The Trainwreck of Tranquility: Microaggression Training

For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong. - H. L. Mencken?

Learning and Development is always looking for a new word, trend, and model. And while some models are not useful, the biggest problem is misapplication of concepts.

If someone gave you a bottle of nitroglycerin – highly volatile and explosive – you’d be holding it very carefully. Microaggression training should be treated with the same care. Unfortunately, many organizations have not thought through the consequences of conducting microaggression training.

The idea of microaggression training is to recognize and deal with someone saying something that FEELS hostile or offensive to our identity. These might be questions, assumptions, generalizations, or insensitive statements. I’m 6’4”, and many a time I’ve been asked by supervisors, male and female, in work situations, ‘Can you help us move this desk, big boy.’ And while I’ve never thought much of it, in a world of hyper-sensitivity and ambulance chasing lawyers, microaggression training might not have the result an organization desires.

The concept of microaggression training is well-meaning and part of a psychologically safe environment. In a perfect world, where people were highly aware of their communication nuances, microaggression training would be simple. The post-covid-polarizing-political work environment is nothing close to perfect.

A reactionary comment of ‘that’s crazy’ about an idea shared in a meeting can be taken as a microaggression. Even a simple HR intervention spreads the story like wildfire. The most likely outcome is further employee disengagement.

The current environment is a perfect storm for a L&D (Learning and Development) disaster with microaggression training:

• Less than 25% of employees believe training improved their performance
• More than 70% report they don’t have the skills needed to do their jobs
• Less than 12% apply new skills in their job
• Over 75% of managers are dissatisfied with their L&D function

?Professor of economics at George Mason University, Bryan Caplan, says employees are not learning to learn, they are learning to ‘signal’ with CEU credits for a promotion. And this corruption of intent is used by some employees to signal by any means possible. They’ve discovered ‘the squeaky wheel’ gets the grease – and by grease they mean money. The body of employees squeaking about ‘anything and everything’ is growing larger by the day. Why, because it works.

Offering microaggression training in reaction (reactive versus proactive) to employee complaints is like putting out a fire with kerosine. The reason is a lack of program commitment and development. I understand in our new ‘Kardashian’ and social media world bad behavior has become the norm, and rudeness the duty of the day. It’s difficult to get through a day without seeing someone aggressive to employees or even employees aggressive with each other or customers aggressive with each other.

Microaggression training is not a one-hour, half-day, or even full day class. This program must be part of an extensive organizational development project to be effective.

Microaggression training is rarely effective when participants lack a strong foundation in the skills of psychological bias, conflict resolution, de-escalation, negotiation, comprehension, emotional intelligence, question development, and reading body-language and micro-expressions. Facilitators of microaggression training should have mastery in these areas and more in addition to their instructional design and facilitation skills.

If your employees are complaining about microaggressions, they are focused on the symptom of the problem. Rather than creating a new program about microaggression, rethink your entire learning and development delivery model and work with management on transparency, healthy conflict, social responsibility, emotional intelligence, and communication skills.

If you insist on microaggression training in your learning portfolio, make it an awareness piece for discussion or commit to an extensive organizational development program for business development through employee engagement. As Mr. Miyagi says in the Karate Kid movie, “Walk on road. Walk right side, safe. Walk left side, safe. Walk middle, sooner or later, get squish, just like grape.”

Still thinking about that last sentence. If so, you are beginning to understand the depth of the problem with a generic approach to microaggression training.

Don’t be the company that offers programs in psychological safety and excludes instructors by any factor other than merit. It’s like removing railroad ties and spikes and expecting the trains to not careen off the tracks. The same is true for microaggression training. Treat it as a standard program and the result may be the equivalent of dropping a bottle of nitroglycerin.

? 2022 Jeffrey Hansler

?Jeffrey Hansler, CSP, CMP, is expert at organizational development, leadership, and persuasive communication, which includes skills of innovation, influence, negotiation, sales, body language, micro-expressions, finance, and authority.

?Rona Lewis and Jeffrey are hosts of the Biz-Souls podcast, a podcast delving into the heart and soul of business and the people who make it happen. Biz-Souls is fast paced, funny and informative. https://www.biz-souls.com