Even at the highest levels, microaggressions from leadership happen. They derail conversations and undermine the diversity within your team.

A microaggression is a subtle, often unintentional, expression of prejudice or bias.

It can be a comment, question, or action that communicates negative slights or insults towards a marginalized group.

In this clip from our Inclusive Exec Series, Jenifer Clausell-Tormos, founder of SaaS software company Develop Diverse, shares a jarring experience.

Despite delivering a stellar presentation and showcasing impactful results, a company leader dismissed her with one comment:
    “More women should be dressing like you.”

This seems harmless, but it’s a microaggression from a leadership position.

While seemingly complimentary, it reduces Jenifer to her appearance and ignores her expertise and accomplishments.

The director’s comment reveals a bias, suggesting that a woman’s value is tied to her attire.

This subtle act undermines Jenifer’s professional contributions and reinforces harmful stereotypes.

How did Jenifer react in the moment?
And what can we learn from this pattern of experience?

What you can do to prevent microaggressions:

• Watch the full video of Jenifer’s session on the Inclusive Exec Series and gain valuable insights.
• Gain more info about microaggressions. See the Anatomy Of A Microaggression.
• Engage in a workshop to develop strategies to address microaggressions.
• They can equip your team with the tools to respond effectively when you encounter microaggressions.

Set up a workshop on microaggressions. We can share what’s working for other companies.