Having worked as a consultant for past 4+ years, I have almost always experienced a unique (kind of racist) behavior from my Indian colleagues. Every time I start agile coaching with a team, I have almost always observed some typical behaviors and reactions of managers, leads. Some of these unique reactions are –
- Here comes one more fellow to give us gyan on how to do projects J
- What do you know about our environment and our projects’ challenges?
- Do you think that we haven’t already tried all these suggestions?
- Our environment is different – these things won’t work
- Most of the times, it’s just another way of saying that I don’t want to go through pain of change J
- He has to find faults – that’s his job!
First few weeks are always tough! This is what will happen –
- They won’t easily and willingly give me time slots for meetings
- I won’t be introduced to teams for few weeks – only managers will deal with me
- If I request for interactions with teams, I will be told that teams are too busy
- I won’t get meetings’ invites
- If I schedule a meeting, it will be declined, claiming that they are busy
It’s very challenging, literally testing your patience and composure. Off course there are some exceptions, but in general this has been my experience! You have to give it some time, things start working, but the bootstrapping takes time…
However, for the same India team, when the consultant happens to be some white skin, then it’s different! I have experienced it myself while working with a colleague who had white skin.
When it’s some white skin guy who joins as a consultant –
- Everyone will be eager to get introduced with him / her J
- All meetings will be already planned and they will ask if any change is needed in that schedule
- Even VP, directors will find time to meet with him on very first day
- If he gives any suggestions, there will be urgency to try it and claim that it has worked J
- Now you will never hear “this won’t work in our context”; but rather they will say “we will definitely try”
Somehow, we Indians mentally (or psychologically) still treat white skin different than fellow Indians. And that’s our own version of racism!
No complaints – I am also an Indian after all J Just wanted to share my experience….
