May/June Diversity Dilemma: Hidden privilege? Johnny, one of your direct reports, just left your office. He brought an issue to you; now you have to determine what to do. Here's the issue: Amidst recent layoffs and downsizing, you promoted Sid, one of Johnny's peers, to a managerial role. Johnny believes he is just as qualified as Sid and he's frustrated that Sid got the job. Johnny believes you didn't even consider him. Johnny told you he feels lucky to work at a company that hasn't been hit too hard in these tough economic times. He's worked for you for three years, and for the company, eight years. While there have been layoffs, the quality of Johnny's work has never been an issue or a concern. He's been a good worker, reliable and knowledgeable in his field. Johnny is not claiming discrimination - he stated that clearly in your conversation. However, he said he thinks that there are some "systemic issues of privilege" going on and he wants you to address them. He left the meeting saying, "I expect you to do something with this information, or I will have to." What are you going to do? Option 1: You feel mildly perturbed. Sid has three more years' experience and has been a manager before. Johnny has never managed people. You needed someone who could step right into this role and do the job with little supervision. You will bring this issue to HR's attention and then loop back to Johnny to tell him you've done that, that you value his contributions and are glad he's part of the team. Option 2: You have an "oh my gosh" moment. You realize that you picked Sid for some very good reasons and that you never considered Johnny - even though he has a good skill set. You tell Johnny that you are going to take a couple of days to think about what he said and will get back to him. In the meantime, you will sit down with your boss and also with HR to discuss your insights and the potential implications. Option 3: You look Johnny squarely in the eye and tell him that you "blew it". You have so much on your plate, right now, that you are working on max-speed auto-pilot. You never considered other options. You promise when the next opportunity comes up, you'll consider Johnny. Option 4: You realize that this issue could be larger than the Johnny/Sid issue. Even though Johnny did not say this was a case of discrimination, others might not believe that. Regardless, since he raised the issue of privilege, this has to be addressed. You know that these kinds of systemic issues can be subtle and often go unnoticed. This isn't something you've ever thought about. You are a good person; you work for a great company that has strong policies and practices. You decide to take this on - to figure out what the next steps are. - You let Johnny know your plan. Option 6. Other: Read more: View the results of Feb/Mar 2009 Dilemma, Working Together in Planning a Professional Conference Communication: My Way or the Highway View the results of Nov/Dec 2008 Dilemma, No harm no foul? Diversity on a global scale… View the results of Sep/Oct 2008 Dilemma, So, which race are you? View the results of Jul/Aug 2008 Dilemma, Would You Switch Parties to Rise in the Ranks? View the results of May/Jun 2008 Dilemma, Hiring A Muslin Too Risky? View the results of Jan/Feb 2008 Dilemma, A Promotion — is it because of Affirmative Action? View the results of Sep/Oct 2007 Dilemma, Pierced nose? Wild clothes? What to do with a productive "punk?" View the results of Jul/Aug 2007 Dilemma, What would you do in the face of an unclear law? back to top

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