Reducing and Responding to Microaggressions with Martine Kalaw

From The Modern Manager: Microaggressions are harmful words and actions that stem from biases and stereotypes. They’re subconscious, meaning we may not even realize we’re being offensive or biased. The damage they inflict can be long-lasting and impact how individuals relate to us and the entire company. As managers, it’s our responsibility to create a professional work environment that fosters understanding and listening, so all people can feel safe and supported at work.

Today’s guest is Martine Kalaw. Martine is an Elevation Strategist – she shifts mindsets, builds bridges & delivers results. She is the author of Illegal Among Us, experienced being an undocumented immigrant, and is a DEI Consultant.

Listen to the podcast here.

Key Takeaways:

• Microaggressions are actions or words that are unintentionally offensive, stemming from biases and stereotypes.
• 40% of people leave their jobs due to microaggressions.
• Microaggressions come from biases rather than personal encounters. The more diversity on the team, the fewer microaggressions.
• Microaggressions are diminished when there’s more than one person from that background on a team.
• Set aside 10 minutes during 1-on-1 meetings to ask for feedback to learn if you said anything harmful or if the person has experienced any harm.
• When informed of a microaggression, don’t react defensively. You don’t need to agree to be an ally. Listen to understand rather than defending your honor.
• Engage in solutions together. Consider what could be said/done differently.
• Ask your employee’s permission to ask follow up questions so it doesn’t feel like an interrogation. If it’s not the right time, address it at a future date.
• Show vulnerability that you are on this DEI journey and admit your mistakes. Employees will respect you for your growth mindset.