Discretionary Power to Help or Hinder Diversity
I have delivered diversity training to thousands - from firefighters to corporate officers, from journalism students to executive editors. From years of conducting training, three certainties I know: One: Diversity-aware behavior cannot be legislated or dictated because Two: Diversity is a very personal issue and Three: Diversity is contextual, influenced by time & situation.
Nowhere are these realities more evident than in discretionary power. By definition, discretionary power is "having the ability to act or decide according to your own discretion or judgment" and is usually applied to governmental law. However, discretionary power can be exercised by all of us. No matter our jobs and the authority it carries, we exercise some degree of discretion in our various roles. Every time we are in the position to interpret and implement a rule, law or policy, we also have the ability to apply discretion to our actions. The core diversity issue is: in the moment of having this power, how fairly do we act? And what perceptions and biases influence our actions?
Consider this common situation: While driving down a street on which all the cars are going beyond the posted speed limit, a motorcycle policeman pulls you over for speeding. Perhaps his selection of your car is random or maybe it is based on personal perceptions about certain cars and drivers. He may harbor a negative perception about drivers over 50 or men of color driving expensive sports cars, or he may be sympathetic to women in SUVs with young children. Once he pulls you over, he can choose from a range of discretionary actions - give you a verbal warning, write a ticket for the lowest (or highest) fees, test you for impairment or arrest you. He can even offer you a police escort to your destination. Moreover, he can exercise his power with hostility, compassion or neutrality. In each instance, the policeman uses discretionary power to apply the law as he sees fit.
Similarly, discretionary power can be used to help or hinder diversity efforts in the workplace. Whether we are dealing with a poor performer, selecting someone to be promoted or trained, hiring employees or deciding on whom to lay off, the on-the-job discretion we exercise can be an opportunity for arbitrary, thoughtful, discriminatory, courageous or unreasonable action. And we exercise that power even more often in small, subtle ways.
Discretionary power is a simple concept with potential for major impact. The next time you make a workplace decision, put yourself in the "driver's seat" and be mindful of your discretionary choices. How would you want the motorcycle cop to deal with you? Better yet, as the person with authority, how will you deal with others?