From the AEGIS e-Journal, Volume 9 Number 7, July 2006
The Race Trap Drs. Robert L. Johnson and Steven Simring (with Gene Busnar) Harper Business ISBN: 0-06-662001-5 239 pages $28.00 http://www.harpercollins.com/ 1-212-207-7000 Because the United States was founded as a slave-owning country, race has historically been a problem that is intimately interwoven into the fabric of our society. Since race is generally visible (though not always: People are generally surprised to discover that this editor’s father was a Hopi and that his great-great-grand-uncle was a Zulu), it is hard to not be aware of racial diversity. Plus, most of us live relatively segregated lives, spending most of our time with people very similar to ourselves in terms of race, religion, and worldview. In addition, problems whose causes have social or economic roots are often incorrectly attributed to race. ÆGIS, July 2006 11 The Race Trap addresses approaches to dealing with racial issues. Before reading the book, we were initially concerned that the authors (one a well known psychiatrist whom we know personally, the other a pediatrician who heads the New Jersey Medical School) might have taken a politically correct approach to dealing with race. In fact, they have taken a practical approach, rather than a moral or ethical approach. Since they know that they can’t change the way you think or believe, they opt to influence, through enlightened self interest, the way you behave. They refer to this as developing an appropriate racial IQ. We believe that this is a sound approach. The authors take the position that interpersonal relationships dealing with race should be result-oriented. They present a host of difficult business and non-business scenarios in which a number of choices of behavior can be made, and show that some behaviors cause problems, some minimize problems, and some produce positive benefits. What you do in a given situation depends – or should depend – on the end result you wish to create. In many cases you have to deal with factors that, in the best of all possible worlds would be race independent. Thus, a white parent hopes that if his teenager is pulled over by the police the child will behave appropriately and not get a ticket or arrested. A black parent may well hope that if his teenager is pulled over by the police the child will behave appropriately and not get arrested or killed. And we can assure you that the police officer has a vested interest in the incident, too. The authors deal with a wide variety of social and business situations, and the book is thought-provoking. It induces you to consider how your personal biases effect your own behavior and speech, as well as the way you deal (or choose not to deal) with the inappropriate behavior of others. More important, the lessons of the book are extensible. That is to say that the approach taken to dealing with racial issues also works when dealing with differences in sex, religion, general interests, differing cultures, and a host of other areas in which bigotry in one form or another frequently obtrudes. Employee or employer, parent or child, civilian or police officer, this book is worth reading. It is particularly worth reading by those whose clueless behavior inadvertently causes discomfort to others. Although, alas, they are the least likely to read it. ÆGIS, July 2006 12 7. Subscription/Unsubscription/Copyright Information •• ÆGIS is supported and maintained by voluntary efforts. This publication is owned, published, and copyright © 2006 by The LUBRINCO Group Ltd, Inc. and Financial Examinations and Evaluations, Inc. It is edited jointly by Richard Isaacs (RBIsaacs@lubrinco.com) and L. Burke Files (LBFiles@feeinc.com). 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LUBRINCO identifies and quantifies threats and vulnerabilities, and their associated risk, then manages the vulnerabilities so you can transfer or live ÆGIS, July 2006 13 with the residual risk. We prevent disastrous financial loss to your company, and physical harm to you, your family, and your staff. For information on LUBRINCO and its services, or for the archive of all past issues of ÆGIS in PDF format, please go to http://www.lubrinco.com/. Subscription to ÆGIS is available for $15 per year in North America and $20 per year outside of North America. To sign up for a complimentary subscription to ÆGIS or the ÆGIS PDF notification list, go to http://lb.bcentral.com/ex/manage/subscriberprefs?customerid=7768 or send an email to aegis@lubrinco.com. To subscribe to our AvantGo channel, go to http://avantgo.com/channels/_add_channel.pl?cha_id=1773 To be removed from the subscription list, follow the instructions on the mailing you received, or send an e-mail to aegis@lubrinco.com. 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Article Title, from the July 2006 ÆGIS (© 2006 LUBRINCO & FEE), to be found at http://www.lubrinco.com/. ÆGIS, July 2006 14 ÆGIS is a forum for the exchange of information, ideas, operating styles, theories, and related topics for corporate managers who make decisions about threats typically outside the expertise available in-house, yet which have the potential to affect their company’s domestic and international bottom lines. Nothing appearing in ÆGIS should be construed as legal advice. The information provided is “general information,” not “specific advice.” The solution to any problem is highly dependent upon the precise facts involved. Thus, before making any reliance upon anything said here, you should consult with an appropriately skilled professional. Opinions expressed by contributors are not necessarily endorsed by the publisher, and may be presented to encourage a dialogue among subscribers. The publisher and any re-publisher cannot be held responsible for any loss incurred as a result of the application of any information published in ÆGIS. Please be safe, and be smart.