Do Not Discriminate

"The divide of race has been America’s constant curse. Each new wave of immigrants gives new targets to old prejudices. Prejudice and contempt, cloaked in the pretense of religious or political conviction are not different. They have nearly destroyed us in the past. They plague us still. They fuel the fanaticism of terror. They torment the lives of millions in fractured nations around the world. These obsessions cripple both those who are hated and, of course those who hate, robbing both of what they might become."

William Jefferson Clinton,42nd President of the United States


Discrimination can be an insidious and hidden practice within any organization. Executives in many companies can engage in subtle forms of bias without any specific intent to do harm or discriminate against an individual or group of people. Simple carelessness or ignorance can perpetuate a climate of discrimination.

Well, how do you know you or your company might be discriminating? If your boardroom, executive suites, or senior managers all tend to look alike, this is a strong indication that there might be discrimination in your organization. Even if you have a measure of diversity, if key assignments or major projects, or prime territories tend to be allocated to a certain group of individuals, you may have a problem.

The important thing to remember about discrimination is how easy it is to do. There is a certain human tendency to gravitate toward the familiar, the known, and the comfortable. In a business context, you must guard against your natural tendency to favor like-minded people from like-minded backgrounds.

Even in casual or jocular conversation it is important to demonstrate a respect for all persons. Avoid jokes touching on race, ethnicity, gender, physical condition, religion, sexual orientation.

(c) Adonis E. Hoffman, 2008