2009 Copyright Nia Consulting & Development, LLC Micro-inequities: The Subtle Barriers to Workplace Success © Dr. Pamela Johnson, CMC Nia Consulting & Development ™ Presented by Dr. Pamela Johnson, CMC Nia Consulting & Development

TM 2009 Copyright Nia Consulting & Development, LLC 2 Mary P. Sloan, Ph.D. Micro-inequities double damage: 1.Exclude the employee who is different, making him/her______________ __________. 2.Exclusion damages the persons_____________ ________________.

TM 2009 Copyright Nia Consulting & Development, LLC 3Micro-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”!

TM 2009 Copyright Nia Consulting & Development, LLC 4 Negative Subtle Messages Discuss examples you have seen. ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________

TM 2009 Copyright Nia Consulting & Development, LLC 5 Damage to employee Discuss examples you have see. _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________

TM 2009 Copyright Nia Consulting & Development, LLC 6 Damage to the organization Discuss Examples. _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________

TM 2009 Copyright Nia Consulting & Development, LLC 7 Recognizing micro-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.

TM 2009 Copyright Nia Consulting & Development, LLC 8 Once manager is 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”

TM 2009 Copyright Nia Consulting & Development, LLC 9 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

TM 2009 Copyright Nia Consulting & Development, LLC 10Analyze: 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.

TM 2009 Copyright Nia Consulting & Development, LLC 11 Discuss opportunities where you can set the proper stage. _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________

TM 2009 Copyright Nia Consulting & Development, LLC 12 Everyone must talk the same language: 1.Provide Safe Complaint handlers for employees to talk to 2.Confidentiality 3.Ombudsman 4.Open discussion in management and staff meetings 5.Discussion in diversity training 6.Topic for attitude surveys, newsletters 7.Part of ERG support agenda

TM 2009 Copyright Nia Consulting & Development, LLC 13 Starting 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?

TM 2009 Copyright Nia Consulting & Development, LLC 14 Learn to analyze 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

TM 2009 Copyright Nia Consulting & Development, LLC 15 Learn to Respond Exercise Watch Inflections: “I didn’t say he broke the computer” Repeat sentence with an emphasis on each work, each time… starting with I.

TM 2009 Copyright Nia Consulting & Development, LLC 16 To Counter 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

TM 2009 Copyright Nia Consulting & Development, LLC 17 Create Positive Subtle 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.

TM 2009 Copyright Nia Consulting & Development, LLC 18 Positive 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?

TM 2009 Copyright Nia Consulting & Development, LLC 19 Turning things around: (Rate yourself as you are now. (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 (__)

TM 2009 Copyright Nia Consulting & Development, LLC 20 Action Plan Areas for improvement. ____________________ ____________________ ____________________ ____________________ ____________________ ____________________ ____________________ ____________________ ____________________ ____________________ ____________________ ____________________ ____________________

TM 2009 Copyright Nia Consulting & Development, LLC 21 References 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 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 Nia Consulting & Development ™ Presented by Dr. Pamela Johnson, CMC Nia Consulting & Development