A list of
The Tactics of Supremacy Culture.
Based On Dismantling Racism: A Workbook for Social Change Groups, by Kenneth Jones and
Tema Okun, ChangeWork, 2001 (edited by Juan-Carlos Franco)
Overview:
1. Perfectionism
2. Sense of Urgency
3. Defensiveness
4. Quantity Priority
5. Worship of the Word
6. Paternalism
7. Either/Or Thinking
8. Power Hoarding
9.Fear of Conflict
10. Individualism
11. Progress Priority
12. Objectivity
13. Right to Comfort
1. Perfectionism
Examples:
- Little appreciation expressed for the work that others are doing
- More common is to point out inadequacy
- More common to rumor about inadequacies of another human or
their work without confrontation
- Mistakes are seen as personal
- Making a mistake is confused with being a mistake, doing wrong with being wrong
- Little energy put into reflection or identifying lessons learned
that can improve practice, no room for learning from mistakes
- Tendency to identify what is wrong over the ability to identify, name, and
appreciate what is right
Antidotes:
Develop a culture of appreciation, where the organization takes time to make sure that peopleís work and efforts are appreciated.
Develop a learning organization, where everyone can make mistakes where those mistakes offer opportunities for learning; create an environment that’s open to outcome.
When offering feedback, always acknowledge the things that went well; When offering criticism, ask for specific suggestions.
Develop a culture of appreciation, where the organization takes time to make sure that peopleís work and efforts are appreciated.
Develop a learning organization, where everyone can make mistakes where those mistakes offer opportunities for learning; create an environment that’s open to outcome.
When offering feedback, always acknowledge the things that went well; When offering criticism, ask for specific suggestions.
2. Sense of Urgency
Examples:
- Sense of urgency makes it difficult to take time to be inclusive, encourage democratic and/or thoughtful decision-making, to think long-term, or to consider consequences
- Frequently results in sacrificing potential relationships for quick or highly visible results, for example: sacrificing interests of communities in order to win individual victories
- Reinforced by funding proposals which ask for too much work and offer too little money, by funders who have no real connection to the labor involved.
Antidotes:
Set realistic workplans.
Emphasize leadership that understands: things often take longer than expected
Discuss and plan for what it means to set goals of inclusivity and diversity, particularly in terms of time and effort.
Learn from past experience how long things take
Write realistic funding proposals with realistic time frames
Be clear about how you will make good decisions in an atmosphere of urgency
Set realistic workplans.
Emphasize leadership that understands: things often take longer than expected
Discuss and plan for what it means to set goals of inclusivity and diversity, particularly in terms of time and effort.
Learn from past experience how long things take
Write realistic funding proposals with realistic time frames
Be clear about how you will make good decisions in an atmosphere of urgency
3. Defensiveness
Examples:
- The organizational structure is set up to try to prevent abuse and protect power as it exists rather than to facilitate the best out of each person or to clarify who has power and how they are expected to use it
- Either/or thinking causes criticism of those with power is viewed as threatening
- People respond to new or challenging ideas with defensiveness, making it very difficult to raise these ideas, and lowers incentive to bring new ideas to the table.
- A lot of energy in the organization is spent trying to make sure that people’s feelings aren’t getting hurt or working around defensive people
- The defensiveness of people in power creates an oppressive culture
Antidotes:
Understand that structure cannot in and of itself facilitate or prevent abuse.
Learn to understand the link between defensiveness and fear (of losing power, losing face, losing comfort, losing privilege)
Work on your own defensiveness.
Give people credit for being able to handle more than you think.
Discuss the ways in which defensiveness or resistance to new ideas gets in the way of the mission.
Understand that structure cannot in and of itself facilitate or prevent abuse.
Learn to understand the link between defensiveness and fear (of losing power, losing face, losing comfort, losing privilege)
Work on your own defensiveness.
Give people credit for being able to handle more than you think.
Discuss the ways in which defensiveness or resistance to new ideas gets in the way of the mission.
4. Quantity Priority
Examples:
- Resources are directed toward producing measurable goals
- Things that can be measured are more highly valued than things that cannot (for example numbers of people attending a meeting, newsletter circulation, etc.)
- Money spent is valued more than quality of relationships, democratic decision-making, or ability to constructively deal with conflict
- Little or no value is attached to process, i.e. if it can't be measured, it has no value
- Discomfort with emotion and feelings
- When there is a conflict between content and process, process
will prevail (for example, you may get through the agenda, but if you haven't
paid attention to peopleís need to be heard, the decisions made at the meeting
will be undermined and/or disregarded)
Antidotes:
Include process or quality goals in your planning.
Make sure your organization has a values statement which expresses the ways in which you want to do your work
Look for ways to measure process goals
Learn to recognize those times when you need to get off the agenda in order to address people’s underlying concerns
Include process or quality goals in your planning.
Make sure your organization has a values statement which expresses the ways in which you want to do your work
Look for ways to measure process goals
Learn to recognize those times when you need to get off the agenda in order to address people’s underlying concerns
5. Worship of the Word
Examples:
- “If it’s not in a memo, it doesn't exist”
- The organization does not take into account or value other ways in which information gets shared
- Those with strong documentation and writing skills are more highly valued, even in organizations where ability to relate to others is key to the mission antidotes
- Only one right way mentality.
- The belief there is one right way to do things and once people are introduced to the right way, they will see the light and adopt it
- When people do not adapt or change to the ‘right way’, then something is wrong with them, not with us.
- Similar to the missionary who does not see value in culture, sees only value in their beliefs about what is good and right.
Antidotes:
Take the time to analyze how people inside and outside the organization get and share information; figure out which things need to be written down and come up with alternative ways to document what is happening
Work to recognize the contributions and skills that every person brings to the organization.
Accept that there are many ways to get to the same goal
Work on developing the ability to notice when people do things differently; acknowledge how those different ways might improve your approach
When working with communities from a different culture than yours or your organization’s, acknowledge that you have learning to do about the communities’ ways of doing
Never assume that you or your organization know what’s best for a community.
Take the time to analyze how people inside and outside the organization get and share information; figure out which things need to be written down and come up with alternative ways to document what is happening
Work to recognize the contributions and skills that every person brings to the organization.
Accept that there are many ways to get to the same goal
Work on developing the ability to notice when people do things differently; acknowledge how those different ways might improve your approach
When working with communities from a different culture than yours or your organization’s, acknowledge that you have learning to do about the communities’ ways of doing
Never assume that you or your organization know what’s best for a community.
6. Paternalism
Examples:
- Decision-making is clear to those with power and unclear to those without it
- Those with power think themselves capable of making decisions for and in the interests of those without power
- Those with power often don't think it is important or necessary to understand the viewpoint or experience of those for whom they are making decisions
- Those without power understand they do not have it and understand who does
- Those without power do not really know how decisions get made and who
makes what decisions, yet are familiar with the impact
of those decisions.
Antidotes:
Make sure that everyone knows and understands who makes what decisions in the organization.
Make sure everyone knows and understands their level of responsibility and authority in the organization.
Include people who are affected by decisions in the decision-making.
Make sure that everyone knows and understands who makes what decisions in the organization.
Make sure everyone knows and understands their level of responsibility and authority in the organization.
Include people who are affected by decisions in the decision-making.
7. Either/Or Thinking
Examples:
- Things are either/or, good/bad, right/wrong, with us/against us
- No sense that things can be both/and
- Results in trying to simplify complex matters, for example: believing that poverty is simply a result of lack of education
- Creates conflict and increases sense of urgency, as people are felt they have to make decisions to do either this or that, with no time or encouragement to consider alternatives, particularly those which may require more time or resources.
Antidotes:
Notice when people use either/or language; push to come up with more than two alternatives.
Notice when people are simplifying complex issues, particularly when the stakes seem high or an urgent decision needs to be made.
Slow it down and encourage people to do a deeper analysis.
When people are faced with an urgent decision, take a break and give people some breathing room to think creatively.
Avoid making decisions under extreme pressure.
Notice when people use either/or language; push to come up with more than two alternatives.
Notice when people are simplifying complex issues, particularly when the stakes seem high or an urgent decision needs to be made.
Slow it down and encourage people to do a deeper analysis.
When people are faced with an urgent decision, take a break and give people some breathing room to think creatively.
Avoid making decisions under extreme pressure.
8. Power Hoarding
Examples:
- Little (if any) value around sharing power
- Power seen as limited, only so much to go around
- Those with power feel threatened when anyone suggests changes in how things should be done in the organization
- They feel suggestions for change are a reflection on their leadership
- Those with power don't see themselves as hoarding power or as feeling threatened
- Those with power assume they have the best interests of the organization at
heart and assume those wanting change are ill-informed, emotional,
inexperienced, etc.
Antidotes:
Include power sharing in your organization’s values statement.
Discuss what good leadership looks like and make sure people understand that a good leader develops the power and skills of others.
Understand that change is inevitable and challenges to your leadership can be healthy and productive.
Make sure the organization is focused on the mission.
Include power sharing in your organization’s values statement.
Discuss what good leadership looks like and make sure people understand that a good leader develops the power and skills of others.
Understand that change is inevitable and challenges to your leadership can be healthy and productive.
Make sure the organization is focused on the mission.
9.Fear of Conflict
Examples:
- People in power are scared of conflict and try to ignore it or run from it
- When someone raises an issue that causes discomfort, the response is to blame the person for raising the issue rather than to look at the issue which is actually causing the problem
- Emphasis on being polite
- Equating the raising of difficult issues with being impolite, rude, or out of
line.
Antidotes:
Role play ways to handle conflict before conflict happens.
Distinguish between being polite and raising hard issues.
Don't require those who raise hard issues to raise them in acceptable ways, especially if you are using the ways in which issues are raised as an excuse not to address the issues being raised.
Once a conflict is resolved, take the opportunity to revisit it and see how it might have been handled differently.
Role play ways to handle conflict before conflict happens.
Distinguish between being polite and raising hard issues.
Don't require those who raise hard issues to raise them in acceptable ways, especially if you are using the ways in which issues are raised as an excuse not to address the issues being raised.
Once a conflict is resolved, take the opportunity to revisit it and see how it might have been handled differently.
10. Individualism
Examples:
- Little experience or comfort working as part of a team
- People in organization believe they are responsible for solving problems alone
- Accountability—if any—goes up and down, not sideways to peers or to those the organization is set up to serve
- Desire for individual recognition and credit
- Competition more highly valued than cooperation
- Where cooperation is valued, little energy devoted to developing skills in how to cooperate
- “...if something is going to get done right, I have to do it.”
- Little or no ability to delegate work to others
Antidotes:
Include teamwork as an important value in your values statement.
Make sure the organization is working towards shared goals and that people understand how working together will improve performance
Evaluate people’s ability to work in a team as well as their ability to get the job done.
Make sure that credit is given to all those who participate in an effort, not just the leaders or the most public person
Make people accountable as a group rather than as individuals.
Create a culture where people bring problems to the group, for example: use staff meetings as a place to solve problems, not just a place to report activities
Evaluate people based on their ability to delegate to others.
Evaluate people based on their ability to work as part of a team to accomplish shared goals.
Include teamwork as an important value in your values statement.
Make sure the organization is working towards shared goals and that people understand how working together will improve performance
Evaluate people’s ability to work in a team as well as their ability to get the job done.
Make sure that credit is given to all those who participate in an effort, not just the leaders or the most public person
Make people accountable as a group rather than as individuals.
Create a culture where people bring problems to the group, for example: use staff meetings as a place to solve problems, not just a place to report activities
Evaluate people based on their ability to delegate to others.
Evaluate people based on their ability to work as part of a team to accomplish shared goals.
11. Progress Priority
Examples:
- Progress to an organization often means expansion (adds staff, adds projects) or development of the ability to serve more (regardless of the quality of service)
- Gives no value, not even negative value, to its cost, for example: increased accountability to funders as the budget grows, ways in which those we serve may be exploited, excluded, or underserved as we focus on how many we are serving instead of quality of service or values created by the ways in which we serve.
Antidotes:
Seventh Generation thinking.
Ask how the actions of the group now will affect people in the future.
Make sure that any cost/benefit analysis includes all the costs—not just the financial ones (For example the cost in morale, the cost in credibility, the cost in the use of resources, etc.)
Include process goals in your planning, for example: make sure that your goals speak to how you want to do your work, not just what you want to do
Seventh Generation thinking.
Ask how the actions of the group now will affect people in the future.
Make sure that any cost/benefit analysis includes all the costs—not just the financial ones (For example the cost in morale, the cost in credibility, the cost in the use of resources, etc.)
Include process goals in your planning, for example: make sure that your goals speak to how you want to do your work, not just what you want to do
12. Objectivity
Examples:
- The belief that there is such a thing as being objective
- The belief that emotions are inherently destructive, irrational, and should not play a role in decision-making or group process
- Invalidating people who show emotion
- Requiring people to think in a linear fashion and ignoring or invalidating those who think in other ways
- Impatience with any thinking that does not appear “logical” to those with
power
Antidotes:
Acknowledge that everybody has a world view and that everybody’s world view affects the way they understand things
Realize this means you too.
We must push ourselves to sit with discomfort when people are expressing themselves in ways which are not familiar.
Assume that everybody has a valid point and your job is to understand what that point is.
Acknowledge that everybody has a world view and that everybody’s world view affects the way they understand things
Realize this means you too.
We must push ourselves to sit with discomfort when people are expressing themselves in ways which are not familiar.
Assume that everybody has a valid point and your job is to understand what that point is.
13. Right to Comfort
Examples:
- The belief that those with power have a right to emotional and psychological comfort (another aspect of valuing “logic” over emotion)
- Scapegoating those who cause discomfort
Antidotes:
Understand that discomfort is at the root of all growth and learning; Welcome it as much as you can.
Deepen your political analysis of racism and oppression so you have a strong understanding of how your personal experience and feelings fit into a larger picture.
Don't take everything personally.
Understand that discomfort is at the root of all growth and learning; Welcome it as much as you can.
Deepen your political analysis of racism and oppression so you have a strong understanding of how your personal experience and feelings fit into a larger picture.
Don't take everything personally.
One of the purposes of listing characteristics of supremacy culture is to point out how organizations which unconsciously use these characteristics as their norms and standards make it difficult to open the door to other cultural norms and standards. As a result, many of our organizations—while saying we want to be multicultural—really only allow other people and cultures to come in if they adapt or conform to already existing norms. Being able to identify and name the cultural norms and standards you want is a first step to making room for a truly multi-cultural organization.