What are Micro-affirmations?
http://www.cookross.com/docs/UnconsciousBias.pdf
Micro-affirmations are tiny acts of opening doors to opportunity, gestures of inclusion and caring, and graceful acts of listening.Micro-affirmations lie in the practice of generosity, in consistently giving credit to others – in providing comfort and support when others are in distress, when there has been a failure at the bench, or an idea that did not work out, or a public attack.
Micro-affirmations include the myriad details of fair, specific, timely, consistent and clear feedback that help a person build on strength and correct weakness.I have come to believe that teaching and training about micro-affirmations may help an organization in several different ways: The first effect is obvious – appropriately affirming the work of another person is likely both to help that person do well, and to help him or her to enjoy doing well.
The second effect is that consistent, appropriate affirmation of others can spread from one person to another – potentially raising morale and productivity. It helps everyone, men and women, people of color and Caucasians. It appears to be particularly helpful for department heads, and anyone who is senior to another person, to “model” affirming behavior. The third effect is subtle, and deals with the point that it may be hard for a person to “catch” himself or herself unconsciously behaving inequitably.
I may not always be able to “catch myself” behaving in a way that I do not wish to behave. But if I try always to affirm others in an appropriate and consistent way, I have a good chance of blocking behavior of mine that I want to prevent. Many micro-inequities are not conscious – but affirming others can become a conscious as well as unconscious practice that prevents unconscious slights.
