How to Intervene When You Witness a Microaggression

微歧視往往是一些無意間排擠或貶低受害者的言行，這種看似細微、稀松平常的行為已經(jīng)成為管理研究與實踐領(lǐng)域的熱門話題。雖然在日常生活和學術(shù)研究中，人們對這一概念的認識日漸提高（僅在過去兩年中，谷歌中“微歧視”一詞的搜索量就翻了一番），還舉辦了非常多旨在引起大眾注意的DEI（多元化、公平性與包容性）研討會，但微歧視問題在少數(shù)群體員工中依然普遍存在，并且會在無形中成為許多DEI工作的阻礙。

Microaggressions — those brief, commonplace behaviors or comments that often unintentionally exclude or demean the target — have become a frequently discussed topic in management?scholarship and practice. But despite the growing understanding of the concept of microaggression in general (Google searches of the term microaggression have doubled in the past two years alone) and in academic research, in addition to the countless number of practical DEI workshops dedicated to raising?awareness, they still remain a common experience for employees from non-majority groups and can be an?invisible barrier?holding back many DEI efforts.

職場中，針對女性、少數(shù)族裔和LGBTQ群體的微歧視普遍存在。這些行為往往以玩笑、在會議中不給發(fā)言機會或酸言酸語詆毀受害者等形式出現(xiàn)?；蛟S你曾見過這種情形：某位女士提出了一個想法，但隨后這個主意卻被記作了某位男同事的功勞。這種事例在工作場所比比皆是，而且給我們想要留住的人才構(gòu)成的傷害會不斷累積。經(jīng)常遭受微歧視的人更容易感覺自己遭到了排擠，產(chǎn)生疏離感，并最終離開自己的團隊和組織。

Women, ethnic- and racial-minority, and LGBTQ people commonly experience?microaggressions?in the workplace. These behaviors often surface in the form of jokes, exclusion of some voices in meetings, or subtle remarks that denigrate the recipient. Maybe you saw a woman state an idea only to have it be attributed to a male colleague later. Perhaps the one Black woman at the office is frequently asked by others if they can touch her hair. Examples like these abound in the workplace, and they can have?accumulative damaging effects?on those we want to retain. Those who experience frequent microaggressions are more likely to feel excluded, to disengage, and ultimately leave their teams and organizations.

筆者二人過去都曾探討過偏見和排擠問題對STEM（科學、技術(shù)、工程和數(shù)學）領(lǐng)域?qū)崿F(xiàn)性別多元化的負面影響（在該領(lǐng)域，女性高管占比依然太低）。在最近一項研究中，我們對STEM領(lǐng)域女性高管遭遇的微歧視問題進行了探究。在此過程中，我們對各類組織或領(lǐng)域中“友軍”（在對抗微歧視方面）所能發(fā)揮的重要作用有了一些有趣的發(fā)現(xiàn)。

Both of us have previously explored the role of bias and exclusion as?stalling mechanisms?in progress toward greater?gender diversity?in STEM careers, an area where women are still very much underrepresented in senior leadership positions. In our?recent research, we explored the experience of microaggressions for women leaders in STEM. In doing so, we uncovered some fascinating findings about the important role allies can play in any organization or field.

職場中的微歧視都有哪些表現(xiàn)形式

What microaggressions look like at work

我們發(fā)現(xiàn)，無論身份、專長，在STEM領(lǐng)域，女性最常碰到的微歧視包括如下三種：

We found that the most common types of microaggressions women in STEM experience surface in three ways that you might recognize no matter your identity or what field you work in:

1.否定受害者的能力。此類微歧視表現(xiàn)為質(zhì)疑、貶低女性技術(shù)能力的言行，例如將女員工的工作重新分配給其男同事；要求女員工的男同事為其他同事或客戶答疑解惑（即便該女員工是相關(guān)領(lǐng)域?qū)＜一蝽椖控撠熑耍辉诳冃гu估期間公開質(zhì)疑某人的技術(shù)能力。

Invalidation of competence.?This type of microaggression emerges as comments and behaviors that question or downplay a woman’s technical skills. Examples included having one’s work reassigned to a male colleague; having both male and female colleagues or clients asking to speak to a woman’s male colleague even though the woman was the subject matter expert or project lead; and openly having one’s technical accomplishments questioned during a performance review.

2.對受害者視而不見。此類微歧視表現(xiàn)為打斷女性發(fā)言以及在會議或見面會上完全無視其存在，愛答不理。

nvalidation of physical presence.?This type of microaggression emerges as interrupting behaviors during which individuals speak over a woman while she is speaking, as well as completely disregarding her physical presence by not acknowledging her during meetings or meet-and-greets.

3.用“煤氣燈行為”及言辭淡化或否認女性遭受的性別歧視。此類微歧視表現(xiàn)為，同事告訴女性說“你所遭遇的情形并非性別歧視”。她可能會給出其他解釋，比如“他沒有性別歧視、他和每個人都是這樣”或者“你不覺得自己在這件事上有些太過敏感了嗎？我壓根都沒注意到”。

Gaslighting behaviors and comments that diminish or deny women’s experience of gender bias.?This type of microaggression takes the form of colleagues telling the woman that what she described was not gender bias — for example, by offering alternative explanations (“He’s not sexist; he’s like that with everyone,” or “Don’t you think you’re being overly sensitive about this? I didn’t even notice”).

頻繁遭遇此類看似無害的“打擊”會給當事女性造成一系列的負面影響，包括負面情緒反應(yīng)（如沮喪、悲傷）、認知過載（如感到不知所措）和過度補償行為（如感到需要不斷“證明”自己或自己確因相關(guān)遭遇而受到了傷害）。此外，隨著時間推移，反復(fù)接觸此類行為會使許多女性在情感上感到疲憊、沮喪。許多受訪人表示，為弄清這些敵視行為背后的意圖和意義，自己耗費了相當多的認知能量，許多人對是否要與侵害者進行對抗感到十分糾結(jié)。

These seemingly harmless, frequent encounters were associated with a range of negative effects for the women who experienced them, including negative emotional responses (e.g., frustration, sadness), cognitive overload (e.g., feeling overwhelmed), and overcompensating behaviors (e.g., feeling the need to constantly “prove” oneself or one’s experience). Further, repeated exposure to such behaviors over time left many women emotionally exhausted and dejected. Most shared that they spent a considerable amount of cognitive energy deciphering the intent and meaning behind the aggressions, and many grappled with whether to confront the aggressor.

日積月累，這些負面影響最終會導(dǎo)致許多女性對自己的技術(shù)能力和工作能力產(chǎn)生懷疑。事實上，我們發(fā)現(xiàn)，反復(fù)接觸微歧視最終可能會導(dǎo)致合格、稱職的女性員工不愿繼續(xù)留在STEM領(lǐng)域或從事該領(lǐng)域的工作。

The combination of these negative effects ultimately made many women doubt their technical competence and ability. In fact, we found that repeated exposure to microaggressions may eventually discourage qualified and competent women from?remaining in?or?pursuing careers in STEM.

微歧視何以如此盛行

Why microaggressions are so prevalent

在大家對微歧視的認識日益提高的背景之下，這一問題為何仍然無法得到根除呢？首先，大多數(shù)微歧視都發(fā)生在細微之處，因而很難發(fā)現(xiàn)。其次，大多數(shù)DEI培訓(xùn)都是一次性活動，雖是邁出了重要的第一步，但卻缺乏發(fā)現(xiàn)、解決微歧視問題所需的持續(xù)性，在實踐技能培養(yǎng)方面也存在不足。

If people are increasingly aware of microaggressions, why are they still such a problem? First, most microaggressions are subtle and can thus be difficult to recognize. Second, most DEI training tends to be offered as?one-off sessions, which are an important first step but lack the continuity and practical skill building necessary to both recognize and address microaggressions.

因此，微歧視日漸盛行，儼然已經(jīng)融入日常工作、企業(yè)文化之中。此外，在現(xiàn)實生活中，常常要由受害者來承擔發(fā)現(xiàn)微歧視行為、教育侵害者的責任，這樣會給受害者造成極大的情感和心理創(chuàng)傷。

Consequently, microaggressions can become so commonplace that they’re often ingrained in everyday work interactions and embedded in company cultures. Further, it’s often left to the target to spotlight the microaggression and?educate the offender, which can take an immense?emotional and psychological toll.

正面對抗侵害者可能也會給受害者的職業(yè)發(fā)展帶來負面影響，因為那些選擇直面自己所遭受的微歧視行為的人員常會被冠上“麻煩制造者”“小家子氣”“過于敏感”或“利用自己的少數(shù)身份牟利”等標簽。

Confronting the aggressor can also have negative professional consequences, as those who choose to address the microaggressions they experience can be labeled as troublemakers, poor sports, too sensitive, or playing the “minority card.”

事實上，研究表明，正面對抗可能要付出很高的代價，如果進行反抗者是受害者本人的話尤其如此?？紤]到個人發(fā)展和晉升的機會在很大程度上要靠個人的人脈和關(guān)系，許多受害者選擇保持沉默也就不足為奇了。

Indeed,?research?shows that the cost of confrontation can be steep, especially if the confronting person is the target. And given that opportunities for development and promotion rely heavily on personal connections and relationships, it’s no wonder why many targets choose to remain silent.

如果任由微歧視行為擴散開來，就會形成互相排擠甚至互相敵視的工作環(huán)境，還會傷害受害者和友好同事之間的關(guān)系。因此，在目睹微歧視行為時，我們能否出手相助就顯得至關(guān)重要。

If microaggressions proliferate, they can contribute to?exclusionary?and even hostile work environments, as well as?weakened relationships?among targets and well-intentioned individuals. It’s critical, therefore, that those who witness microaggressions intervene.

身為“友軍”，如何出手相助

How allies can intervene

作為旁觀者，未能出手相助的原因通常有兩個，一是因為沒有發(fā)現(xiàn)微歧視行為，二是雖然發(fā)現(xiàn)了微歧視行為，但沒有意識到問題的嚴重性。此外，在解釋自己為何不像受害者一樣直接指出侵害者行為不當時，微歧視行為的目擊者常會給出相似的理由，而且對于目擊者而言，與侵害者當場翻臉有時也不一定安全（比如說，目擊者是侵害者的下屬，害怕直接翻臉可能會給自己的職業(yè)發(fā)展造成不利影響）。

Bystanders often fail to intervene because they either don’t recognize the microaggression, or if they do, they don’t see it as?problematic. Additionally, people who witness microaggressions often cite similar reasons for not confronting aggressors as targets do, and it may not always be safe for witnesses to publicly confront the aggressor in the moment (if, for example, the witness is junior to the microaggressor and fears direct confrontation might come with professional consequences).

我們發(fā)現(xiàn)，在當事女性遭遇微歧視時，那些伸出援手的“友軍”（男女同事）在解決微歧視問題、減輕當事女性所受負面影響方面具有重要作用。相較于受害者，“友軍”往往在組織內(nèi)部級別更高、資歷更老、經(jīng)驗更豐富；不過我們也看到過許多同級同事出手干預(yù)的例子，這說明，每個人都可以扮演“友軍”的角色。當你在工作中發(fā)現(xiàn)微歧視行為時，無論身處何種級別，都可以通過如下三種方式扮演“友軍”角色。

We found that unprompted and supportive allies — both male and female colleagues — who intervened and interrupted the negative experiences played an important role in addressing microaggressions and mitigating their effects on the targeted women. These colleagues often had more seniority, tenure, and experience within the organization than the targets; however, there were also examples of peers intervening, suggesting that anyone can practice allyship. Here are three ways you can act as an ally when you witness microaggressions at work, no matter your level of seniority:

弄清楚應(yīng)該注意哪些行為。要想盡可能發(fā)揮好“友軍”作用，我們首先要弄清楚微歧視的不同表現(xiàn)形式，還需要注意，大多數(shù)微歧視出現(xiàn)在細微之處，乍看起來只是一些不經(jīng)意的言行，因此可能會被大多數(shù)人（包括我們）所忽視。也就是說，我們要能發(fā)現(xiàn)微歧視的存在，還要能理解其影響受害者的特定方式。尤其重要的是，我們要聽受害者講述自己遭遇微歧視的故事，從而深入了解那些看似普遍、平常甚至不為人所注意的行為是怎樣對特定人群造成傷害的。

Know what to look for.?To best help as an ally, first, educate yourself about?different forms of microaggressions, and note that most will emerge as subtle behaviors and comments that are often unintended, and thus may go unnoticed by most people — including you. This means understanding and being able to identify the specific ways microaggressions manifest and impact targets. It’s particularly important to listen to targets who share examples of microaggressions, as they can provide insight into how seemingly common, everyday behaviors that you may not even recognize can denigrate certain groups.

路見不平一聲吼。只要時機恰當，在發(fā)現(xiàn)微歧視時可以當即出手相助。正如我們的研究表明的那樣，干預(yù)有時只是舉手之勞，比如在開會上對女同事的想法給予肯定（“瑪麗亞，謝謝你給出的建議，我們不妨就此展開討論”）、打斷插話者（“你等會兒再說，普里亞還沒講完呢”），或者在其他人試圖誣陷女同事能力不足時，肯定她的能力和成就（“我敢肯定，就是瑞秋寫的那條代碼。你應(yīng)該問問她”）。請注意，不要代替受害者發(fā)聲，也不要假設(shè)你懂得他們的感受（“你讓她很不好受”），而是要代表你自己發(fā)聲（“那句話讓我感覺很不舒服”）。

Speak up.?When and where appropriate, address microaggressions when you see them. As demonstrated in our study, intervening behaviors can be as simple as giving a woman credit for her idea during a meeting (“Thank you, Maria, for that suggestion. Let’s explore that more”), interrupting the interrupter (“Actually, Priya wasn’t done speaking”), or highlighting a woman’s competence and accomplishments if others try to incorrectly deny her abilities (“I’m pretty sure it was Rachel who wrote that code. You should ask her about it”). It’s important not to speak on behalf of the target or assume you know how they feel (“You made?her?uncomfortable”), but to speak on your own behalf (“That comment made?me?uncomfortable”).

例如，一位參與研究的受訪者回憶道，盡管她帶頭做了幾個項目，而且是唯一知道如何使用這些項目所需的編程語言的人，但是一幫經(jīng)理在對她進行業(yè)績評估時還是給出了不公評價，認為她“全靠主管照顧”、自己成績寥寥，這時，她的主管公開表達了反對意見。由于主管有過與她共事的經(jīng)歷，完全有資格對她的技術(shù)能力做出評價，在獲得主管撐腰之后，她便完全打消了對自己技術(shù)能力不足的疑慮。

For example, one study participant recounted a situation in which her male director openly challenged the results of her biased performance review among a group of managers who had concluded that she was too far “beneath the director’s wing” and had not accomplished much on her own — even though she had spearheaded several projects and was the only one who knew how to use the programming language necessary for them. Importantly, because the director had worked with her and could speak to her technical competence, his intervention dispelled any doubts she had about her technical abilities.

該出手時就出手。要想幫助女性對抗她們遭受的“心理操控”(gaslighting)，我們要承認她們在工作場所確實遇到了性別偏見。比如我們可以簡單地向她們確認，她們遭受的確實屬于偏見或不恰當行為。

Reach out.?To help women combat the frequent gaslighting they counter, validate their experiences navigating gender bias in the workplace. This can take the form of simply confirming to a colleague that what she experienced was indeed biased or inappropriate behavior.

例如，有受訪者與我們分享了這樣一段故事，在一次會議中，她的發(fā)言一再被打斷，有位男同事注意到了這種情況，并告訴她下次再有這種情況自己會站出來幫她說話，這種做法讓她感覺自己得到了肯定和重視。對于這位女性而言，這種干預(yù)大有裨益，一是因為這是其他同事的自發(fā)行為，二是因為這種支持確認了她因性別歧視所受困擾的真實性。

For example, one study participant shared the validation and appreciation she felt when one of her male colleagues noticed the interrupting behavior she had experienced repeatedly in a meeting and said he was going to address it the next time it happened. This intervention was particularly impactful for the woman because it had emerged unprompted by her, confirming her reality and struggles as a woman dealing with gender bias.

這種特殊類型的“仗義出手”可以私下進行，可能也比較適合不方便公開曝光或?qū)骨趾φ叩那闆r。我們發(fā)現(xiàn)，在緩解微歧視的負面影響方面，私下為女性提供支持也可以發(fā)揮極大作用，比如可以防止她們內(nèi)化對自身能力的錯誤質(zhì)疑，更安心地面對自己STEM專業(yè)人員的身份。他人自發(fā)的肯定也能幫助女性外化威脅，將問題歸咎于侵害者而不是怪罪自己，同時還能幫助她們確認自己擁有留在STEM領(lǐng)域所需的技術(shù)能力，從而獲得更多歸屬感。

This particular type of ally intervention can be done privately and may be appropriate in situations where public exposure or confrontation of the aggressor is not feasible. We found that privately supporting women can still have a powerful ameliorating influence in buffering the negative effects of microaggressions, enabling them to feel more secure and stable in their identities as STEM professionals — by, for example, preventing them from internalizing erroneous assumptions about their competence. Receiving unprompted validation from allies also helped women externalize the threat by blaming the aggressor instead of themselves while confirming their own technical abilities and belonging in STEM.

一方面，組織必須在系統(tǒng)層面解決微歧視問題，另一方面，我們不能讓微歧視的受害者獨自應(yīng)對這種不斷累積、由小變大的傷害，這一點至關(guān)重要。就現(xiàn)實而言，有些時候，仗義出手并不容易做到，在缺乏心理安全感、害怕報復(fù)的組織中尤其如此，即便是“友軍”可能也會瞻前顧后。不過我們可以嘗試讓這種支持行為正?；?，幫助打造一個沒有排他性行為、更具包容性的工作場所。

While organizations must address microaggressions at a systemic level, it’s critical that targets of microaggressions not be left alone to deal with the accumulating effects of these slights. Realistically, it isn’t always easy to intervene, particularly if an organization lacks psychological safety and there is fear of retaliation — even for allies. However, you can normalize allyship behaviors, helping to shape a more inclusive workplace devoid of exclusionary behaviors.

關(guān)鍵詞：職場

珍妮弗·金（Jennifer Kim）艾莉森·梅斯特（Alyson Meister）|? 文?

珍妮弗·金是塔夫茨大學醫(yī)學院（Tufts University School of Medicine）藥物開發(fā)研究中心助理教授，主要研究健康和工作場所公平問題，多元化、公平性與包容性會對個人、集體和組織的結(jié)果產(chǎn)生何種影響也在其研究之列。

艾莉森·梅斯特是瑞士洛桑國際管理發(fā)展學院(IMD)領(lǐng)導(dǎo)力與組織行為學教授，她的研究、教學和咨詢工作主要圍繞卓越領(lǐng)導(dǎo)力培養(yǎng)與團隊建設(shè)、工作場所幸福感與包容性組織建設(shè)等領(lǐng)域展開，研究成果得到諸多期刊刊載，2021年，她獲得Thinkers50 Radar思想領(lǐng)袖稱號。

劉雋 | 編輯