I was very grateful to see this post on top of my LinkedIn news section. And more than that people using a professional networking platform to talk directly about what is going on in this country. This comment from an organizational consultant is spot-on:
I know many white leaders of mostly-white companies or teams who are paralyzed right now. If this is you, you're keeping an eye on current events and know that we're living through a moment of racial reckoning on top of a global pandemic. You want to show that you care, and that you're trying to be supportive, but don't know the right thing to do or say. Here's a quick (non-exhaustive) guide.
She goes on to offer some no-nonsense, actionable advice. I hope that the people she is referring to will pay attention and take charge. I would say her observation applies just as much to leadership of all races not just white or mostly white. No one in particular is less paralyzed. They have to strike the right note, not display any personal or political bias in their statements, keep the organization feeling like a safe and neutral space for all their employees and also come across and sensitive while not alienating people in intangible ways.
Balancing these things is no easy feat and hence the paralysis. There reasons why this is specially hard depends on the racial mix of the leadership team - each posing a different kind of problem.
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