A useful workplace term? The short answer, in the workplace, is no. Putting aside whether the word should be used as a part of the current political and media debate, my experience in the workplace is that flinging that word around doesn’t help anything.
Warring definitions. Everyone has their own definition of what the term racist means. Politicians this week fussed and fumed about how and when to use the word, as did various media outlets. Contributing editor Ben Zimmer summarized in The Atlantic on July 17, the long history of the dictionary definition of the term.
Even Merriam-Webster joined the fray, tweeting their definition of the word. As the debate intensified, the dictionary added a tweet (who knew dictionaries could tweet?) with the usage notes to the racism entry, which counsels that “when discussing concepts like racism…it is prudent to recognize that quoting from a dictionary is unlikely to either mollify or persuade the person with whom one is arguing.” My sentiments exactly.
People become positioned. At work, using this word simply sends the quarreling parties to their corners, from which they are unlikely to return. Once there, they remain and dig in. People rarely agree that they are racist. On the other side, the users of the word refuse to back down from suggesting that the offending party is indeed racist. No one agrees and nothing is resolved. The argument continues over what that word means and whether the behavior meets the term’s definition.
What Should You Do?
As a leader, avoid being pulled into the debate. Instead of arguing about whether someone’s behavior is racist, focus instead on the whether the behavior is correct under the law, your policy and your organization’s values. It’s much harder to dismiss these standards.
Investigate what was actually said or done. Before issuing your own opinion, make sure that your lawyers or your HR leaders have done a fair and thorough investigation of the facts. Many conflicts arise without taking this step, leading to arguments with no agreement about what behavior the dispute is actually about.
Read more about how to conduct investigations correctly in the following Monday Memos:
Bryan Williams’ Investigation and How To Do Investigations Right
Important News About Confidentiality in Workplace Investigations
Focus on a specific behavior. No one can know what is in another person’s heart or mind. Labeling someone rarely leads to effective resolution or the desired change of behavior. After an investigation, we can determine what they have said or done. At that point, you can decide whether the behavior is acceptable under the law, your policy or your values.
Focus on education. Once you decide whether a violation has occurred and whether the offending party or parties will be terminated, you can educate your staff. Focus on future behavior if the party(s) will remain employed, instead of making them feel bad or wrong. Make sure that your education efforts support the whole team, even if not everyone participated in the behavior. Frequently, the only reason that behavior has continued is that the culture of a workplace turned a blind eye. Educate managers and co-workers to intervene.
For more articles on this topic, go to:
Is That a Racist Remark? What You Need to Know as a Leader
Want to Stop Racism? Start With Yourself
What Do You Think?
How do you handle this issue? What has worked? Call or write us at: 303-216-1020 or Lynne@workplacesthatwork.com
July 22, 2017
