Donna Chrobot-Mason

The challenge of leading on unstable ground: Triggers that activate social identity faultlines

Today’s leaders face unprecedented challenges in attempting to manage interactions between social identity group members with a history of tension in society at large. Research on faultlines suggests that social identity groups often polarize in response to events that make social identity salient, resulting in negative work outcomes. The current research extends the faultlines literature by examining precipitating events (triggers) that activate a faultline. Qualitative interview data were collected from two samples of employees working in multiple countries to identify events that had resulted in social identity conflicts. In the first study (35 events), an exploratory approach yielded a typology of five types of triggers: differential treatment, different values, assimilation, insult or humiliating action, and simple contact. A second qualitative study (99 events) involved a more geographically varied sample. Research findings are discussed in terms of implications for the faultlines literature and for practicing leaders.

The Psychological Benefits of Creating an Affirming Climate for Workplace Diversity

Workforce diversity has been described as a double-edged sword; it has the potential for positive and negative outcomes. To better understand why and how diversity leads to positive outcomes, we examined the relationship between employee perceptions of diversity climate perceptions and intent to turnover. We explored the role of four psychological outcome variables (organizational commitment, climate for innovation, psychological empowerment, and identity freedom) as possible mediators of this relationship. Racial and gender subgroup differences were also examined. Survey data were collected from 1,731 public employees. Findings suggest that when employees perceive equal access to opportunities and fair treatment, intent to turn over decreases. Furthermore, these relationships are significantly mediated by psychological outcomes. Implications for diversity management and training are discussed.

Managing Racial Differences The Role of Majority Managers’ Ethnic Identity Development on Minority Employee Perceptions of Support

Potential sources of variance were examined to explain within-group differences in White managers’ abilities to manage non-White employees. Majority manager and minority employee survey responses were matched to form 142 superior-subordinate cross-race dyads. Ethnic identity development, ethnic group self-identification, education, and participation in diversity training were measured. Additionally, the relationship between ethnic identity and minority employee perceptions of managerial support were examined. Results show that almost 20% of the majority respondents defined their ethnicity as something other than White. Findings suggest that majority members who perceive themselves as a minority (e.g., German American) may have developed a higher ethnic identity as a result of exploring their own ethnic background. Although education and participation in diversity training were not related to ethnic identity development, a significant relationship was found between the interaction of manager and employee ethnic identity and managerial support. Implications for corporate diversity initiatives are discussed.

Illuminating a cross-cultural leadership challenge: When identity groups collide

When societal conflicts between social identity groups spill over into organizations, leaders face the formidable challenge of attempting to bridge differences and manage the conflict in order to accomplish work. After reviewing the literature on intergroup conflict, workplace diversity and social identity theory, we examine four potential leadership strategies for managing identity-based conflicts. The four leadership strategies are decategorization, recategorization, subcategorization and crosscutting. Examples drawn from an interview-based study are used to illustrate theoretical constructs found in the literature. We then consider each of these strategies in cross-cultural contexts and generate propositions to reflect differences in the effectiveness of the strategies in collectivist versus individualist cultures.

A Theoretical Exploration of Manager and Employee Social Identity, Cultural Values and Identity Conflict Management

As social identity conflicts based on ethnic origin, religion, caste, and so on, erupt around the globe, we investigate what may happen when these conflicts carry over into the workplace. In this article we explore possible employee responses to an organizational manager when the manager is attempting to prevent or reduce the intensity of social identity conflict in the workplace and the conflict is attributed to relatively non-fluid characteristics of social identity such as ethnicity, nationality, caste, or gender. We propose that employee responses to manager influence depend on: (1) whether the employee and manager are members of the same or different social identity groups, (2) whether the employees are members of the dominant or non-dominant group in the society at large, and (3) the shared influence of the embedded—autonomous cultural dimensions and the hierarchical—egalitarian cultural dimensions.

Second hand smoke: ambient racial harassment at work

– Like “second hand smoke,” the harmful repercussions of racial harassment may extend well beyond the target to impact others at work. This study seeks to examine the “second hand smoke effect”, or ambient racial harassment, which involves exposure to racial harassment aimed at others. The paper examines race differences in awareness of racial harassment and explored work and health‐related outcomes associated with exposure to racial harassment. It also examines organizational tolerance for harassment as a moderator of these relationships., – A diverse sample of 245 employees from three data sources were surveyed. One data source involved White and Black employees in the same organization; the others worked in a variety of organizations across the USA., – Whites were less likely than Blacks to be aware of racial harassment, even when employed in the same workplace. However, awareness of racial harassment predicted negative job attitudes and psychological strain for both Whites and Blacks. These relationships were amplified by perceptions of organizational tolerance for racial harassment., – The study documents ramifications of ambient racial harassment and illuminates a racial divide in awareness of harassment at work that may exacerbate racial conflict and prevent needed organizational change., – The paper extends the construct of ambient racial harassment by measuring a range of overt and subtle forms that vary in type and intensity, and by examining the role of organizational tolerance for racial harassment as a moderator of the relationship between ambient racial harassment and work and health‐related outcomes.

Developing Multicultural Competence to Improve Cross-Race Work Relationships

As the workforce continues to diversify, it will become increasingly important that organizational leaders develop specific skills to manage multicultural issues and interactions. A theoretically-based diversity training program to develop multicultural competence in trainee participants was evaluated using a pretest–posttest nonequivalent-control-group design. Results showed positive change in reactions to interracial situations at work, awareness of psychological privilege, and lower modern racism attitudes, even after controlling for pretest scores and diversity of life experiences. Results also support a link between training and multicultural competence in the workplace. Implications for practitioners, trainers, and diversity researchers are discussed.

Intrapersonal and Interpersonal ARIA Process

In this chapter, the theory and application of the ARIA conflict engagement is further explored through an interpersonal mediation involving two people who differ along race and gender lines. We illustrate this process through the metaphor of music and highlight the role of mediator as conductor. Examples of both solo and duet work are explored as part of the conflict engagement process.