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Back when I was a VP of engineering, I remember talking with a man on my staff who needed to fill a senior role on his team. (A thread 
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When I asked if he planned to promote his top employee into the role, he replied that she had young children at home and he felt sure that she wouldn’t want all the travel that would come with the promotion. I countered, saying that this was her decision to make, not his.
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(He decided to make her the offer, which she accepted. She went on to totally rock the role.)
Fast forward to today, and I’m reading about a parallel situation that could be playing out with Black employees.
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Fast forward to today, and I’m reading about a parallel situation that could be playing out with Black employees.
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In an HBR article ( https://hbr.org/2020/06/restructure-your-organization-to-actually-advance-racial-justice), @drevvycarter shares important advice:
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“Now, as many organizations look to give Black employees new flexibility and space to process trauma and take care of themselves, they need to be careful not to let those biases reemerge around who gets what assignment. ...
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... "Managers should not make unilateral decisions about which projects their Black employees should and should not do during this time, which would risk an entirely new lopsided situation where Black employees need to once again ‘prove’ their value or readiness" ...
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... "Instead, managers should collaborate with their Black employees, giving them a choice around how they want to be supported in the coming days and weeks.”
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As I think about assigning project work, on-call rotations, stretch goals, or new organizational responsibilities, I won't make decisions on anyone’s behalf because I think I know what’s best for them. Instead, I'll give them choices.
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(The end)
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(The end)
