Dealing With Race in the Workplace

Carmen Van Kerckhove an award-winning expert on race and pop culture offers five new rules for dealing with race at work.

• Rule 1: Don't be colorblind. (Race still matters because racism is alive and well.)
• Rule 2: Understand that diversity training is about protecting the company, not about educating you.
• Rule 3: When someone tells a racist joke, play dumb. (Racist jokes rely on an unspoken, shared knowledge of racist stereotypes. Without the stereotypes, there is no humor.)
• Rule 4: Think twice before reporting racial discrimination to HR. (Your first step should almost always be to discuss your concerns directly with the person whom you believe is discriminating.)
• Rule 5: Learn about racial stereotypes to advance your career. (Professionals need a clear understanding of their own strengths and weaknesses if they want to take their careers to the next level.)

Van Kerckhove's rules are excellent advice for Ombuds and their visitors. (Brazen Careerist.)