The article in this series is a part of HRZone’s recognition of National Inclusion Week, 2024 #ImpactMatters.
It is not uncommon for me to see blank or confused faces when I facilitate diversity, equity, and inclusion conversations with leaders.
When I describe some of the common experiences and exclusions that minorities often face, this is what happens.
It could be that a Black man is seated next to an empty seat on a crowded commuter train, while others choose to stand. I could continue.
It is important to note that certain leaders are reluctant to accept claims made without any evidence. These leaders are what I call proof-seeking.
Some leaders are reluctant to accept claims made without any evidence
What is a leader who seeks proof?
Leaders who seek proof make sense based on what they perceive as reality and their own established truths.
They are more likely than not to ignore information that doesn’t match their beliefs.
Leaders of this type prefer to avoid uncertainty and make decisions only after they have all their data.
When it comes to DEI the challenge they face is that either their evidence doesn’t make any sense or there are no supporting evidence.
In my book Beyond Comfort: Why Inclusive Leadership is So Hard (and What You Can Do About It) I describe, for example, a conversation that I had with a White woman senior leader, who explained to me that she had an underperforming Black member in her team.
She spoke to the team member and gave feedback, pointing out the problems. She was stunned and upset to be accused of racism.
History is important
This scenario is extremely complex. We can’t just look at what is going on in the context of this scenario – we have to consider the whole system.
This is the modern society. We can only fully understand it if we study and learn about our history.
We cannot (and should not) ignore the fact that decades of abuse, violence and oppression have made skin color a factor in how non-Whites are treated. It is a fact that permeates all aspects of modern life.
There are unfortunately many racist hate crimes today. There is also evidence of police profiling based on race, and there are significant health differences between Whites and minorities (to mention just a few social issues).
Imagine walking around the world, aware of a part that influences how people react to you. You never know when it will show itself.
It may be subtle. For example, your manager might be less patient with you in terms of your personal development than your White colleagues.
Leaders who are obsessed with data, facts and tangible proof tend to be afraid of the unknown.
How can we know?
This White leader was confident in her impartial behaviour and wondered if her Black team member, who was also a White, played the race card. What does this mean exactly?
It suggests that minorities ethnically use racism as a tool to gain sympathy or special treatment. This delegitimizes the experience of racism, and denies it.
Does that mean, however, that it’s impossible for an ethnic minority to perform below par and still be held responsible?
You might ask yourself, “How will we know?” . Could it be that the White female leader managed her Black teammate in a similar way to how she would manage a White member of her team? Yes.
Could it be that she was acting unconsciously on stereotypes and prejudices, which led her to question the competence of a Black team member faster than she would have if they were White? Yes.
A Way Forward
Unfortunately, there is no simple answer to this problem. It’s a complex issue, and it is intangible.
In a perfect world, the White woman leader would be:
- Would be willing to question her belief that she doesn’t act on biases, and explore her internal narratives and beliefs about her Black team members and Black people.
- It would be brave to open up a difficult conversation with the Black team member and ask what she did or said that made her feel like she was being managed by her race. This conversation should be based on genuine curiosity, not a defensive “prove-it” mindset
- Create an environment in which her Black team member would feel psychologically safe and able to engage in this new open type of conversation, confident that what she shared wouldn’t be detrimental to her.
It is easy to see why these conversations are rare.
Invite new conversations with different colleagues to begin this work.
Pushing through fear of the unknown
Leaders who are proof-seeking and prefer data, facts, and tangible evidence have a tendency to be afraid of the unknown. In many ways, being an inclusive leader is at odds with traditional leadership qualities such as being strong, clear-minded, and in control.
Being open-minded, curious and accepting of others’ ideas, experiences and thoughts is what makes you strong.
It is uncomfortable to entertain the idea that the truth about their leadership career may not be what they expected.
The world is not binary (right and wrong; good and bad; competent and incompetent); it’s important that leaders who seek proof understand this.
Deep, inner work is about understanding that there’s a grey zone in between. This allows us to open ourselves up to new possibilities, new truths, and multiple truths. To begin this process, invite diverse colleagues to new conversations and to be curious about how their experiences might differ from ours.
Nadia Nagamootoo’s debut book Beyond discomfort: Why inclusive leadership can be so difficult (and what to do) is available for purchase right now.
