ABOUT THE AUTHOR David Maxfield is the author of the bestselling book Influencer, The Power to Change Anything. READ MORE BOOK A SPEAKER

  Dear Crucial Skills,

Do you have any resources related to the Influencer model for dealing with racism in the workplace?

Dealing with Racism

Great question! This year alone, employees from four organizations approached me about how to handle racist incidents. These incidents included nooses hanging over individuals' lockers, swastikas painted on managers' doors, hate language written on bathroom mirrors, and racist epithets used during large meetings.

I will use our Influencer model to show how an organization can set and enforce a "zero tolerance" standard around racism.

Determine the results you want. In dealing with such a nebulous problem like racism, it's important to focus on one result. I recommend your result be to create and maintain a safe and productive work environment that is free of intimidation, threats, or harassment.

Identify vital behaviors. Focus on the behaviors that drive your desired result. I recommend two vital behaviors:
1. Eliminate racist actions, including behaviors that any member of the organization finds intimidating, threatening, or harassing.
2. Promote inclusive actions, including behaviors that support diversity in the workforce.

Build a six-source influence model. Racism is supported by a set of beliefs, behaviors, norms, and structures. The solution must be similarly comprehensive. Our research shows combining at least four, and preferably all, of the six sources of influence creates a solution that is ten times more likely to lead to success.

Below are four sources of influence and suggestions organizations might take.

Structural Motivation: Reward respectful behaviors and punish racism. For example:

 · Establish a zero-tolerance policy for racist talk, writing, and symbols. Make it clear that violators will be terminated as well as prosecuted and that the organization does not distinguish between racist behaviors that happen on the job and those that happen outside of work.
 · Use performance reviews and promotion systems to track and reward people for eliminating racist actions and for promoting an inclusive workplace.

Social Motivation and Social Ability: Use formal and informal leaders to enforce social norms of zero tolerance. For example:

 · Have senior leaders take strong actions that show their commitment to eradicating racism. One of our clients experienced a racial incident that involved slurs written in a men's bathroom. Senior leaders closed the bathroom and brought in private investigators who swept for fingerprints and interviewed employees. The investigation convinced everyone that the senior leaders were serious about eliminating racism.
 · Identify opinion leaders from diverse job titles, departments, seniority levels, and racial groups and have them evaluate, endorse, and partner with managers to lead the initiative.

Personal Ability: Build awareness, share experiences, and teach skills related to eliminating racism and furthering inclusiveness. Have formal and informal leaders train others so they can demonstrate leadership support for the program. For example:

 · Develop knowledge and skills focused on subtle forms of
racism—actions that may be unintentional and yet hurtful.
 · Train people in how to confront and report racist incidents, and make sure they understand their responsibility to report these incidents.

Personal Motivation: To change behavior, make racism a moral issue. People must cringe when they witness or learn of situations involving intimidation, threats, and harassment. Here, the most powerful strategies are those that demonstrate the personal toll of racism. For example:

 · Make the connection between racist actions and violence. Frame the issue in terms of morals and safety.
 · Find formal and informal leaders who can tell their personal stories about racism and its impact in their lives.
 · When staffing facilities, departments, functions, and projects, have people from diverse backgrounds work together. This will build understanding and empathy.

I've used the six sources of influence as a brainstorming tool to generate a wide variety of strategies. The key is to have powerful strategies within each of the six sources, and, given the stakes, a dozen would not be too many.

Now I call on you. Build on the ideas I have here. What have you seen that worked in combating racism? I look forward to learning from you all.

David

related material:
vol. 5 issue 12: Overcoming Past Cultures
vol. 5 issue 45: Combating Racism in the Workplace
vol. 7 issue 10: Responding to Cheap Shots and Personal Attacks

My colleague and her boss had a poor relationship that was the result of two very different communication styles. Her boss is very dominant, focuses on completing tasks and results, and seems to have little concern for personal feelings. My colleague is submissive, focuses on getting along with others, and makes decisions based on others' feelings.

Recently, my colleague had too many responsibilities on her plate but continued to receive assignments from her boss. Not wanting to disappoint him, she moved to silence and began to tell herself victim stories. Eventually, the stress of her heavy workload impacted her health and her ability to balance work and family responsibilities.

When my colleague spoke up to her boss, he felt threatened. He used attacking and controlling behaviors and my colleague felt so guilty that she once again moved to silence and accepted more projects than she could accomplish.

Wanting to help, I counteracted her victim story by asking, "How is your behavior contributing to this situation?" She acknowledged that giving in was the result of a sucker's choice—deciding she could either do what the boss said or be happy and healthy.

She also agreed she needed to have a crucial conversation with her boss about their communication. We used the question from 'Start with Heart' to determine that what she really wanted was the ability to control her workload and provide a professional product within reasonable working hours. She also wanted her boss to honor his commitments to not overload her with assignments and for the relationship to feel safe enough that she could bring up concerns without getting punished.

Next, we discussed the need to make it safe for herself and her boss. I suggested she use a contrasting statement that acknowledged her desire to provide professional work and carry her weight, and to avoid accusing or blaming her boss for her added stress.

She started the conversation by establishing mutual purpose. They agreed that producing inferior work would reflect poorly on the department. They also agreed the she performed above average in both quality and quantity. Next, she moved to the STATE model and related specific examples of times she had been given last-minute work when she was already at capacity or times she had worked without pay. Her boss was willing to negotiate a reasonable workload. Based on her work ethic, he also agreed to not take offense if she needed to speak up about her workload.

As a result, their conversations and working relationship have improved. Her boss is more understanding and balanced in his approach, and my colleague has established balance in her life. She finishes tasks long before deadlines and is given the chance to recharge her batteries. On her last review she received excellent ratings and is now on the list for a promotion.

If you have a Before and After story you'd like to share, please send your story to beforeandafter@vitalsmarts.com. Please include "BEFORE AND AFTER" in the subject line of your e-mail.