November 1st, 2006
Reverse Descrimination
During an earlier blog, I mentioned how a white professional commented to me, {as a part of our conversation regarding my executive recruiting business,} he felt blacks have an advantage over whites in corporate America. He went on to say, black women had an even bigger advantage. I thought my friend and engineer by profession was wrong. Many of my black friends confirmed this fact, there is no way blacks have the advantage.
My take; in order to have reverse discrimination, you are in fact acknowledging that discrimination exists. Many whites will not accept this fact. I spoke with a corporate executive, who owns his own company, after a career in a big health care company. My friend who is black, told me that being black is an advantage if you know how to use it. He felt that there is reverse discrimination and often times whites are victimized.
We have important issues to discuss on this blog, but I am interested in what more readers have to say about reverse discrimination, diversity and affirmative action. I commented today on a contact’s blog, Mike Sansone. I told him that we have the same issues as whites in regards to being successful in business. We also have concerns about discrimination and lack of role models. A tactic is to have open dialogue on issues that seperate us and find common ground to develop more productivity for all.
November 1st, 2006 at 2:32 pm
Jim, I have a tendency to discriminate on the basis of competence and aptitude. Skin color, nationality or race don’t much matter to me.
That said, I generally do feel most comfortable around folks who are most “like me.” But that takes in a whole lot more than skin color - values, education, socio-economic factors, hobbies, and on and on.
Race tends to be one of those subjects that gets people all worked up, the same as religion, politics, or money. All these things differentiate us from one another. And I’m thinking most folks, like me, are more comfortable around people like themselves. There are no easy answers.
November 1st, 2006 at 6:15 pm
my dad was an underground miner where blacks and whites worked side by side on their hand and knees due to no room to stand, these guys became best friends, if we focus on common ground or goals we can get by race on a one on one basis, people are people, but on a large scale, there is along way to go. I am glad to here you say most like me takes in a lot. thanks for the comment.
November 26th, 2006 at 7:22 am
This is a very interesting subject and debate, that I thought was worth adding my 5 cents. To make it brief…when it comes to higher level positions and jobs in the corporate world, usually any of the candidates put forth for consideration can do the job. The difference of whom gets it and whom doesnt usually lies within the relationship (defined by compfort level) the decision maker(s) have with the candidate. That is what truly seperates some of the achievers from the non-achievers. And unfortunately the divider is many times….race. I will end with this observation, I made several years ago while at work. As we were all entering the meeting room and being seated at the conference table, one of our very senior managers was taking a place at the table. As he passed by one of the participants (whom held much lower level position at the time), he (the senior manager) placed his hands on the gentlemens shoulder and commented jokingly, “…I saw you come into church late last week…” Now harmless as this may seem, what it pointed out to me was I dont tend the same church, which means I would not be a recipient of the same jester…nor after church converstation on the steps..nor passing of the collection plate from his hand to mine. The point is decisions are made by association and conpfort, which more often than not are made outside of the workplace.
Just an observation.
November 26th, 2006 at 4:46 pm
It is true that small things may seperate candidates from getting top level jobs. As we become a more color blind society, perhaps your thought that both people can do hign level jobs will be true. In my experience, even for mid level manager positions, a black candidate has removed all doubt about their ability to do that job. There may be exceptions but the aspect of let them grow into the job , is reserved for whites only.
As a senior leader in a major health care division, some whites percieved me as racist because I tried to help blacks in the company get a fair shake.I have another blog topic where blacks in college ask if blacks in coporate are sell outs. In many companies, the ones that do sell out are better accepted by the power base.We, in the states have a long long way to go. Brothers like you that continue to fight the fight are a bright light for us all.