Scenario: Pressure to Measure Up
This scenario may contain explicit language and references to harmful situations which may be emotionally activating for some people. If you need support, services are available through the CAF Member Assistance Program (CFMAP) and the Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
Group Size: 4-15
Scenario
Sergeant (Sgt) Trisha Brown’s section is out for a run during a morning physical training session. After the first few hundred meters, Private (Pte) Pete Leclerc finds it increasingly difficult to keep up. As he falls further and further behind, some people in the group begin to make fun of him for being overweight.
Sgt Brown does not intervene, and the negative comments continue.
Sgt Brown is unhappy with Pte Leclerc's performance and begins to get impatient. With him well out of ear shot, the sergeant too starts to say disparaging comments against him that the other members of the section can easily hear.
Categories
- Principles: Respect the Dignity of all Persons
- Values: Integrity, Excellence, Loyalty, Courage
- Cultural themes: Leadership, Teamwork
- Misconduct types: Harassment
- GBA Plus themes: Not Specific
- Audience: Canadian Armed Forces
Facilitator’s Guide
Learning Objectives
- Discuss how criticism of a member’s bodily capacities is at odds with respecting the dignity of a person and constitutes both humiliation and disloyalty.
- Observe that disparaging or ridiculing a member’s deficient capacities to others, even behind the person’s back, is an unacceptable form of disrespect and harassment.
Facilitation Questions
- What is the problem in this scenario?
- Open group discussion.
- What are the facts? What are the assumptions?
- Open group discussion.
- What considerations are at play here with respect to Defence Ethics and the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) ethos?
- Open group discussion.
- Discuss “Respect the Dignity of all Persons.”
- Discuss teamwork and inclusion in relation to this scenario.
- Discuss leadership in relation to this scenario.
- Discuss loyalty, integrity and (moral) courage in relation to this scenario.
- How should Sgt Brown have dealt with this situation? Why?
- Open group discussion.
- Private discussion and performance; avoid harassing and abusive language from the sergeant and the group.
- Discuss with reference to Defence Ethics, the CAF ethos, and relevant policies.