5 Things / Recovery

There was a recurring theme this week in my conversations with clients: how to recover after you’ve been called out or accidentally offended someone. Here’s the short answer: don't get dramatic. Apologize sincerely once without diminishing their experience. If you’re corrected, say thanks. Educate yourself, rather than asking them, so you can do better next time.

During an in-person keynote for a corporate client, I was asked a question that took the topic a step further. I was asked, “How much responsibility do I need to continue to take after I’ve offended someone when, after my sincere apology, they remain angry and/or aggressive?”

Here are a couple of guidelines: Remember you don’t know what it’s like to walk in their shoes and it’s a good idea to acknowledge that when speaking with the person. And, after an appropriate period of time, it’s OK to ask, “Is there anything I can do to repair this relationship?”

Here are the good vibes I found this week:

  1. Disabled Models and Designers Take Center Stage at New York Fashion Week

  2. Hearst Joins Employers Expanding Benefits to Include Divorce Support

  3. Twilio Promises ‘Anti-racist’ Layoffs as Ceo Says 11% Job Cuts Won’t Hit Workers From ‘Marginalized Communities’ More Than Others

    • Like many tech companies recently, Twilio announced layoffs, but committed to an antiracist layoff process. In their statement, Twilio acknowledged that layoffs generally disproportionately affect those in marginalized communities, but wasn’t specific about how they applied an antiracist and anti-oppression lens to the process. This matters because layoffs can be riddled with unconscious biases such as affinity bias and confirmation bias, and a “last hired, first fired” approach can contribute to marginalized folks losing their job.

  4. Hot Chicken Takeover’s Mission Is to Hire People Who Might Be Passed Over Elsewhere, Whether Because of Prior Incarceration, Drug Addiction, or Homelessness

  5. Interior Department Completes Removal of “Sq___” from Federal Use


Listen here:

Watch here:

Previous
Previous

5 Things / National Hispanic Heritage Month

Next
Next

5 Things / No Matter Why