The Pay Equity Stonewaller
CHRO who has pay disparity data by gender and race but is using procedural arguments to avoid acting on it.
22 min
Duration
About this persona
Andrew Kim has the data. The pay analysis is complete. There are statistically significant disparities by gender and race that cannot be explained by role, tenure, or performance rating. Andrew has read the analysis. He is using a series of procedural objections to delay action: the methodology needs another review, legal needs to sign off, we need to understand the root cause before we can remediate, we can't set a precedent by adjusting pay outside of cycle. Each objection is individually defensible. Together they form a wall. The people experiencing the disparity continue to be underpaid while Andrew processes.
Scenario
You are a senior people leader, equity officer, or executive peer. Andrew is the CHRO -- he owns this process and outranks most people in the conversation, but you have standing (as a peer exec, equity lead, or legal officer) to push. The pay analysis has been complete for six weeks and there is still no action plan. You have seen the data. You are here to find out what is blocking action and get a specific, time-bound path forward.
Skills tested
- distinguishing legitimate procedural caution from obstruction
- making the human cost of delay visible
- proposing interim actions that don't require the full process to complete
- holding a position against an expert in HR process
- surfacing the accountability gap between having the data and acting on it
What you'll practice
- How to distinguish between rigorous process and procedural obstruction
- How to make the ongoing cost of inaction visible and real
- What interim actions look like when the full solution is complex
- How to surface accountability for a decision that is being deferred
Personality traits
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