As our country sits enraged about numerous moments of injustice, racial tension and police brutality, we still have to get up, go to work and “wear the mask.†For some in the Black professional community, this has been a challenge. A host of questions circled in the heads of Black professionals after Officer Darren Wilson was not indicted on any charges in the deaths of Mike Brown in Ferguson, Mo., Freddie Gray in Baltimore Md., or after more Black men and women are unjustly shot dead in the streets by police officers.
You may think, ‘How am I going to go to work tomorrow angry? How am I going to avoid any uncomfortable conversations with coworkers? How will I respond to insensitive and ignorant questions or comments? Will people expect me to be the resident expert and voice of the Black community?’ All of these questions are valid and speak to the larger issues of how events in society trickle … or bulldoze … into our workplace environments as well.
[Related: President Obama Condemns Violence in Baltimore Riots]
So, I pose the question: Is the workplace sheltered from the events that occur in our larger national and global society?
The answer is, no.
We are all embedded within society-at-large, our nation, our communities, our families, and our workplace environments. While each space may have different sets of people,
norms, and expectations, a person’s core identity (i.e., race) is still a constant existence through all of these spaces.
In the case of all of the recent racially-toned police shootings, one’s Black identity has been prompted to stand at attention. This level of racial alertness is directly connected to how much a person identifies with their racial identity. If you have a high identification with your racial identity, race-related events impacting your racial group will be a more intense trigger, than if your racial identification is low.
Various psychological theories, such as Social Identity Theory, suggest that our identities (in this case race) influence the way in which we connect to, engage in, and process our
environment. So, it is important for us to understand that it is a natural process to feel as though these events are directly impacting your emotions, attitudes, thoughts, and behaviors. The question becomes how do you respond and how should your workplace environment respond.
The responses that we have to societal events at work connect directly to two factors:
- One’s level of emotional arousal
- One’s level of identity threat
In the case of the deaths involving police, there is a high level of emotional arousal. There are feelings of anger, fear, disappointment, sadness, disbelief and even rage. When a person believes that their identity or identity group is being attacked, judged, or harmed, there are also high levels of identity threat. This combination of emotional arousal and identity threat, leaves an individual in a place where anxiety, stress, ambiguity and uncertainty can take over one’s thoughts and behaviors.
Check out five steps to cope on the next page …
This also makes for a frustrating existence at work following recent events. James Baldwin once said, “To be a Negro in this country and to be relatively conscious is to be in a rage almost all the time.” While this is true, we also know that bringing rage, negative emotions and hostile behaviors to work is not conducive to professional success. It only allows for more potential negative evaluations to be perpetuated.
The question becomes, ‘How do I balance this conflict with being emotionally aroused and threatened as a member of the larger Black community, while engaging at work productively and positively with my colleagues?’
Acknowledge, yet control your emotions. Emotions are real and they can be consuming. This is why it is important to actively acknowledge them so that you are in control of the emotions. Losing your cool or going off on a coworker about a news event is not ever going to be positive for your career outcomes.
Talk it out with like-minded people in your support system. When emotions are running high, dialogue and discussion can help to relieve some of the tension.
Don’t feel the need to be the racial representative at work. Everyone has a different racial lens that influences their thoughts, therefore, no one person can explain a universal Black view.
Know the norms of your work environment’s culture. If there is a norm in the workplace that includes not discussing political and social issues, then it is best to align with the norms of that culture. If you are in a work culture that supports freedom of thought and perspective sharing, then that is a safer opportunity to engage in the dialogue about societal issues.
You have the right to choose your response … or not to respond at all. There may be coworkers, Black or not, who feel like you should say something. Don’t forget that you control your stance, brand and identity at work. Don’t allow others to influence your decision about how to confront racially or politically charged conversations.
What are ways that you have managed your emotions and societal views at work? Share your comments and tweet me your perspectives at @DrAtiraCharles
Atira Charles, Ph.D., a New York native, is currently an assistant professor of management in the School of Business & Industry at Florida A&M University and CEO/Lead Organizational Consultant for Think Actuality, LLC. As one of the youngest business scholars in the country,Dr. Charles’ research, consulting, coaching, and training facilitation seeks to shed light on and further understand the unique narratives revolving around the manner in which individuals manage their differences while striving for professional and organizational success.