Micro-Aggressions
Micro-aggressions refer to subtle behaviors that lead someone to feel devalued. Even though each instance may seem minor, they add up. They define the tone of the team and contribute to people’s experiences of the climate. In response to these behaviors, you, as a leader, should express disapproval in order to promote greater inclusion.
Another inhibitor for inclusion is what some people call microaggressions. Microaggressions refer to subtle behaviors that lead someone to feel devalued. So here are some examples: Being repeatedly interrupted or spoken over; having others take credit for your ideas; not feeling welcome into a discussion, even when others are aware of your presence; and being the last to receive information about something. If other team members appear to be receiving more microaffirmations, that is, visible signs of support as expressed by smiling and nodding and looking interested, that too can feel like a microaggression. What’s critical to remember is that the power of subtle, non-verbal cues is incredible. Each instance may seem minor, but cumulatively, they define the tone of the team, and determine people’s experiences of inclusion.
