Yesterday I shared a great article about maintaining professionalism in the workplace during the unnecessary murders of black and brown people in our country. You can read it here: https://medium.com/@shenequagolding/maintaining-professionalism-in-the-age-of-black-death-is-a-lot-5eaec5e17585.
I also encouraged all of us to start conversations with those in our circle of influence. However, I know for some that is easier said than done. So here are a few tips to help you start those conversations with individuals in your workplace. Talking race has been taboo for far too long. For many of us, the people we get to work with usually get to see us at our best. They see our best work. They celebrate many of our successes. We spend a good portion of our days and weeks with these individuals so to avoid these types of conversations seems counterproductive. “The weight of these issues (race, police brutality) follows us into our jobs every day and that weight is accumulating with each death, each tragedy. To leave the emotions these events provoke at the door is an unrealistic expectation. Businesses and workplaces need to give employees permission to broach these subjects.” (1)
I am by no means an expert, but here are a few suggestions as you approach these conversations:
- Be genuine in your approach. A halfhearted effort will show quickly and likely further alienate your coworker from future conversations. Consider and define why having this conversation is important to you and how it may be important to them. Also, don’t force the conversation. Many people are still processing the murders of George Floyd and so many others. They may not understand the expressions of pain, outrage, and desperation in the protests and riots. And that’s okay. You may not understand it all either, but checking in is crucial. They may not be ready or may not want to have a dialogue with you. Again, that’s okay because you have opened the door.
- Be open and honest. Don’t be afraid to express your vulnerabilities and/or level of discomfort. This can be difficult especially for those of us in leadership roles, where our confidence and decisiveness is what our team members are often looking for from us. It is okay to express that you may not have the answers to some questions and to allow space for silence.
- Create a safe space that reduces anxiety and risks. As the leader, you have to think about the power structure. One employee shared in a LinkedIn post, “If I am a Black woman who is lower in the hierarchy in my place at work and I am voicing something that I am seeing as inequitable (whether in society or in the workplace), I am taking an extraordinary risk. You either assimilate and you succeed, or you keep your mouth shut so you can keep your job.” (2)
- Be prepared, but not rehearsed. To make this an authentic and transformative dialogue you must allow the conversation to flow organically. Preparation may prevent you from “inadvertently saying something offensive. But if you do, don’t pretend it didn’t happen. Apologize immediately and move the conversation forward.” (3) Consider creating ethnographic style questions based on James Spradley’s The Ethnographic Interview. Click here for a brief overview and techniques for ethnographic conversations.
- Educate yourself. You don’t need to have all the answers, but remember your employees are accustomed to coming to you for knowledge. Take some time to understand the differences between race, ethnicity, culture, cultural ethnocentrism, and acculturation. Learn about the victims from recent events. Listen to some podcasts or TED Talks. Read Porter Braswell’s Let Them See You. Have a firm grasp on your company’s values and approaches to diversity and inclusion. Articulate the difference between the two.
Best of luck!
(1) https://facingtoday.facinghistory.org/why-im-talking-about-race-in-the-workplace-and-you-should-too
(2) https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/its-time-stop-talking-diversity-start-race-work-caroline-fairchild/
(3) https://www.shrm.org/hr-today/news/hr-magazine/1217/pages/is-it-time-to-talk-about-race-and-religion-at-work.aspx
modishmike 