My client was pretty racist this morning on a call and I’m just not sure how to deal. My brother and mom were talking loudly in the background as I joined a zoom call (couldn’t yet mute it) and my brother responds to my mom with an idiom from our native language (I’m indigenous). My client then asks what language and once I respond he starts asking if I’m related to people who skinned heads and dancing and asking if he was doing the rain dance correctly. I responded that I don’t know a rain cont

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Report it to the partner or whoever is heading the engagement. That’s terrible behavior and the client contact should be switched.

likesmart

Yes it included I am not that type of person. I like to handle these conversations myself so they know I won’t put up with it. I refuse to be disrespected or be subjected to racist comments. People can’t just say anything they want. This is not 1950.

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Yep, you have a duty to report this. Our leadership has a duty to look out for our people as well as just making the client happy. Discrimination and harassment are areas where the firm leadership can and should act.

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Factually inform your manager and up

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Yes. Do this until you get an appropriate response. You shouldn’t be subjected to this from anyone.

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Ive had similar situations before and excluding rare examples where the client is properly reprimanded and or you get moved out of the project, the situation becomes one of two things:

Scenario 1 (the more likely one), A slap on the wrist for that client, a half hearted apology (only apologizing to save their job), that client thinking you're "overly sensitive" while treating you like a child, and you having to work in awkward but less racist environment for the duration of the project.

Scenario 2, you work with your Partner on the engagement, document the racist instances, and present them at the end of the project for greater impact but you'll have to work in an occasionally racist environment for the duration of the project.

I've done both, both suck. Scenario 2 feels better at the end but obviously sucks more during the project.

likehelpful

Either way report him, you might get lucky with a severe reprimand and or project change.
Otherwise most likely will end up with scenario 1, but thats probably better than a racist environment for a whole year for scenario 2.

If it gets worse through the year at least your partner will be aware of it and you can try and leverage that to get off the project early.

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What the fuuuuuu

likefunny

Wow, at a loss for words. Unbelievable.

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What race are you? If you are not white, and he knows, he is being straight up racist.

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Report report report. If your boss doesn’t take it to the client’s boss, or brushes it aside... report them too.

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Hmmm. Is this completely inappropriate, yes. Would I make a big deal about it? I personally am not sure. I see it this way, you know who your client is now. Unless this is a pattern or continues to be a pattern of behavior I would not let a one off ignorant comment that was made create a big storm. This won’t be the first or last from a client. Again I want to emphasize though, I would not make a big deal about it if this was a one off thing. Multiple offenses mean I would take a different approach. You now know what you are dealing with so I would operate accordingly.

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We will always struggle. People don’t care.

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Report it. Even if it’s only for all the people your client treats like that but they don’t say anything or report it because they’re scared of being retaliated against. Do it for those who are unable.

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I just want to call our how great the response to this thread has been. Absolutely amazing people! 👏🏻

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OP, I am so sorry that this happened to you and that you now have to navigate through the "what ifs" that come with the power imbalance.

What they said was disgusting and they should not have felt empowered to mock you, your language and your family. Their behavior should not be your burden to carry.

Is there anyone within your organization that you'd feel comfortable reaching out to for support and guidance? Possibly a BIPOC to help you walk through a plan that will help you feel safe and heard?

I think reporting and/or a direct discussion with the client (perhaps with a supportive 3rd party) would be good options but want to call out that this is a personal decision. Do what feels right to you.

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Dance but not to the insane skinned heads comments. Then another client joined the call and we just started talking about work. I’m just very uncomfortable with him now. I’ve also had one call with this guy in the past but I’m supposed to start leading a work stream that will work directly with him.

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Was project leadership on the call? PPMD?

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This didn’t happen

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The best way to deal with racists is the same approach you take with a dog when it shits on the rug: deal with it immediately. Polite but direct.

likesmart

REPORT IT.

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Yikes. I would document that ASAP. Not OK at all. Be fact based but also include how it made your feel (at a high level). So tone deaf. Sorry OP 😐

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There is a setting you can enable in zoom settings that auto mutes you upon entering a meeting. Enable that

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That’s not the point.

likesmart

Report to your project superiors. Have them report this to the client’s superiors. There is no excuse for this whatsoever.

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