191. Airgram From the Department of State to Selected Diplomatic Posts1
SUBJECT
- EEO Films
For Chiefs of Mission From Richard M. Moose.
In his March 15, 1977 Equal Employment Opportunity message,2 Secretary Vance emphasized the Department’s dedication to and involvement in EEO activities. One facet of those activities is the education of our workforce on matters such as perceptions of people in peer as well as supervisory relationships. A pair of films have been obtained for world tour to assist Foreign Service employees who are physically remote from training and briefing sessions in Washington.
[Page 764]The first of the two-film package en route to EA posts is “Prejudice: Perceiving and Believing.” The film presents a very broad socio-economic cross section of people declaring their feelings about others in terms of their perceptions about others’ race, color, religion, ethnic origin, sex, and occupation, rather than individual worth. Also, the film includes commentary on pre-judgment or prejudice against white Anglo-Saxon Protestants within the same context as prejudice against minorities and women.
The second film, entitled “Productivity and the Self-Fulfilling Prophecy: The Pygmalion Effect,” deals with the power of expectation and how that power can be used to influence people negatively or positively. By understanding how this process occurs, the film intends to show how management can learn to use it as a powerful tool for the benefit of both the organization and individual and how managers can affect employee morale, performance, and upward mobility.
Chiefs of Mission are expected to take a personal interest in the showing of the film—inviting all U.S. employees and encouraging attendance by adult family members as well. Recently a representative of the DOD contacted the Department on EEO abroad and expressed an interest in being included in activities such as film showings. The film should be sent to constituent posts for viewing as the Chief of Mission deems appropriate.
EEO Counselors and Federal Women’s Program Coordinators are urged to preview the films before general showing in preparation for roles as moderators in post-screening group discussions. The producers of the “Prejudice” film suggest the following questions to generate discussion:
1. How does the old saying “beauty is in the eye of the beholder” apply to this film?
2. Have you ever been the victim of pre-judgments regarding your race, ethnic origin or sex?
3. How does perceiving and believing people to have group characteristics affect their basic job performance and potential to advance?
4. What effect would being perceived in terms of group characteristics have on your job performance and potential to advance?
The producers of the “Pygmalion” film suggest questions like the following:
1. Which workers are most susceptible to a negative Pygmalion Effect? What implications does this have for management? For the worker?
2. What are some possible results of a manager’s negative expectations on the job?
3. Cite five ways that a manager can relay positive expectations to an employee. Cite five ways that negative expectations can be conveyed.
EA’s record in showing the 1975/76 EEO film “Beyond Black and White” is excellent. It is expected that the same treatment will be given to the new pair of films. After viewing, each post is to advise M/EEO of (1) date of showing, (2) number of persons who attended the showing, (3) reactions of the viewers, (4) post to which forwarded, and (5) date of forwarding. (Each post should arrange for a showing roughly within two weeks of receipt.)
The following itinerary is advisory. Posts should feel free to make adjustments between themselves based on the best mail/pouch facilities from post to post. Posts along the way should not return the film to Washington for onward forwarding. The last post should return the film to M/EEO.
| TOKYO | KUALA LUMPUR |
| SEOUL | SINGAPORE |
| PEKING | JAKARTA |
| TAIPEI | MANILA |
| HONG KONG | PORT MORESBY |
| RANGOON | CANBERRA |
| BANGKOK | WELLINGTON |
- Source: National Archives, RG 59, Records of the Under Secretary for Management (M), 1977–1978, Box 1, Chron April 1977. Unclassified. Drafted on April 13 by Pinckney and Georgiana Prince (M/EEO); cleared in draft by Ralph Scarritt (EA/EX), J. Antunes (USIA), G. Roane (AID), and Edward Fenstermacher (OC/P); approved by Moose. Sent to Bangkok, Canberra, Hong Kong, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Peking, Port Moresby, Rangoon, Seoul, Singapore, Taipei, Tokyo, and Wellington.↩
- See Document 186.↩