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Leadership
Don’t Allow Racism To Limit Your Leadership Actions
Outwit Them
“The pessimist complains about the wind. The optimist expects it to change. The leader adjusts the sails.” –John C. Maxwell
Can I See You for a Minute?
One of the most challenging things to confront in upper management is stealthy racism. We address overt racism. Implied racism is hard to identify. It takes a person with strong values and nerves of steel to even approach the problem because it comes wrapped in logic.
I was the Vice President of Operations of a $420 Million site. Corporate hired me because the site was in trouble. I was fifteen months in. I changed my department's hiring practices.
Specifically, I made diversity one parameter by which my team evaluated hiring. The professionals on my team were 100% white when I came on board as their leader. Now, we had 2% diversity (including me) because I am a Black woman. My team was still hiring 97% white males as new associates.
I was working late when the Human Resources (HR) Director poked her head into my office. “Do you have a moment,” she said. The HR director sat down, flipping her long blond hair. “This is an informal meeting,” she said, opening her notebook. “Do you mind if I take notes?”
