5. Strategies & practices to implement

Question 1

What are the two principles of how women can reduce prejudice and discrimination against them?

Answer 1

1. Blend competence with likability
2. Build social capital

Question 2

What is the underlying logic of the first principle for women to reduce prejudice against them?

Answer 2

Blend competence with likability –> If a woman “can’t win” by acting either competently OR warmly, acting BOTH warmly and competently solves this problem.

Question 3

In what ways can women show their competence?

Answer 3

• Master job-relevant knowledge and be exceptionally well prepared for meetings
• Beyond task knowledge: leaders derive competence through monitoring, advising, encouraging, directing, sanctioning, solving interpersonal and technical problems
• Achieve success at challenging work. However, because women may not be offered these assignments, they have to actively seek experiences that qualify them for promotions.
• Taking credit for accomplishments in a friendly and collaborative manner. E.g. invite others to react to her suggestion and help her develop it further, acknowledge the help of collaborators
• Low-pitched voice conveys competence
• Standing out and believing in yourself (self-fulfilling prophecy)

Question 4

How can women improve their likability?

Answer 4

• If directing others, combine it with being verbally supportive and expressing warmth non-verbally (smiling, looking at people who are speaking)
• Demonstrate that they are (and profess to be) “cooperative team players”
• Use people-oriented, inclusive (rather than authoritarian) leadership style

While “blended” leadership style is usually effective, some environments allow few deviations from traditionally masculine leadership
- People scrutinize women’s behaviors in masculine environments for any signs of weakness
- In these environments, sexual harassment is common; firmly explaining that such actions are unacceptable is effective
- Communal solutions (blending) aren’t the solution to the extent that they compromise competence (not all leaders are universally liked)
- To minimize weakness displays, emotional displays (anger or crying) are advised to be avoided

• E.g. if you are a mother or a volunteer, make it known! (a woman who violated PS is already viewed as competent, so demonstrating your ‘womanly’ side won’t cost you the competence ratings)
• Demonstrate administrative (proactivity, directness, get-things-done attitude) rather than ambitious (power-seeking, self-promotion, want-to-be-recognized attitude) agency

Question 5

What is the underlying logic of building social capital? (women’s second method)

Answer 5

Build social capital –> If a woman has to continuously prove her competence and warmth, having other people vouch for her warmth and competence would help with that effort.

→ Those who have good relationships with colleagues (both within and outside their organization) are more likely to rise to positions of authority.

Question 6

How can women build their social capital?

Answer 6

1. Joining and participating in networks

• With other women; to reduce feeling of isolation
• With men; for more powerful networks
• Flattery to peer directors and advice-giving leads to more board appointments for white men, but not for women and minorities

2. Acquiring a mentor. Mentors:

• Teach proteges about their organizations or professions and help them obtain good assignments (instrumental help)
• Provide encouragement, acceptance, friendships (socio-emotional help)
• Should be sought out by new hires formally and informally (male mentors are associated with more financial compensation)

Question 7

Why is is women’s responsibility to change the system?

Answer 7

Would not make sense to have a top-down approach where the minorities historically excluded are still excluded in the process

Question 8

How can women overcome catch-22 in negotiations?

Answer 8

• Come prepared to negotiations (if you have facts about typical salaries for the position you are applying for or if you have another offer, your request will be seen are “fair” rather than “greedy”)
• Focusing on mutual gain negotiation strategies can enhance social and material outcomes. WHY? (violates PS by focusing on yourself, but by also focusing on the other, you show compassion…)
• Identify source of bias to reduce the influence of such bias
• Reduce ambiguity as to what is negotiable
• When women negotiate on behalf of each other, they are not seen as violating PS

Question 9

What are the three strategies for alleviating negative reactions for LGBT professionals?

Answer 9

1. Acknowledgement. Openly addressing one’s stigma helps with reducing pity, contempt, and disdain. Works because it:

• Addresses and not ignores underlying tension in interactions
• Demonstrates that individuals are well-adjusted

2. Individuating info. Divulging information that enables the perceivers to see them as individuals rather than representatives of stigma. Works because it:

• Reduces reliance on stereotypes

3. Increasing positivity. Altering behaviors (verbal/non-verbal) in ways to increase likability in interactions (e.g. smiles, “I am excited about the possibility of working here!”). Works because:

• Liability about individual will cloud negative stigma-related reactions

Question 10

What are inward focused strategies for minority professionals (race, religion, etc), and what are the downsides of it?

Answer 10

Consistently, professionals are recommended to “affirm values” or “focus on developing a growth mindset”

→ This has costs for individual and team performance and confirms the very stereotypes one attempts to dispel.

• Does not actually increase social inclusion, competence, efficacy, or performance
• Preoccupation with self and loss of sight of implications of own actions for others
• By disassociating more from his/her out-group, one avoids conflict that continues to fester beneath the surface, constraining ability to form relationships necessary to advance change

Question 11

What are outward focused strategies for minority professionals (race, religion, etc), and what are the benefits of it?

Answer 11

Broadly, they involve talking about differences openly and reconciling any conflicts head on and early on with members of majority out-groups

Having goals to: advance broad social ideals, contribute to task, and strive to achieve organizational mission
→ Legitimizes discussion of cultural experiences and gives minority groups validation for their cultural self-identities
→ Interactions are treated as a signal to inquire rather than defend → stronger interpersonal relationships within the team
→ People can more easily draw on their cultural knowledge to rethink the team’s primary tasks, increasing the team’s ability to leverage its diversity for performance gains
→ Infuse meaning in people’s lives by connecting with others

Question 12

What are DEI initiatives and what are the 3 general types?

Answer 12

Diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives: Specific activities, programs, policies, and other formal efforts designed to promote organizational culture change related to diversity

1. Diversity recruitment
2. Diversity training
3. Formal mentoring programs

Question 13

What is the definition of diversity recruitment strategies?

Answer 13

Strategies aimed at increasing diversity within organizations by increasing the numbers of change the characteristics of individuals who are willing to consider applying for or accepting a job.

Question 14

What are the four types of diversity recruitment strategies?

Answer 14

1. Depicting organizational diversity in recruiting materials
2. Language and info in recruitment ads
3. Affirmative action, EEO or diversity management program advertising
4. Female and racial minority recruiters

Question 15

What is the logic of Depicting organizational diversity in recruiting materials and what does research show about it?

Answer 15

Logic: Applicants are most attracted to organizations whose workforces reflect their own demographic characteristics.

Research:

• Black students rated an organization as more attractive, as % of black employees pictures in the recruitment ad increased (no effect on white students)
• Mixed messages (promoting diversity while maintaining an all-male board) lead to negative organizational perceptions (diversity washing)

Question 16

What is the logic behind Language and info in recruitment ads and what does research show about it?

Answer 16

Logic: Certain information/words in an ad can persuade or dissuade women from applying for a position.

Research:

• Using feminine phrases (e.g. “We are committed to deliver” vs. “We are determined to deliver”) increases job appeal for women
• Competitive compensation schemes that depend on relative performance (vs. uncertain payoffs) disproportionately deter women from applying for positions

Question 17

What is the idea of ffirmative action, EEO or diversity management program advertising?

Answer 17

• Include messages at the bottom of hiring ads aimed at ensuring that hiring outcomes are based on individual merit regardless of group identity
• Could either be “identity-blind” (ignoring characteristics of applicants) or “identity-conscious” (targeting specific demographic group)

Question 18

What can be said about identity conscious recruitment strategies / quotas?

Answer 18

Identity-conscious programs are more effective in attracting more diverse applicants but can have unintended adverse outcomes.

• Meta-analysis: Candidates hired under affirmative action are perceived as more incompetent; perceived stereotyping by others leads to stereotype threat, which then leads to lower performance
• Approval of quotas is high in an environment where women are actually disadvantaged in the selection process (e.g. selection process prioritizes stereotypically masculine skills), but low where women are not disadvantaged
• In organizations that reinforce movement of female engineers into managerial roles, these women struggle with work-life balance to a greater degree.

Question 19

What is the logic behind Female and racial minority recruiters and what does research show about it?

Answer 19

Logic: “Similarity attracts” logic is employes, and minority recruiters are asked to be present during the job fairs.

Research results are inconsistent:

• Some find that minority applicants are more likely to submit job application to a minority recruiter
• Others find that recruiter-applicant ethnicity match improves liking for recruiter, but not organizational attractiveness

Question 20

What are the two ways to eliminate bias from recruitment?

Answer 20

1. “Blind” evaluation (when possible) significantly increases the likelihood that female job candidates are selected
2. Evaluation nudge: an intervention in which job candidates are evaluated jointly rather than separately regarding their future performance

• Reduces gender bias because it forces evaluators to focus on candidates’ performance rather than their identity

Question 21

What are the two types of diversity training initiatives?

Answer 21

1. Stressing the importance. Used to stress the importance of diversity goals, explain diversity strategy, align goals, and explain benefits to organizational employees
2. Creating behavioural change. Used to create behavioral change aimed at improving relations among organizational members.

Question 22

Which is the most common type of “stressing the importance” diversity training?

Answer 22

Employee orientation program

• 60% of employees who attend such orientation report diversity management practices as more important than those who did not attend such orientation
• After attending, employees are able to identify advantages of diversity

Question 23

What are the two versions of “creating behavioural change” diversity training?

Answer 23

1. Skill training
2. Awareness training

Question 24

What is skill training and is it effective?

Answer 24

Communication skills, conflict resolution skills, and sexual harassment management

Skill training is only effective if certain conditions are met:

• Are employees ready for training?
• Are they aware they have skill deficit?
• Are they confident they can learn these skills?

Question 25

What is awareness training and is it effective?

Answer 25

Aims to increase awareness of cognitive processes (e.g. stereotypes) that may lead to discrimination and differential treatment

• E.g., Trainer provides factual info about why people for prejudices toward out-group members
• Unfortunately, by itself, awareness training is ineffective. Knowing about stereotypes is not sufficient to reduce prejudice. It needs to be coupled with motivation to be fair.

Question 26

What is the typical flowchart of organizational diversity training?

Answer 26

1. If unaware of their biases –> Awareness training
2. If aware of and motivated to eliminate biases –> Self-regulation training (improves skills related to controlling stereotype use, e.g. self-observation)
3. If aware of but not motivated to eliminate biases: Two options:

• Increasing motivations: Creating strong organizational norms against bias & clear rules for avoiding bias in HR policies
• “Forced contact” between majority-minority under 4 conditions:
  1. Equal status employees
  2. Share common goals
  3. Encouraged to cooperate
  4. Interaction supported by higher-ups

Question 27

What does meta-analysis suggest about outcomes of diversity training?

Answer 27

• Reactions to diversity treating lead to strongest outcomes (“the trainer changed my life”)
• Diversity training had strongest effects on cognitive learning (trainees acquire knowledge, e.g. knowledge about cultural diversity issues: people reminded of scenarios they covered in training during real life)
• Diversity training effects diminished with time
• Mandatory training more effective for behavioral learning (development of trainees’ skills, assessed via self-reports or implicitly identified skills (e.g. situational judgment tests based on a set of scenarios) but voluntary training was perceived more favorably)
• Longer training led to more positive reactions

Question 28

What are some other evidence-based tips for promoting inclusivity?

Answer 28

• Employers efforts to promote meritocracy as a core organizational value ironically yields unintended negative consequences manifesting in women receiving lower bonuses
• Using broad-based stock options given to >50% of the workforce → psychological ownership → positive firm benefits from racial diversity (i.e. better performance, stronger organizational commitment, and lower voluntary turnover)
• Men start to back up diversity initiatives when they feel psychological standing (e.g. subjective judgments of legitimacy to perform and action) in the issue (can usually come from the management)
• Multiculturalism is generally associated (correlated) with high quality intergroup relations. In contrast, the effects of identity-blind ideologies vary considerably
  → use identity blind before entering organization, then multiculturalism

Question 29

What are formal mentoring programs?

Answer 29

Involve developmental relationships between mentors and mentees, which can take many forms (e.g. dyadic relationship between a junior and a senior person, team mentoring)

Question 30

What is the difference between formal and informal mentoring programs?

Answer 30

• Informal (ones initiated by mentor and mentee) are very effective at increasing career development and advancement
• Formal (ones initiated by organization) are less effective because mentors are less motivated due to lower identification with the mentee

Mentor-mentee similarity on race and gender facilitates liking and psychosocial benefits but only white male mentors are associated with greater mentee salary

Question 31

Can mentoring enhance advancement?

Answer 31

• Mentor (especially powerful ones) can be helpful if they influence stereotypes of person in charge of promotion decisions for women and minority group members (=advocacy)
• Mentors can also help reduce stereotype threat in women and minority group members (by directing employee attention to self-improvement and development, rather than comparing one’s performance and outcomes with others) –> This leads to higher performance, which leads to higher promotion rates

Question 32

Can mentoring enhance employee retention?

Answer 32

Results are mixed:

• Yes - mentors facilitate employee socialization and aid in adaptation to work role
  But employees rate senior coworkers as more helpful in that regard because formal mentors are not available often enough
• Yes - group mentoring programs increase overall number and strength of participant network ties (which make employee feel more included)
• No - mentors often raise unrealistically high expectations, so people quit when these expectations are not met

Question 33

What is the summary of what can/can’t be expected from diversity recruitment DEI initiatives?

Answer 33

Generally effective at increasing diversity of the workforce.

But, Research on effectiveness should be interpreted cautiously:

• Most research done on students
• Not enough research on how each initiative interacts with others
• Very few studies have examined initiative effectiveness on employee retention

Question 34

What is the summary of what can/can’t be expected from diversity training DEI initiatives?

Answer 34

Generally effective at increasing awareness but not always effective at eliciting behavioural change

Question 35

What is the summary of what can/can’t be expected from formal mentoring programs DEI initiatives?

Answer 35

Some potential to increase advancement and decrease turnover of women and minorities.

But: a lot depends on mentor, so organizations should train supervisors in providing a mentoring function

Question 36

How can organizations ensure achievement of diversity goals through supervisors?

Answer 36

Supervisor as diversity manager:

• Their diversity missteps can lead to discrimination, inconsistency or abuse of the diversity policies
• Plays critical role in recognizing and rewarding employee diversity skills when they are displayed on the job
• Likely source of on-the-job mentoring, development and sponsorship

–> Link diversity outcomes to their compensation/bonuses for greater responsibility taking

Question 37

What are the 3 reasons behind organizations’ motivation to increase diversity?

Answer 37

• Discrimination-and-fairness
• Access-and-legitimacy
• Integration-and-learning

Question 38

What is discrimination-and-fairness motivation and what impact does it have on inclusivity?

Answer 38

Providing equal opportunities and eliminating discrimination in its practices.

Attracts, but does not retain diverse workforce

Question 39

What is access-and-legitimacy motivation and what impact does it have on inclusivity?

Answer 39

Gaining access to diverse markets and customers

But, creates competition and resentment between organizational units

Question 40

What is integration-and-learning motivation and what impact does it have on inclusivity?

Answer 40

Capitalizing on different insights and skills as valuable resources for advancement of organization’s mission

But: conflict due to different points of views brought up (within organizational unit competion)

Question 41

How may access-and-legitimacy & integration-and-learning motivations impact minorities?

Answer 41

Minorities may feel a lower sense of organizational identification since “diversity as business case” approach does not merely recognise different social identities, but instead justifies attending to these when forming expectations about individuals’ work

Question 42

What is the takeaway message about organizational motivation for inclusivity?

Answer 42

Motivated by only a single diversity perspective leads to problems. For diversity initiatives to be effective, multiple diversity perspectives should be embraced. (Good to have several different reasons. Benefits of one offsets drawbacks of the others.)

Question 43

What are the two ways to ensure diversity goals achievement?

Answer 43

1. Supervisors
2. Organizational influences/motivations