The deluge of reactions and accounts of abuse since the Weinstein affair hit the headlines has led me to reflect on a sometimes hidden problem: sexual harassment.

Like my predecessors, Vincent and Sudeshna, to whom I wish to pay tribute, I would like to share my thoughts with you in Ombud’s Corner. This first article will be a chance for you to get to know me and a chance for me to remind you of the framework in which the Ombud operates.

“Nothing will change” is one of the complaints often heard in the Ombud’s Office.

In conflict situations, there is a tendency to want to have the last word and be proven ‘right’ and yet, that may actually be the ‘wrong’ way to go about resolving an argument, whether it is face to face or through an exchange of e-mails.

One of the topics that never failed to arouse interest during the recent Diversity workshops organised at CERN was that of “unearned advantage”, or the relative ease with which doors open for certain people, simply because they belong to dominant (often majority) groups, as compared to others.

Conflicts in the workplace are inevitable, but are conflicts at CERN any different to those in other organisations?

Empathy, or ‘the ability to understand and share the feelings of another’ is a key ingredient of the emotional intelligence that characterises a good manager.

‘A team of scientists heated a pan of water to a high temperature. Then they tried to put a live frog into it. The frog jumped out immediately. A second frog was put in a pan of cold water that was gradually heated to boiling. That frog never tried to jump. It was boiled to death.’

Taking on new tasks or responsibilities may sometimes be challenging, as they require us go beyond the familiar or ‘comfort zone’ and expose ourselves to scrutiny in an area where we are not immediately at ease.

I’m just back from the annual conference of the International Ombudsman Association, and this time the keynote presentation was focused on the role of the ‘bystander’ or the person who witnesses an unacceptable or potentially harmful situation and does nothing.