Shield of Silence: How Power Perpetuates a Culture of Harassment and Bullying in the Workplace

Lauren Stiller Rikleen, president of the Rikleen Institute for Strategic Leadership, speaks, trains, and consults on the importance of building a respectful, diverse, and inclusive workplace culture by strengthening multigenerational relationships, eliminating workplace misconduct and encouraging safe bystander intervention, addressing unconscious bias, and retaining and advancing women.She is also a board member and interim executive director of Lawyers Defending American Democracy, a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to protecting democracy and the rule of law.Lauren is the author of several books. The Shield of Silence: How Power Perpetuates a Culture of Harassment and Bullying in the Workplace (ABA 2019), combines detailed research, extensive interviews, and strategic recommendations for addressing misconduct and the silence that fuels it. You Raised Us, Now Work With Us: Millennials, Career Success, and Building Strong Workplace Teams (ABA 2014, 2016) analyzes unfair stereotypes that have long been applied to Millennials, and offers strategies for strengthening multi-generational relationships. She is also the author of Ladder Down: Success Strategies For Lawyers From Women Who Will Be Hiring, Reviewing, and Promoting You; and Ending the Gauntlet: Removing Barriers to Women’s Success in the Law. Lauren is the editor of the new ABA book, Her Honor: Stories of Challenge and Triumph from Women Judges, an anthology of personal stories by and about some of the country’s most respected female judges (all of whom were recipients of the ABA’s Margaret Brent Women Lawyers of Achievement Award, presented by the Commission on Women in the Profession).Lauren has written extensively on a variety of workplace topics, authoring more than 200 articles and numerous reports, and is interviewed frequently by publications around the country. As a member of the ABA Presidential Task Force on Gender Equity, she authored a key document focusing on the gender gap in compensation, Closing the Gap: A Road Map for Achieving Gender Pay Equity in Law Firm Partner Compensation. She was also the principal author of the Task Force publication, Power of the Purse: How General Counsel Can Impact Pay Equity. In 2018, Lauren partnered with the Women’s Bar Association of Massachusetts to create a survey and author a report to identify incidents of law firm misconduct and the rate of reporting: Survey of Workplace Conduct and Behaviors in Law Firms.As a former law firm equity partner, Lauren managed a diverse environmental law and mediation practice and was selected by her peers to be listed in Best Lawyers in America, Chambers USA America’s Leading Business Lawyers, and Massachusetts Super Lawyers.Within the ABA, Lauren co-chairs the Women’s Caucus and is a member of the Standing Committee on Publishing Oversight. Her many past leadership roles include serving on the Board of Governors, the Commission on Women in the Profession, as chair of the Section of Civil Rights & Social Justice, and as a member of the ABA Journal Board of Editors. She has also served on the Board of the Rule of Law Initiative, as a former member of the ABA Commission on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity, and on the Standing Committee on Bar Activities & Services. Lauren has also served as a special advisor to the American Bar Foundation. Lauren’s bar leadership also extends to her significant involvement in the Boston Bar Association, including serving as its president (the first non-Boston attorney to do so). She has also been actively involved in her community, including serving as a trustee of Clark University, helping to create and serve as president of two local charities, serving as the first woman chair of the MetroWest Chamber of Commerce, and serving as a trustee of the Middlesex Savings Bank. Among her many awards, Lauren was a 2017 recipient of the prestigious Margaret Brent Women Lawyers of Achievement Award and was named by Public Media’s Next Avenue as one of the 50 Most Influential People in Aging. Her detailed bio and additional information can be found at:  www.RikleenInstitute.com

"This critically important book details the myriad institutional barriers that have contributed to the devastating 'culture of silence' surrounding victims of workplace harassment. Relying on an impressive range of social science data and expert opinion, Rikleen draws a compelling picture of the harms such silence imposes on victims, bystanders, employers, and on our collective commitment to a more just society. Her insightful and comprehensive suggestions for reform are required reading for anyone seeking to eliminate workplace discrimination." --Deborah Epstein, Professor and Co-Director, Georgetown University Law Center Domestic Violence Clinic "If you care about ending sexual harassment and misconduct in the workplace, The Shield of Silence is a book you need to read. As Lauren Stiller Rikleen so carefully documents, the link between workplace culture and misconduct is powerful--and not always seen or understood. For those of us who want to see change, Rikleen points directly at managers and employers whose leadership is critical in this journey. This book provides a detailed road-map that can help move the #MeToo movement towards historic improvements in the workplace." --Karen Dillon, Author of the New York Times Best-Seller, How Will You Measure Your Life "Lauren Stiller Rikleen's new book, The Shield of Silence: How Power Perpetuates a Culture of Harassment and Bullying in the Workplace, is a must read. The book courageously shows the systemic issues that cause victims of workplace misconduct to stay silent and, in too many cases, to leave the workplace entirely. The book also shares key strategies on what companies can do to change this." - Samorn Selim, CEO and Creative Joy Director of Career Unicorns"This book is truly a must-read for anyone in the workforce! The research Lauren shares is surprising and compelling and her tips for both employees and companies are spot on. Although I was not expecting to, I found myself personally relating to the experiences and behaviors studied by this book. It goes far beyond the typical sexual harassment discussion and dives into many other prevalent and problematic workplace behaviors, like bullying, that are not as often discussed but are so important."  - Katie Day, Member, Ms JD Board of Directors"...Rikleen's book ... sets forth a blueprint for how organizations can go about changing their cultures, not just their policies or practices...  In short, any person who is in a position of authority would benefit from a deep read of this valuable book, and, too, victims of harassment or bullying behavior will find comfort and potential solutions."  -  From a review for the American Bar Association by Kathleen Balthrop Havener​, The Cullen Law Firm PLLC