2009 Copyright Nia Consulting & Development, LLC Micro-inequities: The Subtle Barriers to Workplace...

2009 Copyright Nia Consulting & Development, LLC

Micro-inequities:Micro-inequities:

The Subtle The Subtle Barriers to Barriers to Workplace Workplace Success Success ©©

Dr. Pamela Johnson, CMC

Nia Consulting & Development

™

Presented by Dr. Pamela Johnson, [email protected]

Nia Consulting & Development972-494-9497

www.NCDPerformance.com

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Nia Consulting & Development, LLC

Mary P. Sloan, Ph.D.Mary P. Sloan, Ph.D.

Micro-inequities double damage:

1. Exclude the employee who is different, making him/her________________________.

2. Exclusion damages the persons_____________________________.

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Micro-inequitiesMicro-inequities

Subtle managerial actions or messages that are discriminatory toward a ‘different’ employee ……

• Usually ____________• Often __________ by manager• Frequently __________• Difficult to __________• Sometimes __________________• Usually ___________

“I didn’t mean any harm”!

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Negative Subtle MessagesNegative Subtle Messages

Discuss examples you have seen.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Damage to employeeDamage to employee

Discuss examples you have see.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Damage to the Damage to the organizationorganization

Discuss Examples.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Recognizing Recognizing micro-inequitiesmicro-inequities

Listen to your gut feelings that are hard to really “put a finger on”.

• Especially when the employee is _______ _____than the manager.

• And these behaviors are ___ ______ toward most of your peers.

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Once manager is Once manager is challenged:challenged:

The managers response feel __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

This makes difficult communication more difficult

• Fear of providing constructive feedback

• Fear of providing performance feedback

• Feelings of “walking on eggshells”

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When ignored….When ignored….

• Manager may continue behavior

• Employee feelings may fester and boil

• Sometimes it may seem so small, it is perceived as petty

• It may not be taken seriously

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Analyze:Analyze:

1. Compare your greetings with employees.

2. Compare your relationships with employees.

3. Compare how you socialize with employees.

4. Compare how you inspire, motivate, and show interest and respect.

5. Compare how you talk, delegate and explain things to others.

6. Look at the “inner circle”. Who is in and who is out.

7. Compare how you ask questions or request information.

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Discuss opportunities where you Discuss opportunities where you can set the proper stage.can set the proper stage.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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EveryoneEveryone must talk the must talk the same language:same language:

1. Provide Safe Complaint handlers for employees to talk to

2. Confidentiality3. Ombudsman4. Open discussion in

management and staff meetings

5. Discussion in diversity training

6. Topic for attitude surveys, newsletters

7. Part of ERG support agenda

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Starting DialogueStarting Dialogue

• Do you feel left out?• Do you feel disrespected?• Do you feel valued?• What actions and behaviors

make people feel “out of the loop”?

• What do you think would help improve how you feel?

• What can we do more of?• What can we stop?• What can we start?

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Learn to analyze Learn to analyze and respond:and respond:

When you sense a ‘disconnect’: Be sensitive to cultural influences of

others. Look for differing behavioral styles

and how you might adjust. Observe, ask questions, and learn. Operate with the interest of “where

the person is coming from”. Re-visit your prejudices and

stereotypes.

If someone says you are guilty of a micro-inequity:

• Always respond with a question.• Set a frame work for open two-way

discussion.• Try to discover what happen to

make that person feel that way.• Avoid defensiveness

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Learn to Respond Learn to Respond ExerciseExercise

Watch Inflections:

•“I didn’t say he broke the computer”

•Repeat sentence with an emphasis on each work, each time… starting with I.

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To Counter To Counter Micro-inequities:Micro-inequities:

• Tell the speaker that you have a problem and need his or her help to solve it.

• Describe how you felt, using "I" statements.

• Describe how you would like to have felt.

• Be open to the other person's responses.

George Robinson with Insight Education

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Create PositiveCreate PositiveSubtle MessagesSubtle Messages

(Flip side to micro-inequities)

Clearly designed, positive and subtle, messages having an influential and powerful effect on employees, that promotes commitment, encouragement, self-worth, inspires confidence, and improves performance.

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Positive ResponsesPositive Responses

• Did everyone hear what she said?

• What would it take to make that work?

• I wouldn't have thought of that idea.

• Thank you for challenging me on that.

• What can the team do differently?

• What can senior leadership do differently?

• What can I do differently?

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Turning things around:Turning things around:(Rate yourself as you are now.(Rate yourself as you are now.

(1=low, 5=high)(1=low, 5=high)

• Actively solicit opinions (__)• Connect on a personal level (__)• Constantly ask questions (__)• Attribute/credit ideas (__)• Monitor your facial expressions (__)• Actively listen to all (__)• Draw in participation (__)• Monitor personal greetings (__)• Respond constructively to

disagreements (__)• Limit interruptions (__)

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Action PlanAction Plan

Areas for improvement.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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ReferencesReferences

• Hinton, Eric L., Microinequities: When Small Slights Lead to Huge Problems in the Workplace, DiversityInc (March/April 2003)

• Rawe, Julie., Why Your Boss May Start Sweating the Small Stuff, Time (March 20, 2006)

• Rowe, Mary P., Barriers to Equality: The Power of Subtle Discrimination to Maintain Unequal Opportunity, Employee Responsibilities and Rights Journal, Vol.3, No. 2, pp. 153-163.

• Tate, Eric A., Microinequities: Should Employers ‘Sweat the Small Stuff’?, Morrison and Foerster, LLP, Legal Updates & News. (January, 2007)

• Young, Stephen (2007). Micro Messaging: Why Great Leadership is Beyond Words. McGraw Hill Publishers.

2009 Copyright Nia Consulting & Development, LLC

Thank you!

Dr. Pamela Johnson, CMC


™

Presented by Dr. Pamela Johnson, CMC

[email protected]


972-494-9497

www.NCDPerformance.com

2009 Copyright Nia Consulting & Development, LLC Micro-inequities: The Subtle Barriers to Workplace...

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