Double Standards
Hi,
This week’s email is about problematic double standards and what you can do about them.
The information here is from my article on the topic.
Here are the key practical points you should know:
A double standard is a principle or policy that is applied differently to similar things, without proper justification.
For example, a double standard can involve treating two similar employees differently after they do the same thing, by punishing one and rewarding the other, even though there's no valid reason for this.
To determine whether something constitutes a double standard, ask yourself if there's unequal treatment, and then check if the unequal treatment is between two equal things or if there's proper justification for it.
To respond to double standards, you can ask the person applying them to explain their behavior, and then highlight the issues with it or ask them how they would feel if someone else applied similar double standards toward them.
Remember that people sometimes apply double standards unintentionally, without being aware of the issues with their behavior.
As always, I'm happy to hear your thoughts.
Have a great week,
Itamar