Whenever a company gets hit with a racial or sexual discrimination lawsuit, you know what’s going to happen next:
Diversity training! Yes, that’s right. The company is going to bring in a “diversity consultant” to “train” the employees and show them how to “value differences.”
It’s happening right now, as a matter of fact. In order to settle a class action race discrimination lawsuit, Nike recently paid out a $7.6 million fee (even though it denied all allegations!) and agreed to court-ordered diversity training.
The suit was filed in 2003, and among other things it claimed that managers at the store:
• Used racial slurs to refer to black workers and customers;
• Segregated black employees into lower-paying jobs as stockroom workers and cashiers, rather than giving them high-paying sales jobs;
• Made unfounded accusations of theft against black workers, and instructed store security to monitor black employees and customers because of their race.
And according to a stoy in the Associated Press, under the terms of the agreement, “Nike also must make a host of other changes to address diversity, such as appointing a diversity consultant to monitor the Chicago store’s compliance and a compliance officer at Nike’s headquarters in Beaverton. The company must also add an ombudsperson at the store and conduct diversity training for all supervisors and managers there.”
Oh, boy. Here we go. So now a “diversity consultant” is going to come in and “monitor” things, eh? How do you think that’s going to go? I can imagine some of the exchanges that will take place:
Diversity consultant, talking to a security guard: “I notice that you’re looking at that black salesperson rather closely. Why? Do you think he’s going to steal something?”
Security guard: “No. I try to watch everyone.”
Diversity consultant: “Because you know it’s wrong to just watch black people right? You better start watching some white people, too. I’m here to monitor that, you know.”
Security guard: “I know. I got the memo. I spent a good chunk of this morning watching white people. And after lunch I’m gonna look at some Hispanics. I respect differences. I don’t trust anybody.”
Diversity consultant: “Good. Carry on. But remember, I’m watching you the way you’re watching them.”
And as if it’s not bad enough that someone is going to be “monitoring” people, what about the mandatory “diversity training?” How do you think that’s going to go? I can only imagine the conversations in that room:
Diversity Trainer: “Why did you feel the need to tell security to monitor black employees for theft more than white employees?”
White Manager: “Because black people are more likely to steal, aren’t they?
Diversity Trainer: “No! Why do you suppose you think that?”
White Manager: “Well, I watch a lot of cop shows, like NYPD Blue, and all the black people on there are usually criminals. And you know that prison show on HBO, Oz? I don’t know, it seemed like there were a lot of blacks in that prison.”
Diversity Trainer: “Do you see how the media is shaping your views of black people? What other assumptions do you have?”
White Manager: “Well, most black people are in gangs, right? And don’t they all use their welfare checks to buy crack? That’s what my Uncle Leo says, and he’s pretty smart about stuff like that.”
Diversity Trainer: “Wrong again! See . . . that’s why I’m here. That’s what this training is about. You need to understand that just because their skin is a different color than yours doesn’t make them any different.”
White Manager: “Oh. Okay. I guess that makes sense. I never thought of it that way before.
Diversity Trainer: “That’s why I’m here, my man. That’s why I’m here.”
Think that conversation would ever happen? As the Brits say, not bloody likely!
I guess the problem I have with this forced diversity “training” is that you can’t change a lifetime of views and prejudices in a two-hour session with a trainer.
The only “diversity training” that matters is what you get at home, growing up. If by the time you grow up and leave home to start your own life, you’re convinced that black people are more likely to steal than white people, do you really think a mandated corporate “training program” is going to convince you otherwise?
Probably not. But at least the company’s ass will be covered for the next lawsuit.
Comments (12)
Steve Crescenzo. Doing more for race relations in one blog post than Larry David does in an entire season of Curb Your Enthusiasm.
I agree with your sentiments, Steve. It is ridiculous to think that a "diversity consultant" can change the way people think and feel and talk in just a few hours. However, that is assuming this is Nike's approach to diversity training. Perhaps it's more comprehensive. I'm thinking movie screens, chairs, restraints and eye clamps (see: A Clockwork Orange).
Seriously, though, corporate "diversity training" probably fails to strike at the heart of racism, but at least it might help extinguish it from the workplace so, for example, an African-America doesn't need to feel belittled for the eight or so hours he's at work because of the overtly racist jerk he works with.
Finally, if you aren't already familiar with it, I suggest everyone watch this 3 minute clip from The (American) Office on diversity day.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2o_eJ7p96mA
Posted by Michael Sebastian | August 7, 2007 1:22 PM
Posted on August 7, 2007 13:22
Amen, Amen from the choir.
And don't forget the other piece of this whole thing . . . some editor will get to write a story about the whole thing and take a picture of a bunch of captive "students" sitting at a conference table with easel paper taped up all around the room. Woohoo! I have (in the past, mind you) written that story in my sleep at least half a dozen times.
Posted by Laurel | August 7, 2007 4:47 PM
Posted on August 7, 2007 16:47
Of course, it'll work! I learned all my deeply ingrained beliefs and ethics from paid consultants!
Perhaps I should do the training. I'll tell them how, in high school, some of my white friends practically stole the fixtures off the walls because security was too fixated on me.
Posted by Marcia | August 7, 2007 6:00 PM
Posted on August 7, 2007 18:00
In my experience, the people who willingly go through diversity training are the ones who don't need it in the first place. As for the people who are forced to go through diversity training - well, it's not going to make a bit of difference for them, is it?
Posted by Andrea S-R | August 8, 2007 12:13 PM
Posted on August 8, 2007 12:13
What's astounding to me is how *bad* some of the training is.
Our company's diversity training program tried to make us all more accepting of one another's viewpoints by making sweeping statements about how Hispanics are more focused on their families and Asians have x characteristics, etc. The training itself was far more offensive than anything I've seen happen in the office.
Posted by Allen | August 8, 2007 4:49 PM
Posted on August 8, 2007 16:49
You are all so right . . . Allen, I've never yet met someone who said they benefited from diversity training.
I've met people who have benefited from training about different types of personalities in the workplace, but the diversity stuff? It's always a waste of time, because of what you guys have said here:
1. The people who need it don't do it.
2. Even the people who NEED and are forced to do it won't benefit from it, because of what Allen said: It's all bullshit, sweeping generalizations that do exactly the opposite of what they are supposed to do!!
YET . . . these diversity consultants make tons of money with this crap.
Steve C.
Posted by Steve C. | August 8, 2007 5:39 PM
Posted on August 8, 2007 17:39
I agree with the comments so far, you can't legislate or force tolerance or sensitivity to differences on people, teaching that's a parent's job.
I have had training in one or two places however, where instead of telling us how to "think" they explained:
1) Here is what is considered acceptable, and unacceptable behaviour in this company
2) Here (to the managers) is how to address instances of unacceptable behaviour you either witness or have reported by your employees, including the support and tools to do that.
3) Here (to all employees) is how we will respond as an organization, to unacceptable behaviours, and you are responsible for your own behaviour now that you've been advised.
Personally, I thought that was a more effective way to go. By clearly defining what is and is not acceptable behaiour in the workplace, and making each employee responsible for their behaviour, you then have a way to manage to it and nobody can say "I didn't know"
Plus it takes away that weird "group think" "let's all just hug and sing Kumbaya" flavour which is creepy as well as useless!
Posted by Kristen | August 9, 2007 7:42 AM
Posted on August 9, 2007 07:42
Kristen:
I couldn't agree more. Telling people how to think is silly. Telling people how they are allowed to ACT is perfectly acceptable. It's unfortunate that we need to tell people that calling your admin Sugar Lips and pinching her ass first thing in the morning is unacceptable . . . but there you have it.
Steve C.
Posted by Steve C. | August 9, 2007 8:01 AM
Posted on August 9, 2007 08:01
I've never had to go through diversity training with any company. I've often wondered how horrible it was...Allen - that's exactly how I pictured it. I'm Italian, can I still be devoted to my family?
Like any other personality trait, you're not going to change it unless the person wants to be changed. And I haven't met any bigoted, prejudiced people pining for change, not since the last "after school special" I watched.
It's a simple CYA tactic, from what I'm hearing.
Posted by Rebecca (token IT Goddess) | August 9, 2007 8:07 AM
Posted on August 9, 2007 08:07
Steve - was that last reference just a general comment or was it a veiled reference to the staff meeting etiquette in another of those coveted peeks inside the mysterious inner workings of Crescenzo Communications??
Cindy? Are you there? Care to comment on that?
Posted by Kristen | August 9, 2007 5:34 PM
Posted on August 9, 2007 17:34
Hi Kristen!
1) Steve won't attend staff meetings. The last time I attempted one I found myself and my two cats staring at each other while Steve took off on his bike to El Jardin.
2) If Steve just simply pinched my ass and called me Sugar Lips it's considered a pretty calm, ordinary day. There are no behavior standards here at Crescenzo Communications.
I too, hate the idea of diversity training. No one makes fun of it better than this episode of The Office. It's by far one of my favorite episodes. Check it out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2o_eJ7p96mA
Posted by Cindy C. | August 11, 2007 8:16 AM
Posted on August 11, 2007 08:16
I attended a diversity training session 14 years ago and I still have emotional scars from it. It basically teaches a) white people to hate themselves and b) "people of color" to hate and resent white people, especially white men. One traumatic experience put all of us who weren't white men in a circle separate from the WMs, and then the "trainers" encouraged us to express our volatile hatred for and contempt of white men, while the white men were forced to listen and watch. It was like something out of a Communist "re-education" session from the Maoist era. I wish now that I could go back in time and apologize to every single white man I dissed while participating in that "exercise." "Diversity" as an ideology is simply institutionalized hate propaganda.
Posted by Mary | October 31, 2007 9:19 PM
Posted on October 31, 2007 21:19