Abstract
This study aims to explore the communication styles mid-career black women use when addressing conflicts with white senior executives in micro-aggressive environments. The study relies on peer-reviewed scholarly articles and journals to establish a substantive theoretical view of the matter. The chosen population is of great consideration, especially in micro-aggressive environments, due to different sociocultural factors that tend to constrain or disproportate the group, especially in the United States. This literature study identifies the communication styles the group resorts to when handling conflict, which I believe oppressive forces influence significantly. Lived experiences, individual hierarchy in an organization, age difference, and organization control are the chosen key items to evaluate the group’s interpersonal communication with white senior executives when addressing conflicts, especially in micro-aggressive environments. Nevertheless, upon in-depth research, I noted that mid-career black women who have endured gender and racial biases tend to communicate effectively, while those who fail to persevere and remain steadfast tend to communicate violent messages using loud and figurative speech. Additionally, older black women above 65 years tend to communicate using tolerance and acceptance language, while those above 65 years talk loudly and use words repeatedly to assert their opinions and views. Other key findings are mentioned comprehensively in the study below.
Introduction
With the increased demand for fair wages and improved benefits in many organizations, conflicts arise as employees confront senior executives to meet their demands. Therefore, the aspect of interpersonal communication between the employees and senior executives is evident, especially if mid-career black women are at the forefront of leading the team. Similarly, conflicts arise in organizations between the group and white senior executives, especially when black women contest for leadership roles or lead in demanding pay rise. Perhaps Branch and Kasztelnik (2023) comment that these conflicts originate from lived experiences revolving around gender and racial biases, among other factors. Nevertheless, the aspect of interpersonal communications plays a significant role in forming the relationship between mid-career black women and senior executives. Scientists strongly perceive the conflicts as arising between the two racial groups with poor interpersonal communication. This literature study draws information from various scholarly studies to determine the interpersonal communication styles most utilized by mid-career black women when addressing conflicts with white senior executives in micro-aggressive environments.
Review of Literature
Lived Experiences
Lived experience is an aspect of great consideration, especially in micro-aggressive environments. They signal previous interactions between individuals and help predict future interactions with the same individuals. Similarly, a good rapport between a white senior executive and a mid-career black woman will potentially create a positive interaction when addressing conflicts. Branch and Kasztelnik (2023) reiterate that individual lived experiences are a critical aspect when evaluating the relationship between black women and white senior executives, especially when addressing conflicts. The authors argue that the intersectionality of gender and race predisposes black women to gender and racial biases. Their research study shows that many black women have faced these oppressive forces throughout their careers, affecting their progression in workplaces. As a result, they are forced to persevere and remain steadfast. However, since some fail to persevere and remain steadfast, their language easily leads to a confrontation with senior executives when conflicts arise in an organization (Branch & Kasztelnik, 2023). They easily withdraw effective communication skills due to the oppressive experience in the workplace. Persevered and steadfast women use effective communication skills when addressing conflicts with white senior executives.
In another influential study by Smith et al. (2019), the authors mention that negative lived experiences influence mid-career black women to develop and utilize bold autonomy to express their opinions and views when addressing conflicts with white senior executives. The study shows that 68% of black women exercise bold autonomy when communicating with senior executives (Smith et al., 2019). Additionally, using autonomy, women who have experienced gender and racial biases often make bold statements that proclaim what they feel is right and wrong. Smith et al. (2019) emphasize that this is a communication tool that black women who encountered oppressive forces use to craft their ideas and execute their plans. This study shows that lived experiences influence some of the mid-career black women in workplaces to make bold statements or communicate effectively when addressing conflicts with white senior executives.
Organization Hierarchy Structure
According to Jenkins (1997), the hierarchical structure of different organizations influences how different social groups approach conflicts. For example, in a patriarchal hierarchy structure, senior employees tend to control junior employees using rules, norms, and systems of rewards and punishment (Jenkins, 1997). Additionally, the patriarchal hierarchy system, commonly used in United States organizations, bolsters male supremacy and denotes black women and other non-white males. With such an organizational structure in place, Jenkins mentions that the dominant groups often discount or silence conflicts of the non-dominant group members using pay and job loss threats (Jenkins, 1997). However, in response to this, black women, as members of the non-dominant groups, often use forceful communication or assertive communication styles when addressing conflicts with subordinates. Jenkins’s (1997) research also shows that black women use non-confrontation communication styles when addressing peer-related conflicts.
On the other hand, Jenkins et al. (1997) research finds that regardless of an organization hierarchy structure, black women, especially African Americans, communicate effectively with white senior executives who practice direct, open, and honest communication when addressing conflicts in micro-aggressive environments. They are willing to use methods of cooperation and consensus-building to deal with conflicts that arise in a non-confrontational manner (Jenkins, 1997). This information approves that black women use open and honest communication when addressing conflicts with white senior executives who use open and honest communication without hidden agendas. However, if senior executives use competitive or oppressive communication styles, black women are most likely to use offensive and confrontational language to assert their opinions and views regarding the conflict.
Age Differences
The age difference between black women and white senior executives is also an aspect of great consideration when analyzing interpersonal communication existing between the two groups when addressing conflicts in micro-aggressive environments. According to Davis’s (2018) research, black women above 56 years old communicate messages of tolerance with white women perpetrators handling conflicts. They share messages of tolerance, acceptance, and forgiveness, which inherently rationalize the behavior of white women (Davis, 2018). Additionally, black women above 56 years emphasize the use of education and encouragement to resolve conflicts based on facts and mutual agreement. However, when black women below 56 years old engage with white senior executives when addressing conflicts, they are more likely to demonstrate aggressive behaviors (Davis, 2018). They practice word repetition and dynamic intonation when airing their views (Davis, 2018). They also use figurative language to assert their statements. Davis’s (2018) research also shows that younger black women are louder and talk over executives than older black women above 65 years. With this information, it is notable that age differences influence interpersonal relationships between black women and senior executives in micro-aggressive environments. There is a likelihood that the younger women will interject opinions or use figurative language to proclaim their stance when addressing conflicts.
Organization Control
According to Davis’s (2018) research, black women resort to humor and laughter when resolving conflicts in stressful situations and with people beyond their control. They use humor to communicate violent messages in a playful manner, especially in stressful situations (Davis, 2018). Additionally, the use of affirmative words such as “right” and “exactly” was notable in the study. The laughter is also loud and aimed to mock the perpetrator and differentiate the group from white executives. Based on this study, it is notable that women accommodate laughter and humor to communicate violent language when under stressful situations and especially when solving conflicts under increased control. Such interpersonal communications also exhibit affirmative words, loud voices and hyperbole in a playful manner. The same applies to micro-aggressive environments. Davis’s (2018) study confirms that black women, under stressful conditions and increased organization control, use humor and laughter to communicate violent messages in an attempt to resolve conflicts with white senior executives and achieve respect/recognition.
Summary and Research Questions
Lived experiences, age differences, organization hierarchy structure and organization control are major aspects that influence interpersonal communications between black women and white senior executives when addressing conflicts. However, there are different conditions and situations that these individual factors influence how this group communicates when interacting with white senior executives. For example, black women who fail to persevere/remain steadfast after enduring gender and racial bias often engage in confrontation, using violent words and figurative speech to assert their views and opinions. They also utilize bold autonomy, which influences the group to make unabashed expressions and bold statements that clearly dictate their position on the matter. In this case, they communicate effectively with white senior executives when addressing conflicts in micro-aggressive environments.
Age differences are similarly an aspect that triggers effective and ineffective interpersonal communication between mid-career black women and white senior executives in micro-aggressive environments. Older women are known to use tolerance and acceptance language, while younger women are known to use loud and figurative language when addressing conflicts. On the other hand, women in lower hierarchies in organizations often confront white senior executives, especially when the executive team uses competitive styles such as the use of rules and norms to resolve conflicts. However, studies approved that the group communicates openly and honestly when engaging with white senior executives who communicate directly, openly and honestly to resolve conflicts for the benefit of all. Lastly, increased organization control is believed to exacerbate negative communicative communication between the group and the executive in micro-aggressive environments. In stressful or bothersome situations, black women communicate violent messages using humor and laughter loudly to alleviate their oppressive situation.
Research gaps/questions
Upon completing this literature review, I found a number of research gaps, including how literacy, language barriers, and expertise/work experience influence interpersonal communication between black women and white senior executives when addressing conflicts in a micro-aggressive environment. Once these studies are addressed, we will have a complete theoretical view of interpersonal communication between the group and white senior executives when addressing conflicts.
Method
If I were to conduct this study, I would use quantitative and qualitative research methods. Quantitative methods would require I explore survey data from different scholarly sources to obtain key findings for the study. On the other hand, I would use qualitative methods to conduct a survey of different micro-aggressive business institutions within my state. Using my experience as a black professional woman in project management, I will contribute to author authority in research and living experience.
Sample Selection
To conduct the survey, I would consider 20 participants from five different business organizations. The 20 participants would be senior and junior executives aged between 35 and 65 years. I would send prior requests via email to departmental heads in 10 different institutions. If they accept my request, I would ask them to appoint one person to represent the department in the survey. Upon receiving the appointed details, I would confirm their age and position in the department. If they meet all the requirements, I would consider them for the study. Most importantly, the participants should be 20 from five different business organizations.
Procedure
I would consider 20 survey questions for this study. However,the study should begin by requesting all the participants to consent. After consenting, the participants are issued a document with 10 questions. They will answer the questions individually and submit them before proceeding with the interview. The other 10 questions will be addressed in the form of an interview. The interviewee would seclude the rest of the group and interview one person at a time. Most importantly, they should encourage the respondents to respond openly and honestly.
References
Branch, E., & Kasztelnik, K. (2023). The Phenomenological Study About the Lived Experiences of Black Women Pursing Managerial Positions in Corporate America. Journal of Business Diversity, 23(2).
Davis, S. M. (2019). When sistahs support sistahs: A process of supportive communication about racial microaggressions among Black women. Communication Monographs, 86(2), 133-157.
Jenkins, K. (1997). How African American women handle conflict in the workplace: An assessment of the impact of race, gender and class.
Smith, A. N., Watkins, M. B., Ladge, J. J., & Carlton, P. (2019). Making the invisible visible: Paradoxical effects of intersectional invisibility on the career experiences of executive Black women. Academy of Management Journal, 62(6), 1705-1734.
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