We'd like to extend our sincerest thanks to all our clients for their support and partnership over this past year, and we commend you for the work you're doing in your organizations to build more civil, legal, and inclusive workplaces. All of us at ELI send our best wishes for a safe and happy holiday season, and we look forward to partnering with you in 2008 and beyond.

- Stephen M. Paskoff, Esq., President, ELI

Why train?

"Check-the-box training isn't enough." We hear that phrase over and over, yet many organizations' approach to training is just that. The thought seems to be that since they're not experiencing a high number of cases, it's not worth investing much in minimizing lawsuits. In other words, these organizations view risk avoidance as the primary benefit of and only reason for conducting training.

Certainly, a behavioral approach is more complex and requires a greater commitment from all levels of the organization; if leaders don't recognize the need, it can be a difficult internal sell. However, with the right tools, you can demonstrate the importance of training that impacts day-to-day workplace behavior and the overall culture:

• Big case verdicts and settlements in your industry can create a compelling story. If it can happen to your competitors, what are you proactively doing to keep it from happening to you?
• News items of prominent instances of misconduct will get leaders' attention even if the cases haven't yet become lawsuits. In fact, the ensuing publicity and negative fallout can often cause more damage than a lawsuit.
• There are numerous news stories every day that point to trends that can impact the workplace. From bullying to employee dissatisfaction to customer and shareholder demands for social and environmental responsibility, topical stories can demonstrate how productivity, turnover, morale, and the bottom line are all affected by improper behavior, whether illegal or not.

These examples will be helpful in convincing leaders that the goal of training should be more than just proving you've done something. The stories will also show that if training focuses only on legal risk avoidance, a multitude of business-damaging behaviors can still flourish - and create great harm. A behavioral approach, while more complex, will yield more comprehensive business and cultural benefits.

On the Horizon in 2008

Civil Treatment® for Managers and Civil Treatment® for Employees...updated! Revised versions of these flagship programs will be released in 2008, and our planning has already begun. If you have suggestions or ideas for the next generation of CTM and CTE, please let us know!

Also coming in 2008: The latest addition to the CT Impact® series will be a two-hour sexual harassment prevention course designed to help you address mandatory training requirements for 2009.