After reading the article Rethinking Political Correctness, I must agree with many of the points made. It has often been said that the oversensitivity to political correctness can hinder the process of productivity and collaboration, but the author did a great job to identify specific instances where it may occur. Another reason why I found this article interesting is because the hypothetical situations were not just areas of opportunity for the majority, but also how minorities can be overly cautious. Identity abrasions can easily occur, especially when either side is very confident that he or she did no wrong. In fact, when a person has been wronged, or accused of being wronged, that person is likely to be dismissive of someone’s concerns in the future. Sadly, that kind of reaction hurts both parties and kills organizational effectiveness. I can understand the example and how it could cause divisiveness, but I believe it wasn’t the remark that fueled the office tension. In that situation, a clear message from the top and an agreement between Tom and the regional manager concerning the appropriate course of action would help get everyone passed this issue. I believe that if those involved can be satisfied, so could the rest of the office. Personally, I believe self-doubt is a larger symptom of a trust and feedback issue. If Sophia was able to effectively ask and receive feedback from her peers concerning her abilities and actions in the office as well as trust her colleagues, she would have a clearer picture if she is being discriminated against, or if she really needs to be more concise. She could then act accordingly. The polarization issue has manifested itself in many situations outside of racial or gender stereotypes. For example, politics has fueled many issues that have fostered isolations. Often people are categorized by their political preference and then are linked to specific characteristics. This is why politics are often not discussed in the office. Not having an empathetic manager directly lead to the issues that occurred in the suspicion and withdrawal example. Even if Bill is wrong and the reviews have nothing to do with his race, the manager has to be on his side to at least thoroughly investigate the issue. That would at least let Bill know that someone is in his corner. The overprotection and underdevelopment example is a classic example of the dangers of oversensitivity to race. A manager cannot walk on eggshells so much that he does not develop his subordinate. The example I can most identify with is the Self-limiting behavior. Just like Julie, who goes out of her way to avoid being viewed in a stereotypical manner, I have been guilty of doing the same thing because of paranoia of fulfilling someone’s stereotype. It often hinders a person’s ability to be expressive and create ideas. In all of the mentioned cases, the result is directly based on how the most senior person involved handles the situation.
Having a lack of diversity and an ability to deal with a diverse team has caused issues in the past at work. While working in a manufacturing plant in southern, rural Ohio, I have experienced what I would consider identity abrasions on a number of occasions. There were also moments when I was so programmed to look for any sort of discrimination that is caused me to separate myself from the group without true cause. Upon my arrival to the plant, I assumed that I would not be invited to the informal gatherings after work so I planned accordingly. I scheduled my week so that as soon work ended, I had other obligations. Because of my withdrawal, I limited the amount of potential cohesion with the team. I also believe I engaged in self-limiting behavior because I could have gained more understanding of the culture and what helps young employees get noticed and advance. I almost sabotaged my career because a simple prejudice I had prior to even arriving to the plant. What surprised me the most was when people asked me why I never hung out after work. At that point I decided to have an open mind and not be guarded just because I was the only minority in the building. Because I corrected my behavior, I was able to further connect with my fellow employees over the next several months. Little did I know, it was the bond I built during that time that would prepare me for the next event that potentially caused divisiveness in the office. When Barrack Obama was elected in November of 2008, there were extremely entrenched opinions about him and what his future Presidency would mean for the country. Being in a traditionally conservative environment, I knew to not express my opinion too loudly. However, since there was an overwhelming majority of people whose beliefs were on the other side, I felt compelled to occasionally express my opinion. I no longer had concerns that I would be discriminated against because of my race. Because I felt comfortable taking a position contrary to the majority opinion, I explained my reasoning and also learned the reasoning of the other side. The best outcome possible came from our discussions; which was nothing at all. There were no grudges held, no lack of further communication, and at the end of the day we still acted as a team and found many other areas which we could all agree.
Ronald A. Williamson, Jr
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