Is This the Most Transformative Metaphor for Systemic Change?

I’m nothing if not tenacious at finding tools, frameworks and metaphors to help leaders and would-be co-conspirators move away for focusing on optics and tokenism to transformational change with the moral courage to name racism and be specific about your programmes to address is a core part of the day-to-day work I do. ?

The "groundwater approach" is a metaphor used to explain systemic issues related to racial inequality. In this context, it suggests that instead of dealing with individual instances of racial bias or discrimination (akin to addressing the "bad apples" or homing in on the "symptoms"), leaders should focus on addressing the deeper, systemic, and structural issues that contribute to racial inequality (akin to addressing the "contaminated groundwater" that affects the entire "ecosystem").?

I was first introduced to The Groundwater Approach: Building a Practical Understanding of Structural Racism (Racial Equity Institute) by Donald Fan, former Senior Director at Walmart and it features in my book – The Anti-Racist Organization: Dismantling Systemic Racism in the Workplace – and it goes a little something like this:?

The Fish, the Lake, and the Groundwater??

If you have a lake in front of your house and one fish is floating belly-up dead, it makes sense to analyse the fish. What is wrong with it???

Imagine the fish is one student failing in the education system.??

We’d ask: Did it study hard enough? Is it getting the support it needs at home???

But if you come out to that same lake and half the fish are floating belly-up dead, what should you do? This time you’ve got to analyse the lake.??

Imagine the lake is the education system and half the students are failing. This time we’d ask: Might the system itself be causing such consistent, unacceptable outcomes for students? If so, how???

Now… picture five lakes around your house, and in each and every lake half the fish are floating belly-up dead! What is it time to do? We say it’s time to analyse the groundwater.??

How did the water in all these lakes end up with the same contamination???

On the surface the lakes don’t appear to be connected, but it’s possible — even likely — that they are. In fact, over 95% of the freshwater on the planet is not above ground where we can see it; it is below the surface in the groundwater.??

This time we can imagine half the kids in each region are failing in the education system, half the kids suffer from ill health, half are performing poorly in the criminal justice system, half are struggling in and out of the child welfare system, and it’s often the same kids in each system!??

By using a “groundwater” approach, one might begin to ask these questions: Why are educators creating the same racial inequity as doctors, police officers, and child welfare workers? How might our systems be connected? Most importantly, how do we use our position(s) in one system to impact a structural racial arrangement that might be deeper than any single system???

To “fix fish” or clean up one lake at a time simply won’t work — all we’d do is put “fixed” fish back into toxic water or filter a lake that is quickly recontaminated by the toxic groundwater. ?

Here are five reasons why I believe this illuminating and transformative metaphor should be the bedrock for any leadership and HR teams who are seeking to do more than just increase representation and prioritise actions that act as symbols of change:?

1. Understanding the systemic nature of racial inequality ?

The groundwater approach highlights that racial inequality is not simply a series of disconnected incidents but rather a systemic issue deeply embedded within the structure of an organization. Just as contamination in groundwater affects all the wells tapping into it, systemic racism affects all aspects of an organization.?

2. Addressing root causes, not just symptoms?

Focusing on individual instances of racism can be akin to addressing symptoms without treating the underlying disease. Too often organizations wait for something to happen before intervening, the assumption being that if there are no overt instances of racism, then there aren’t any problems to address. The groundwater approach emphasises the need to delve deep into the structural roots of racial inequality to close the inequality gap between what an organization claims versus the experiences of those most impacted.?

3. Creating a culture of anti-racism, equity and kindness?

The groundwater approach insists on developing a culture that acknowledges and actively works against systemic racism. It isn’t just about tasking HR to de-bias recruitment or find more ‘diverse candidates’. It’s an organization wide mindset and approach that involves being consistently alert to the way racial inequality shows up and taking active steps to combat that. The relevance of kindness? Doing the work irrespective of whether the issue only affects the statistical minority within your organization.??

4. Responsibility of leadership?

Just as the health of a water system is the responsibility of those managing it, leaders in an organization have the crucial responsibility to address racial inequality. This means actively seeking to understand, acknowledge, and dismantle systemic barriers, and to create an environment that supports racial equity. That environment allows for decision-making that is not through the lens of comfort, but through one of impact.?

5. Continuous learning and course-correction?

The groundwater approach recognizes that addressing systemic racism is not a one-time fix but requires ongoing effort, learning, and frequent course correction. Leaders should be committed to continuous learning about racial inequality and open to adapting organizational policies and practices accordingly, even if it means conceding power and restricting the ability of leaders and managers to do what they like.?

This article was original published via www.hr-rewired.com and don’t forget you can follow our Company page on LinkedIn right here.

In other news...

Traditional change theories and methods reinforce racism?

I happened to see a post from an individual on LinkedIn who is a consistent and persistent agitator in the space of encouraging and challenging white people to reframe their thinking about systemic racism.?

Philip Mix has written a post about how white Western executives, managers and consultants have used popular organizational design and change theories and methods that centers whiteness and upholds racist ideology based on white supremacy. ?

“We cling to 60+ years of white-conceived change theories and methods and continue filling executive, manager, and consultant roles with people who’ve mastered them.”?

Poking the bear

I’ve kept people busy(!) this last month with my posts since the last newsletter and therefore have selected the ones which have generated the most conversation, reflection and comments.?

It’s neigh on impossible?to talk about and address the aspects of tackling the manifestation of racism in the workplace (if you are doing the work to the right level of depth) without triggering some form of fragility within colleagues and leaders who don’t have the lived experience.?

It's an unfortunate part of doing the work. Look after yourself, hold tight to your boundaries and when it gets too much, ask for help and/or step away, recoup and re-join the fray.

We'll still be here!

White tears?

"White tears" is a term used to describe situations where white individuals express any form of distress, upset (or cry)?within situations involving discussions about race, racism, or privilege.?

The tears themselves are not the issue.?

It’s how they are weaponised.?

These two posts speaking specifically about the weaponisation of white tears in the workplace seemed to have struct a chord and promoted an equal amount of defensiveness.?

Definition of white tears in context of racism https://www.dhirubhai.net/posts/shereen-daniels_theantiracistorganization-activity-7073689989275906048-9M6o?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop?

How to respond if you are on the receiving end https://www.dhirubhai.net/posts/shereen-daniels_theantiracistorganization-conversationsthatmatter-activity-7079373653238272002-u9rh?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop?

Check them out and take a moment to sit with how you feel when watching/listening and then reading the subsequent comments.?

The harm that ensues with focusing on intent over impact?

My message in this post is simple - In no way does dismantling systemic racism involve giving people a pass for racist or discriminatory behaviour because they are still 'learning' or 'they didn't mean it.'?

“How white people stole affirmative action — and ensured its demise."?

Affirmative action has been the topic of conversation in the US, particular?following the case of 18 year-old Jon Wang from Florida, who was denied a place to six elite universities and blamed it on affirmative action i.e. because Black people are taking all the space.?

The article I shared here goes into the history of affirmative action and evaluates how far it has delivered against its original objectives and why this is so important.?

There were a few arguments but mostly respectful dialogue.?

Reframing chattel slavery

John Hope Bryant came through with some hard hitting facts about chattel slavery, it’s link to economic prosperity for individuals and corporations alike. A reframing of an important conversation that is often sidelined and dismissed as an unfortunate period in time with no connections to present day racial inequality.?

Considering the ongoing conversations and pushback about reparations for Black people, this is a timely reminder about why this topic isn't going away anytime soon.

If anyone has any connections to John or his foundation, would you be willing to connect me? ????

One of the biggest scams in Black history

And lastly, because we can all do with a reason to smile, a nostalgic reflection of a staple in many Black households promoted some liberal use of LinkedIns funny emoji.?

Join a few of us for a trip down memory lane.

?? Global travels

I’ll be shortly heading off to the US for 3-weeks to visit clients, deliver keynotes, participate in panels and fireside chats and spend time with non-profits who are committed to doing the necessary work to advance racial equity.?

I’ll be in DC, Connecticut, Atlanta, Minneapolis (looking forward to spending some time with Partners for Education Leadership, Cargill, YMCA, IYF, Barr Engineering, ARCC, Twin Cities and Aveda) and whilst I literally cannot take another meeting, I will be back in the autumn (November 2023) or February 2024 specifically to visit New York.?

??For those who made it to the end of this newsletter (I know it's long so thank you for sticking with me) there might be a pot of gold for you...?

If you:?

• would?like me to meet with any of your executive leaders to share insights from the work we do at HR rewired, I’m happy to make time to support your ongoing efforts.?
• Are interested in having me speak at one of your company-wide events, I have the capacity to support a few engagements while I’m there.?

*Contact details below*

?And...

Pro-bono opportunities?(this is the best bit)

I would love to support the?work of two non-profits based out of New York who specifically working with communities and individuals who are most impacted by racial inequality by speaking at one of your community events?– no fee necessary.??

What do you need to do: send an email to [email protected] with some details of your non-profit (including website links and beneficiaries) and a few bullet points of what you would like me to talk about and why?

Deadline for submissions:?31st July 2023 ?

More info about me as:

Author and speaker - https://shereen-daniels.com/

MD of HR advisory firm - https://www.hr-rewired.com/

Chair of non-profit - https://adeif.org/

My team and I will do our best to reply to every email.?