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“When Little Things Become Big Deals”
Presented by Toni Rogers
Rogers Consulting
August 22, 2013
Icebreaker
 Locate someone you don’t know
 Share your name/company/role
 Where in the world you’d like to
travel
8/22/2013
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“It is not our differences that divide
us. It is our inability to recognize,
accept, and celebrate those
differences.”
Audrey Lourde
8/22/2013
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Purpose
 To raise our awareness of the effects of
Micro-Inequities/Micro-Messaging in
the workplace.
 Provide practical techniques to
minimize Micro-Inequities /MicroMessaging.
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Our Roadmap/GPS
 What are Micro-Inequities?
 What it looks like in the workplace.
 The role of the communication in MicroMessages.
 The negative impact of Micro-Inequities.
 Micro-Affirmations—turning things around.
 Putting it all together.
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What Are Micro-Inequities?
 The phrase was coined by MIT researcher Mary
Rowe, PhD, in 1973.
 Subtle slights and snubs that devalue an employee.
 Communication interactions that include some
and exclude others.
 Indirect offenses that can demoralize.
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Micro-Inequities/Micro-Messages
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Examples of Micro-Inequities
 The person you are talking to continues typing on
their computer.
 Not being acknowledged when passed in the
hallway.
 Not being introduced or ignored during a meeting.
 Being left out of a project/discussion.
 Your name repeatedly mispronounced or
misspelled.
 Others?
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It’s a small thing,
until it happens to you…
With your table mates, share an experience of being
on the receiving end (or witnessing someone else on
the receiving end) of a Micro-Inequity.
Discussion questions:
1. How often does this happen?
2. Were you aware of the Micro-Inequity at the time?
3. How did you react and why?
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Micro-Inequities
“Micro-Inequities are not one time events.
They are cumulative and repeated
behaviors that devalue, discourage and
impair performance in the workplace– and
they inevitably affect the overall
productivity and health of the company.”
Stephen Young,
Co-founder and Senior partner of Insight Education Systems
8/22/2013
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Micro-Messages
8/22/2013
 Verbal
 Non-Verbal
 Conscious
 Unconscious
 Intentional
 Unintentional
 Subtle
 Overt
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Communication is Key
 We send between 2000-4000 subtle
positive and negative messages a day!
 What messages are you sending?
 Body language speaks louder than
verbal communication.
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“When you speak, ALL OF YOU SPEAKS.”
Virgina Satir
American Author and Psychotherapist
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Our Communication
8/22/2013
Vocabulary/Verbal
7%
Voice Inflection/Tone
38%
Nonverbal
55%
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Communications Exercise
 One of the key components of
effective communication is
listening.
Listen UP!
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Listening is Work!
 Practice being an active listener.
 Be fully present.
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Negative Impact of Micro-Inequities
For the Individual
For the Company
 Feeling devalued
 High turnover
 Decreased self-esteem
 Loss of Revenue
 Feeling like your input
is not considered
 Loss in productivity
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Negative Impact of Micro-Inequities
For the Individual
For the Company
 Lack of involvement
 Discrimination
complaints
 Poor interpersonal
relationships
 Feelings of not being
listened to
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 Poor recruitment
 Decreased morale
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Turn it Around
From:
Micro-Inequities
To:
Micro-Affirmations
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Thoughts to Ponder
 What gets in the way of your
responding (communicating)
positively to others in your workplace?
 What supportive behaviors do you
promote in your environment?
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What are Micro-Affirmations?
“Small acts, both public and private, often
unconscious but very effective which occur
wherever people wish to help others to
succeed. Tiny acts of opening doors of
opportunity.”
Dr. Mary Rowe
8/22/2013
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Micro-Affirmations
 Consistent feedback that builds on
strengths and corrects weaknesses.
 Support and comfort when others are in
distress, (e.g., project fell through, missed
a major deadline, did not win a project
bid).
 Generous acts of listening.
 Gestures of inclusion and caring.
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Ways to Minimize Micro-Inequities
 Within your table group, brainstorm ways
you can minimize Micro-Inequities.
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Ways to Minimize Micro-Inequities
 Help others feel welcomed; be inclusive.
 Be aware of the tint of your windows: your
biases, stereotypes, prejudices.
 Learn more about Micro-Inequities and
share with others.
 Be courageous enough to interrupt MicroInequities and turn them into MicroAffirmations.
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Benefits of Micro-Affirmations
 Likely to help a person do well.
 Consistent, affirmations can be contagious.
 Lead to raising morale and productivity.
 Provide a sense of belonging/acceptance.
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Take-Aways
 What are you taking back to your
workplace?
Be inclusive,
be affirming,
be aware!
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Summary
 Micro-Inequities are subtle messages that
undermine the value of others in the
workplace.
 Our communication, both verbal and nonverbal, are instrumental in sending these
messages.
 Micro-Affirmations—small acts or gestures of
caring and inclusion that consciously affirm
others— minimize the negative effects of
Micro-Inequities.
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The conclusion…
Inclusion!
Draw a circle that’s big enough to include everyone!
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NO MICRO-INEQUITIES
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Resources
 Mary P. Rowe, PhD. Micro-Affirmations & Micro



Inequities. MIT. 2008.
Stephen Young, Insight Education Systems, “The Power of
Small.” www.insighteducationsystems.com.
Caroline Laguerre-Brown, JD. Equity, Diversity & Inclusion.
Johns Hopkins University. 2007.
Eric L. Hinton. Microinequities: When Small Slights Lead
to Huge Problems in the Workplace. DiversityInc. 2004.
David Rabb, MA. Understanding the Power of MicroInequities.
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