A Coachable Offense?
I was thinking about a Vice President I used to work with, who got along with me fine until we met in person. I ammend that--she really liked me. But, we met in person and her mouth fell open at the sight of me and then she walked away. Then, she was outright hostile whenever we spoke. I knew immediately that she had a problem with my race AND color. See, she dealt with lighter skinned Blacks much better and wasn't quite as nasty with them. So, me being Black and dark was just too much. Things got nasty and I demanded to be pulled from working directly with her. Here's where it got interesting...
A white Director admitted that she had an issue with this (pointing to his skin in reference to my color). So, management knew she had a race issue--she also had issues with dark Hispanics.
The answer was to coach her. She wasn't documented in writing. She wasn't put on a 30-60-90 dy probation. She was coached. And, the problems with her continued. More coaching was the solution.
At some point coaching is condoning behavior. Coaching without penalty for someone of her level, who knew better and knew legal consequences meaningless. She just did what she wanted and tried t use race-neutral accusations to hide her real feelings. Blatant racism is not a coachable offense...
It's a fireable offense. That's how a society puts a stop to workplace racism IF that society believes it is wrong.
posted by S. Mary Wills at 7:44 AM
6 Comments:
You should go on over to SBPDL's blog. YOUR mouth will drop at first but I implore you to read as much as you can. Then you will be informed. White, Asian people--almost any other kind of people EXCEPT black people in America are absolutely sick of the black factor hand out sucking our government dry at the expense of all working Americans. It seems to me that you are educated enough so you will GET what the site is about and may even want to chime in. When you have the Jessee Jackson's and the Al Sharptons representing your color for all of America to see--What Do You Expect. NAACP should no longer exist. We have a black president now and blacks work in every sector of American jobs. Quit your crying and buck it up sister. Your kind comes in, ruins home values, and drives up crime rates.
Why do people roll their eyes at you. Take a look at Detroit. Been there lately? As I said--step on over to SPBDL and take a read. You will understand why we don't bother to differentiate any more. Enough is enough.
Oh, and I must add--your own black President wanted to shut down websites--just like yours.
Mary Thank you for your blog!
I'm sure there are many African-Americans who have experienced similar situations in the workplace.
After recently being hired by a company I was asked to forward a copy of my drivers license, one the license was received suddenly the HR staff was no longer friendly with me or going above and beyond to assist with me getting settled into my new position, paperwork was lost, my name was left off the orientation list etc.
Your blog is much needed and I hope that you expand in your format.
I would love to have a dialogue with you about some of the new and clever ways employers are now systematically discriminating against employees, I work in the medical field and there is an on-going problem with new graduates who are African American RNs.
I will subscribe to your blog under LT.
Thank you for continuing to allow comments on your blog in spite of the ignorant trolls.
People such as Anonymous @12:29 and 12:36 need to be banned from this blog. They add NOTHING to this conversation and they're only purpose for being here is to gripe, complain, and disrupt productive conversations.
Anon, STFU, and/or be a man/woman, get a real screen name if you're going to try and start flame wars.
I'm with Lynn. Never, and I mean NEVER, allow anyone named "anonymous" to comment on your blog or in your blog space, ever.
Saying that, I know exactly what you've been dealing with and it's a shame. I've always been lucky though, being in a leadership position and now as a consultant, so people have to deal with me rather than the other way around. A position of power in these situations can be fun. :-)
To Anonymous 4:05 pm
Despite how you feel about "the ignorant trolls", there are studies that show African Americans behavior and treatment reflect the same treatment they receive from others... Physical/ body language/ facial communication are important aspects ... Discrimination and racial prejudice goes far past being recently hired by a company and going through an unfriendly process.. At least you were hired. Truth. With much diversity within the Black culture, unless one attempts to get to know individuals, and not group them like " new graduates who are African American". I'm sure there are other "people" who discriminate. Everyone has prejudices. It's the close mindlessness, fear, and denial I dislike.
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