The Wheel of Power and Privilege
By Viva Asmelash and Michael GregorHow are you close to the center of power, and how are you close to the margins?
Your identities (for example, race, gender, and sexual orientation) and positional authority (the power you have because of your job) impact everything you do in the professional world. Before any interaction at work, we must understand the implications of these two things. We frequently used this Wheel of Privilege and Power to help!
The further we are from the center, the more marginalized and powerless we are within societal structures and workplaces. For example, in its Framework for Workplace Mental Health and Wellbeing, the U.S. Surgeon General’s Office highlights that women and people of color are more likely to experience threats to both their physical and psychological safety at work.
The closer we are to the center, the more important it is to be aware of that power and consider how we are intentionally going to use it. When we ground ourselves in our identity (including our degree of privilege in a specific situation) before making a decision, we can lead in a way that's best for those impacted by that decision. We must understand our own identities to build equitable systems effectively.
When we are closer to power, it’s that much easier to forget or ignore it because our society does not ask us to look at our privilege. But we have a special responsibility to name our identities and step up to create an environment that is safe for all, especially for those who are closer to the marginalized outside of this wheel. We work closely with a wide array of clients to find the strategies that are a good match for their organization.
We leverage this tool in our foundational education offering: Exploring Personal Identity + The Privilege Spectrum.
When organizations are just starting their inclusive employee education journeys, we often recommend this as a first step, even before a lesson on Unconscious Bias. Exploring Personal Identity + The Privilege Spectrum provides groups of all backgrounds with a baseline concept of what identity means and how privilege and power exist on a spectrum—rather than being something we simply have or don’t have. This aids individuals in beginning to see their place in the larger story of equity and inclusion on their teams.
Interested in this key offering? Contact us to learn more.