By: Dr. David Jackson
March 24, 2024
Personal insecurity can fuel racism. People with low self-esteem may project their issues onto others, using racism to feel superior and distract from their own flaws. Seeking validation, they join groups with similar biases, which can lead to microaggressions and discrimination. This cycle of prejudice and hostility is driven by a need to belong and hide inadequacies.
Insecure people seek acceptance from biased groups, deepening prejudice and hindering inclusion. Insecurity fosters a “us versus them” mentality. Outsiders face suspicion, and insecure people may spread stereotypes and justify exclusion.
Combined with racial bias, this reinforces inequality. Insecure managers act on prejudice, not merit. They may deny opportunities to those they feel threatened by, limiting growth for marginalized staff and stifling innovation.
Insecure managers create fear, discourage reporting, and exclude marginalized staff. These patterns become ingrained and hard to change. Favoritism, exclusion, and microaggressions hurt morale and productivity. Insecure, biased leaders cause systemic discrimination and a toxic environment, damaging trust and reputation.
Managers’ insecurities can fuel racism in the workplace. Threatened by talented minority employees, some managers undermine them through biased feedback, exclusion from opportunities, or questioning their qualifications. This behavior damages employee confidence, fosters mistrust, and harms organizational culture.
A manager’s lack of confidence can lead to micromanagement, unfair criticism, and shifting expectations, especially toward minority employees. These actions make it difficult for employees to succeed or feel valued.
For example, “Christy,” a white manager, gave her Black employee “Melissa” contradictory feedback—calling her both “too passive” and “too overconfident.” Christy excluded Melissa from meetings, failed to credit her ideas, and sometimes took credit for Melissa’s work, leaving Melissa feeling isolated and undervalued.
This inconsistent treatment caused Melissa significant stress and made it nearly impossible for her to succeed, regardless of how she adapted. Melissa felt trapped and unable to address the problem, fearing retaliation. The ongoing stress eroded her confidence and job satisfaction, and other team members became reluctant to speak up, deepening the workplace’s culture of mistrust—the Correlation Between Insecurity and Racism.
Insecure people sometimes try to boost their self-esteem by putting others down, which can show up as racism. For example, a manager threatened by a colleague’s competence may exclude them to protect their own status, fueling resentment and inequality at work.
Insecure people may project their shortcomings onto others, often scapegoating minority groups for failures. Managers might unfairly criticize, hold to stricter standards, or exclude these employees from key tasks or decisions.
These actions create division and erode trust, making bias and exclusion integral to the workplace culture. Insecure managers may view diversity as a threat and block new ideas, resulting in a stifling environment where minority employees are discouraged from contributing.
Insecure people may value group identity over inclusion, exaggerating their own group’s strengths while spreading stereotypes about others. This leads to cliques and exclusion in the workplace, limiting opportunities for those not in the favored group and stifling diversity (Li, 2021).
Signs of an Insecure and Racist Manager
Insecure managers are inconsistent, avoid taking accountability, and tend to micromanage. When combined with racism, they exclude and target certain employees, enforce double standards, and create a toxic environment. This leads to distrust, low morale, and high turnover rates among marginalized staff.
Insecure managers may take credit for others’ work and blame subordinates for mistakes. Racially biased managers target employees of color, dismiss their ideas, and give preferential treatment to those similar to themselves, deepening inequity and division.
Insecure managers lacking emotional intelligence may belittle staff, ignore feedback, and offer little support. With racial bias, this leads to microaggressions and hostility, causing stress, alienation, and loss of trust in the workplace.
How to Address the Situation
Dealing with an insecure, racist manager is difficult and emotionally taxing. Protect yourself by taking a structured, proactive approach. Here are key steps:
Documentation
Keep a detailed, dated log of each incident, including what happened, who was involved, and any witnesses. Note both overt acts and subtle behaviors.
Save all supporting evidence (emails, messages, evaluations, etc.) and back them up securely.
Record patterns of negative treatment or exclusion, as trends are often more compelling than single events.
Note how each incident affected your work or well-being.
Internal Reporting
Review your company’s discrimination and reporting policies. Some companies offer anonymous hotlines or ombudspersons.
Prepare a clear, factual summary for your report. Submit it in writing and request acknowledgment.
Ask about the investigation process and keep notes of all related communications. If needed, request confidentiality or support.
If your complaint is ignored or if retaliation occurs, document these responses. Retaliation is illegal.
External Options and Legal Recourse
Know your rights. In the U.S., Title VII and similar laws prohibit workplace discrimination. Check local laws for details.
If internal processes fail, file a complaint with the EEOC or relevant agency. Note deadlines, which are often 180 days.
Consult an employment discrimination attorney for legal advice. Some offer free consultations or work on a contingency basis.
If you are in a union, seek help from your representative for advocacy or grievance support.
Personal Coping Strategies
Protect your reputation by excelling at your work and keeping records of your contributions and positive feedback.
Build a network of trusted colleagues for support, witnesses, and corroboration. Join employee resource groups if available.
Prioritize your mental health. Seek counseling if needed and focus on restorative activities outside of work.
If the workplace stays toxic, discreetly look for other opportunities, update your resume, and consider expert guidance. Leaving may be the healthiest choice.