In Addressing Systemic Discrimination by Reframing the Problem, Dr. Frank L. Douglas introduces the Safe Havens Dialogue (SHD) approach in addressing cases of systemic discrimination in organizations. The SHD Reframing Process emphasizes that individual engagement should be the ultimate goal of any attempt to address the problem of systemic discrimination. The book has two parts, with the first section describing the importance of focusing on equity and inclusion as well as the reframing process. The second section presents 18 cases of systemic discrimination where the SHD Reframing Process is applied. In Chapter 1, Frank illustrates how the SHD approach brings an evolution in the field by departing from the focus on Diversity (D) through Diversity and Inclusion (D&I), and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), to Equity, Inclusion, and Individual Engagement Principle (EIIEP). In Chapter 2, the author describes the SHD Reframing Process and how its application can help aggrieved individuals deal with systemic discrimination in their organizations and increase their engagement at work. The Reframing Process has four steps, which are clearly outlined in the chapter. Also, the Equity-Inclusion Culture Matrix is introduced in this chapter as a tool to assess the cultures in organizations. The Matrix has four quadrants that show the interaction between equity and inclusion parameters. The second section presents 18 cases of systemic discrimination with some involving a Black nurse in a hospital, a Black office manager working in a college, and a Black male physician in a hospital. Other cases involve a Black student in a university, a Director of R&D in a company, a Black female working for a government agency, an employee of a housing agency, and a Black sales executive in a company among others. In each of these cases, Frank has outlined the steps taken to find a solution, which includes filling the SHD Intake Form, identifying the issues surrounding equity and inclusion, the Equity-Inclusion Culture Matrix, finding a better problem to solve, and finally, reframing the problem. In these cases, 13 individuals were in psychologically toxic cultures, 3 individuals in psychologically unsafe cultures, and 2 in psychologically safe cultures.
What I liked about the book the most is that Frank used his theory of the SHD Reframing Process to address real cases of discrimination by finding a better problem to solve and then reframing the problem to achieve the desired outcomes. The SHD process is an entirely new concept in the field of addressing systemic discrimination. Another positive aspect of the book is that it advances the focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion to include individual engagement. Frank introduces the principle of individual engagement because he believes that the ultimate solution for individuals facing discrimination at the workplace is for them to feel more engaged in their work. As an example, two organizations from the case studies had DEI programs in place, and through the application of the SHD approach, the author was able to examine if the individuals were distressed, anxious, hopeful, or engaged in the cultures of those organizations. Overall, the author has created new knowledge in the book, and his ideas are ingenious and revolutionary in addressing systemic discrimination. I also liked the book because it is a step-by-step guide on how to deal with issues of systemic discrimination in organizations. Frank first describes his theory of the SHD Reframing Process and then illustrates how that theory has been implemented in practice. Therefore, the book is not all about theory because it gives examples of the practical application of Frank’s ideas in the real world. I also liked the idea of finding a better problem to solve and then reframing it because one can spend time and energy focusing on solving a problem that would not lead to the desired outcome. However, when you start with the end goal in mind and then analyze all the problems to find the best one to solve, you will surely achieve the desired outcome.
The only shortcoming I noticed in the book is that it had a few grammar mistakes that can easily be corrected. However, for the most part, the book was professionally edited.
I would give the book a rating of 4 out of 5 stars because the number of strengths outweighs the number of weaknesses. The deduction of one point in the rating is justified because there are a few grammar errors in the book.
I would recommend the book to organization leaders in all fields of industry, including academia, healthcare, business, government, and non-profits among others. This is because cases of discrimination are usually spread across all industries. Therefore, if leaders in these organizations can learn about the SHD Reframing Process from the book, their approach to solving cases of discrimination would change. They would get better results by applying Frank’s SHD approach.
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