Understanding the Power of Microinequities - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

1 / 26
About This Presentation
Title:

Understanding the Power of Microinequities

Description:

Examine definition and explore concepts surrounding micro-inequities ... between rude behavior and micro-inequities is that rude behaviors happen occasionally. ... – PowerPoint PPT presentation

Number of Views:3184
Avg rating:3.0/5.0
Slides: 27
Provided by: VHAMIN
Category:

less

Transcript and Presenter's Notes

Title: Understanding the Power of Microinequities


1
Understanding the Power of Micro-inequities
  • Presented
  • by
  • David Rabb, MA, ACSW, LICSW
  • Executive Assistant
  • Under Secretary for Health
  • Diversity Advisory Board/Office of Management
    Support

2
Purpose
  • To provide an understanding of and an
    appreciation for how micro-inequities affect
    people at home,at work, and at play.

3
Outline
  • Examine definition and explore concepts
    surrounding micro-inequities
  • Provide example of micro-inequities
  • Explore what we can do to minimize the effects of
    micro-inequities

4
Think Back
  • Take time to reflect on a time when you felt
    deeply valued by your boss or co-workers. What
    was the situation and how did your boss or
    co-workers show you that they valued you or your
    contributions?
  • (3 minutes each)

5
Communication
  • The most powerful aspect of communication is not
    verbal communication but nonverbal. It is
    estimated that most adults receive and send
  • 2, 000 to 4, 000 micro-messages (subtle nonverbal
    signals) in a day.

6
(No Transcript)
7
Micro-inequities
  • Verbal or non verbal
  • Conscious or unconscious
  • Subtle or non-subtle
  • Behavior (s) meant to discourage

8
Definition
  • Micro-inequities Cumulative pattern of subtle,
    semi-conscious, devaluing messages which
    discourage and impair performance.

9
Background
  • In 1973, while researching racial and gender
    exclusion in the workplace, Mary Rowe, Ph.D.
    discovered that women and people of color were
    bothered by subtle, seemingly harmless messages
    of devaluation that kept them from flourishing.

10
Examples of Micro-inequities
  • Constantly being interrupted while you are
    talking
  • Being left out of a discussion/project
  • Trying to speak with someone who is
    reading/sending e-mails during conversation
  • Talking with someone who keeps looking at his/her
    watch
  • Not being introduced in a meeting and then being
    ignored

11
Examples of Micro-inequities
  • Avoidance of eye contact
  • Rolling of the eyes
  • Cutting down ideas before they can be entertained
  • Staying on the cell phone with no explanation
  • Mispronouncing your name or misspelling your
    name

12
Examples of Micro-inequities
  • Change in voice pitch, volume, or rate
  • Change in body posture
  • Change in hand movements and gestures
  • Fake, masked or forced smiles

13
Tell Me A Story
  • Please pair up with someone and share with him or
    her a time when a micro-inequity was directed
    towards you or you witnessed a micro-inequity.
  • (3 minutes)

14
Micro-inequities vs. Rudeness
  • The difference between rude behavior and
    micro-inequities is that rude behaviors happen
    occasionally. Micro-inequities happen constantly
    and have a way of boxing a person in or creating
    a less than positive cultural climate.

15
  • Death by a thousand cuts
  • -Alvin Poussaint, Psychologist, Author

16
Exercise
  • Pair up with someone in the room.
  • Take three minutes as a speaker and then switch
    partners and become the listener.
  • The speaker will communicate to the listener
    three things that he/she did last week. The
    listener will send as many negative
    micro-messages as they can in three minutes.

17
Question?
  • What are the potential risks of failing to
    confront or manage micro-inequities in the
    workplace?

18
Examples of Negative Effects of Micro-inequities
  • A feeling of being devalued
  • Low self-esteem
  • Decreased morale
  • A sense that you not being listened to
  • Poor interpersonal relationships

19
Examples of Negative Effects of Micro-inequities
  • Decrease in speaking/sharing ideas
  • Decrease in taking risks
  • Decrease in productivity
  • Increase in discrimination complaints
  • Poor retention and recruitment
  • High turnover

20
Things To Consider?
  • What positive and supportive behaviors do you see
    working for you and your team in your work
    environment?
  • What behaviors get in your/or your teams way in
    reaching mutual respect, positive regards, and
    good outcomes in your work setting?
  • What needs to change?

21
Self
  • I count him braver who overcomes his desires
    than him who conquers his enemies, for the
    hardest victory is over self.
  • -Aristotle

22
  • It takes a variety of
  • people to challenge us,
  • encourage us, promote
  • us, and most of all, help
  • us achieve a broader
  • dimension of ourselves.
  • Glenn Van Ekeren

23
Ways to Minimize Micro-inequities
  • Become aware of your own stereotypes, prejudices,
    and limitations
  • Be aware of your micro-triggers
  • Be open to feedback from others
  • Be able to forgive yourself and others
  • Be able to interrupt micro-inequities and turn
    them into micro-advantages

24
Micro-advantage
25
Ways to Minimize Micro-inequities
  • Be unwilling to be merely a bystander when you
    see micro-inequities occurring
  • Be willing to A.C.T. and seek F.A.C.T. S.
  • Be inclusive. Help people feel welcomed
  • Be willing to learn more about this topic and
    share what you know about the topic

26
Resources
  • Communication in a Diverse Workplace by Lillian
    A. Kuga
  • Cultural Diversity in the Workplace by Sally J.
    Walton
  • Developing Competency to Manage Diversity by
    Taylor Cox, Jr., Ruby L. Beale

27
Summary
  • Microinequities can have a profound impact on how
    we relate with one another. Now that you are
    more aware of this topic, you should be able to
    recognize subtle forms of micro-inequities in
    your world and to respond appropriately.

28
Conclusion
  • How far you go in life depends on your being
    tender with the young, compassionate with the
    aged, sympathetic with the striving and tolerant
    of the weak and strong, because someday in life
    you will have been all of these.
  • -George Washington Carver
Write a Comment
User Comments (0)
About PowerShow.com