Monday, May 18, 2015

Did he REALLY just ask me that question? A Board President who has no filter!


The Glass House journey is constantly full of surprises, challenges and most of all, opportunities.  Whether I am presenting before a group, delivering a keynote address or teaching, I can honestly say it's been years since I've been nervous or unsure.  Indeed I get butterflies here and there, but that's good because it keeps my creative juices flowing.  I  never want to get to a point of being too self-assured.

I was fairly excited to meet with a particular arts organization in Walnut Creek for a leadership opportunity.   The meeting was about two weeks ago and I was told in advance that I would be meeting with the Board President and three Board Members, and there would be twelve questions prepared for me to answer during this meeting.  This was all very familiar given my experience before groups over the years.

The first 15 minutes of the meeting went smooth, at least for me, and then something very strange happened.  Let's just say, it was very strange to me.  The Board President struggled with his next question --- one that was 'not' on the pre-prepared list, and he admitted to struggling because he prefaced his statement by saying:  "I don't want it to sound racial". 

At that moment, I used my peripheral vision to scan the faces of the other Board Members who clearly were uncomfortable and on edge about what their Board President was leading up to.  He continued to struggle and then said, "Walnut Creek looks like me....older white people. Would you have a challenge with that?"

I had about  two seconds to have an out-of-body experience before responding and I never took my eyes off of him since he started that particular question.  The first words out of my mouth were, "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.  It is my belief that this organization has been stagnated with doing the same thing so you have chosen to take an innovative approach, coupled with the experience you knew I brought to the table, and hence I am here.  So, I think this is a question for you because clearly you knew who I was before I arrived.  Do you have a challenge with who I am?" 

It would take a thesis statement to tell you the details of the discussion that followed this extremely disappointing, off-putting, egregious and disrespectful question from the Board President of this arts organization.  Really?  Seriously?  Let's not talk about the very obvious -  this man knew that I was a Commissioner for Contra Costa County Arts & Culture, Board VP for the SF/Oakland Chapter of the California Diversity Council, and yet he appeared very comfortable in his behavior, withstanding his 'struggle for words'.

The next day I received an email requesting a follow-up telephone conversation with two of the Board Members.  On that call, I was extended an offer to continue the selection process and meet other team members.  After declining that offer, I suggested they consider governance training for their entire Board and I would deliver those services, for a fee, given my Board Source Certification in that area of training.  I further shared that I could tell by the body language and conversation that followed the Board President's discriminating question to me, that they were aware of the legalities that could ensue.  Proper governance training may have avoided such questioning.  However, the elephant in the room is the culture and dated thinking of the Board President that has been accepted by the group is really the most damaging to the arts field and it speaks completely against the milestones that have been in the area of Diversity & Inclusion.

In 2015...the 21st Century....Imagine that!  And go!
 
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9 comments:

  1. Another case of 'unconcious bias'?

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  2. Replies
    1. Fabulously countered my sis and beautifully placed with your response. You know who I am, can you handle that? Ouchie

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    2. The true test was whether his board demanded at the very least a public apology to you and to them. Better yet, step down as board chair or off the board completely!

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  3. Someone on his Board needs to speak seriously with him. He should also step down.

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  4. I just wanted to commend you on taking your time and cultivating an appropriate response, which I'm sure is not what he expected. He was waiting on the neck and eye rolls with some snaps or something. Thank you for schooling them in the most appropriate way. Hopefully they take you up on your offer.

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  5. Your declining their offer to continue the interview process coupled with a recommendation that they get governance training was well-played and pitch perfect! Keep your head up and teach.

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  6. In the account you shared, we're talking about the white-normative culture of privilege reflected by the arts org's Board chair. His unskillful framing of his thoughts and comments demonstrates that, within the culture he's used to, wherein he enjoys power and privilege, HE THOUGHT he was being thoughtful and inclusive by raising the issue in the way he did it. Even if we give him the benefit of the doubt of having good intentions, it's clear that he was projecting his own discomfort with you onto you, with the phrasing of his question. He's unaware of his own power and privilege within the culture of that organization, that community, and the larger context of the culture of white, suburban people. When people think they are the it/mainstream/prevailing culture, they want everyone else to fit into it.

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  7. I so wish that I could think that fast for an appropriate retort!

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