOM Group.
• Consultant’s Training, Corporate Transformation Tools, Richard Barrett & Associates.
• Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Qualification Training, NTL.
• Adventure Systems & Design, Challenge Course Certification.
• The Coaches Training Institute, The Professional Coaching Course.
• Group Process Consultation, NTL.
• Mediating EEO, Personnel & Employee Relations Disputes, CDR.
• Conflict Resolution Workshop, Aiki Works, Inc.
• Facilitator Training, (270-hours), Good Works Unlimited.
• Wilderness Therapy Practicum, Colorado Outward Bound School.
• The Human Element, Will Schutz & Associates.
EDUCATION
Masters of Science, 1982, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio. Major: Personnel Services & Counseling.
Bachelor of Arts, 1979, Western State College, Gunnison, Colorado. Majors: Psychology & Sociology.
Expert: Dr. Mac Date: 6/2/2008 Subject: boss telling sex joke in a staff meeting
Question Dear Dr. Mac:
I am working as a professional in a fortune 500 company. One day in a staff meeting, my acting manager told the joke below.
Should I report to his boss, first or HR first? I already reported it to HR anonymously but nothing happened. If I report in person, would it make a difference? How serious do you think it is. How would HR handle it? Thank you!
His joke was as follows:
A fat guy saw a weight loss commercial and decided to go with it. Directed by the commercial he came to a place where he saw a curtain. Behind it was a lady with "provocative figure"( boss's words). The lady told the fat guy "If you catch me, you can 'make love'(boss's words) to me." The fat guy then ran out of breath trying to catch the lady but failed.
The next day he came back and saw the curtain again. After pulling the curtain aside, he saw a muscular man who said,"If I catch you, I will make love to YOU!"(boss's words)
<End of boss's Joke>
Answer Jon,
Why wouldn't you tell your acting manager how you feel? You mentioned telling HR and his manager, but never did I hear you mention talking to him directly. My suggestion would be to go to your acting manager and ask if you could have a minute. Then tell him that, although you appreciate his desire to incorporate humor into the workplace, that you found his particular joke to be offensive and not the best joke to tell in a professional work environment. The important thing here is to separate his behavior of telling the inappropriate joke from who he is as a person. My gut feeling is that you may have had an issue with him prior to the joke.
Jon, you always have an obligation to go directly to the person you are having a problem with before going to HR or the person's boss. Wouldn't you want the same if someone had a problem with you? Go the high road and talk with him directly. The joke was in poor taste, but so would going behind his back to report him.
