Hobson says
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Nov 24, 2024
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Hobson says, “[R]ace is one of those topics in America that makes people extraordinarily
uncomfortable. You bring it up at a dinner party or in a workplace environment, it is
literally the conversational equivalent of touching the third rail. There is shock, followed by
a long silence.” Why do you think it’s so difficult to talk about race and diversity in our
workplaces and institutions? Do you think it has it become easier, or harder, for Americans
to talk about race in 2023? Explain.
It can be difficult to have a conversation about race and diversity in places like
institutions and workplaces since it requires overcoming prejudices and misconceptions as well
as historical and cultural conflicts. It also compels individuals to face their own presumptions
and opinions, which can be dangerous and challenging. Speaking candidly may be impeded by
anxiety stemming from worries about upsetting someone or drawing criticism from others.
Whether or not talking about race has become easier or harder in 2023 is hard to say for sure.
Political polarization, incidences of prejudice, and racial tensions persist despite the
advancements. Conversations about systematic racism and injustice have been generated by the
social justice movements and are being supported by a greater variety of resources regarding race
and diversity.
Hobson says, “We cannot afford to be color blind. We have to be color brave. We have to be
willing, as teachers and parents and entrepreneurs and scientists, we have to be willing to
have proactive conversations about race with honesty and understanding and courage, not
because it’s the right thing to do, but because it’s the smart thing to do, because our
businesses and our products and our science, our research, all of that will be better with
greater diversity.” Identify opportunities you have to be “color brave.” Why do you think
Hobson says diversity will make our businesses and products better?
Seeking out and listening to the viewpoints and experiences of people from diverse
backgrounds is one way to be "color brave". This can include attending workshops or other
events centered around diversity and inclusion, becoming a member of or lending support to
employee resource groups, or simply having conversations with friends or coworkers regarding
diversity and race. Hobson contends that because diversity gives a wide range of perspectives
and ideas, it will improve our businesses and products. When people from different backgrounds
collaborate, they are more likely to question presumptions and come up with creative solutions
for challenging issues.
Your readings discussed influences on organizational culture and methods for maintaining
or changing culture. How do you think these influences and methods could work to foster
open discussion about race and diversity in an organization?
Organizations can foster a conversation among employees about race and diversity by
encouraging inclusive leadership and open communication on these topics. Furthermore,
feedback mechanisms and training and development programs can point out areas where the
organization's culture needs to be improved, assisting staff members in becoming more culturally
competent. Strategies for preserving or modifying company culture can also be applied to
promote candid conversations on racial issues and diversity. These strategies include providing
safe spaces for staff members to discuss diversity and inclusion, educating them about these
subjects on a regular basis, and using data to monitor advancement and pinpoint opportunities for
improvement.
References
Why race is hard to talk about – The New York Times (July 27 2010)
https://archive.nytimes.com/learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/07/27/why-is-race-hard-to-
talk-about/
Be color brave , Not Color Blind Mellody Hobson at TED2014 (March 20 2014).
https://blog.ted.com/be-color-brave-not-color-blind-mellody-hobson-at-ted2014/#:~:text=
%E2%80%9CIt's%20time%2C%E2%80%9D%20says%20Hobson,have%20to%20be
%20color%20brave.%E2%80%9D
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