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Conversations about Privilege
24 May 2012
Workplace Diversity in Australia Conference
Beverley HillAssociate Director, Equity and Diversity
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2013 Centenary
Only W.A. University until mid 1970s
One of the Group of 8 leadingresearch intensive Universities
24,000 students
4,000+ staff
80+ language groups represented
65 hectare campus, listed on
Register of the National Estate
The University
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Unconscious Bias
Refers to stereotypes about groups of people that
individuals form outside their own consciousness
Replicates the social hierarchy and influences behaviour
Results in decisions and actions based on perceptions ofpeoples gender, race, class, and other characteristics
Often completely incompatible with our values
Perception and reality can disconnect
Is well documented and pervasive
Implicit Association Test http:implicit.harvard.edu/
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How Unconscious Bias Manifests at Work
Evaluations of resumes and job credentials
Letters of recommendation
Academic esteem
Auditions
Pay gaps
Distribution of mentoring, coaching, sponsorship
The construction of merit
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Four Layers of our Diversity
Functional Level/
Classification
Geographic
Location
Personality
AgeGenderRace
Ethnicity
Physical
Ability
Sexual
Orientation
Management
Status
Union
Affiliation
Work
Content/
Field
Work
LocationSeniority
Marital
StatusIncome
ParentalStatus
PersonalHabits
AppearanceRecreational
Habits
EducationalBackground
Work
ExperienceReligion
Division/
Department
Unit/
Group
Adapted from Marilyn Loden & Judy Rosener.From Diverse Teams at Work, Gardenswartz& Rowe
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A fish is the last one to know what
water is .
The invisible knapsack of advantage and fit
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Privilege and Fit
An invisible package of unearned assets which I can count on
cashing in each day, but about which I am meant to be
oblivious
A weightless knapsack of special provisions, assurances, tools,
maps, guides, codebooks, passports, visas, clothes, emergency
gear and blank cheques
privilege is the flipside of discrimination
as much a psychological matter as a material one
its about awareness and responsibility, not guilt
one way I personally experience privilege and power is ..
Peggy McIntosh: White Privilege and Male Privilege
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Understanding Privilege
Diverse social systems are characterised by a majority
group and a number of minority groups
Privilege is described as those conditions and
circumstances enjoyed by a person because they are a
member of the majority group at any given point in time
Majority group refers to the largest group, with the
minority group having fewer members represented in the
social system
Majority group also signifies the group that has
historically held advantages in terms of power and
economic resources
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The way things are done around here
When the organisation invites people of 'difference into its
culture, it is usually the people and not the culture that is
expected to change
Consider organisational behaviours that are taken for
granted:
how meetings are conducted
how consultations are managed
how feedback is received
how merit is constructed
These are not constructed as racial or gender issues but
are presented as neutral, necessary and normal elements
of organisational culture
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The way things are done around here
Dominating the conversation
Reframing or invalidating the experiences of others
Heroic leadership
Valuing the product over the process
The idea that logic, reasoning and linear thinking do
not involve emotion
Being agenda bound cultural norm of the agenda
driving the process, approached in a linear fashion
Hollins and Govan
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Self-reinforcing Cycle
Lowered achievementrate
Accumulation of
disadvantage
Performance underestimatednot encouraged
Positioningand Evaluation
bias
Unconscious
bias
Lack ofcritical mass
or fit
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Addressing Privilege at Work
Individually
Check yourself mindfulness
Be an Ally advocacy
Believe the impact walk in the shoes of others
Organisationally
Distinguish your organisation by inclusive practice
Target recruiting, positioning and evaluation
Mentor across allnetworks
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Courageous Conversations about Race
Cultural Competency:
a set of skills that allow individuals to increase their
understanding of cultural differences and similarities
within, among and between groups..... and to incorporatethat understanding into professional practice, such that
all social groups are treated with respect and in
recognition of differing needs Nunez
Surfacing undiscussables
To what extent does race impact on my life?
The power of narratives and conversation
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Opinion
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Way of Life
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Handing of Problems
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The Boss
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ALLY Network
Provide a visible network of identifiedAllies to the GLBTI
community (DSG)
Create a safe, encouraging, inclusive and affirming
environment
Build support and advocacy network active Champions
Develop further awareness and visibility of GLBTI staff
and students and their issues
Forge cultural change from the local level
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Heterosexual Privilege and HeteronormativityHeterosexual people:
will not fear rejection from friends or workmates if they talk about their partner,
social life
will not become adept at the use of third person impersonal pronouns
will not be in a position of having to lie about their lives to avoid exposure
would not consider their sexuality or gender identity a factor in not getting a
job, promotion
will not hear comments such as that heterosexual looking one over there
can hold hands with their partner without being stared at or have comments
made
do not have to fear assaulted because they are straight
UWA Ally Workshop Manual
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Achievement Relative to OpportunityAR2O
Assumptions around normative and ideal workers
Assumptions around career paths and human capital
Not a special consideration ordeficitapproach
Generational change
Reconceptualising Merit the what and how of
measurement
Employees career an organisational (and national)
investment the what and how of performance planning
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Embedding AR2O Principles
Academic promotions
Professorial appointments and appointments more widely
Internal grants
Workload models
Career opportunities
Discretionary allowances
Leadership Development for Women, career seminar
Qualitative study of career pauses, diversions and hijacks
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Inclusive Leadership
Personal openness, approachability, emotional
intelligence, maturity, empathy
encouraging empathy, self-disclosure, psychological
safety, collective identity and shared goals in staff
inclusive, open environment
A high level of gender and cultural competence
Learning from mistakes and discomfort
Having courageous conversations capacity building
Supported by an overarching workplace culture of
inclusivity practice
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Leaders and Cohesive Teams
Create an environment that is optimal for peoples
learning and working together .
where different perspectives are the end game Deloitte
Analyse accurately the impact that various people have
on processes and outcomes
Balance processes and outcomes (inclusiveness as a
process)
Be an agent for systemic and cultural change and for the
development of all
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The Diversity Agenda for each of us
Identity: Who am I? What am I what worth?
Inclusion: Do I leave aspects of my identity in the car park?
Performance & Achievement: How is meritconstructed in this workplace?
Cultural Competence: How intellectually andemotionally comfortable am I around diversity?
Social Justice: Have I examined my position on a range ofsocial issues?
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Responses Questions?
www.equity.uwa.edu.au
(08) 6488 3791