EMBRACING DIVERSITY in the Modern Work Environment

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EMBRACING DIVERSITYin theModern Work Environment

• PRESENTED BY
• DR. AUBREY F. BENTHAM

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What is Workplace Diversity?

• Valuing and Respecting Differences in Individuals
  and Groups, where these differences make a
  Contribution to the Success of MY Organization

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Why is Diversity Important?

• We must include ALL people
• U.S. is a migration MELTING POT
• U.S. businesses are now GLOBAL
• CULTURES are interactive and interdependent
• Diversity allows us to LEARN and SHARE our
  cultural differences

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Demographics/ U.S. Dept of Labor

• 1988
• Caucasian-Americans 50
• Women, immigrants, non-whites 50
• 2000
• Women, immigrants, non-whites 75

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Demographics/ U.S. Dept of Labor

• 2010
• Spanish-speaking Americans will be the largest
  minority group
• 2050
• The number of minorities will equal the number
  of whites in the U.S.A

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• Opportunities for Cultural Diversity
• and Intercultural Communication
• Diversity works best when Commun-ication between
  persons of diverse cultural backgrounds, are
  allowed to interact from their cultural view
  point (ET. Hall)

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Cultural Diversity andIntercultural Communication

• Being Aware of Differences
• Physical features, appearances
• Cultural race, ethnicity, religious, social
• Perceptual seeing things differently
• Experiential having different experiences
• Emotions gender and cultural differences
• Linguistic different language / vocabulary

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Hindrances to Diversityand Communication

• Derogatory Hot Buttons
• Towel heads . you people
• Sand people . nice slanted eyes
• Dot heads . nice colored folks
• The N word . the wheelchair guy
• Slave driver . the short fat one
• Red necks . the light sweet one
• Crackers . I dont see you as..
• Wet backs . the Red Skins

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Contrasting Cultural Tendencies

• English conservative, polite, formal
• French trusting, romantic, artistic
• Italians talkative, emotional, bold
• S/American laidback, patient, deals
• Asians soft spoken, polite, xeno- phobic,
  non-confrontational, dutiful
• Caribbean respect knowledge, author -ity, will
  mix business w/pleasure

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Contrasting Cultural Tendencies (Cont)

• Hispanic/Latino - strength in groups, family
  tradition are important
• Indians hard working, values friend- ship in
  the w/p, emotional, will bargain
• Nigerians loyal to tradition, high regard for
  authority (elders)
• Greek blunt, looks for hidden meanings in
  contract conversation

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Cultural Habits Behaviors

• Chronemics - differences towards time
• Chromatics - different use of colors
• Proxemics - space physical distance
• Oculemics differences in eye contact
• Olfactics - differences in smell / scents
• Kinesics body movements / posture
• Haptics - touch types

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Diversity Knowledge

• What is Diversity Helping US
• to Achieve?
• Effective Communication
• More Cultural Awareness
• More Cultural Interaction
• Improved understanding
• Adaptation NOT Assimilation

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Diversity KnowledgeCultural Diversitys Daily
To Do List

• 7 Intercultural Constructs
• 1. Today I will be a Global Thinker
• 2. Today I will be communicator and
• communicatee (listener)
• 3. Today I will be an asset to my comp-
• any by including everyone

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Diversity Knowledge To Do List 7
Intercultural Constructs

• 4. Today I will see differences as
• opportunities for success
• 5. Today I will be tolerant of constraints
• imposed by differences
• 6. Today I will value the contribution of
• all cultures
• 7. Today I will value the contribution of
• my own cultural diversity

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Ways to IncreaseDiversity Knowledge

• Available Tools
• Books . Websites . CDs Tapes
• Courses . Workshops . Music . Movies
• Ethnic festivals . Cultural exhibits
• Foods . Diversity day . Consultants
• Diversity Teams . Diversity Evaluations
• Management Support . Culture maps

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Initial Dimensions of Diversity

• Race
• Ethnicity
• Gender
• Religion
• SES
• Age
• Family Lineage

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Todays Dimensions of Diversity

• Single parenthood . Weight
• Political affiliation . Education
• Cultural prioritization . Language
• Differently able . Appearance
• Marital status . Nationality
• W/B collar Job . Music / Foods
• Smoke/non-smoke . Neighborhood
• Intelligence (accent) . Immigration-
• Sexual preference status

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Six Myths About Diversity

• It is for women minorities only
• Diversity is a new phenomenon
• Its about deficiency- lowering standards
• Diversity is divisive -separates people
• Diversity is to be feared
• Diversity will go away

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What Really Causes Cultural Differences?

• Culture those distinct traditions, practices,
  attitudes, behaviors, rituals, customs,
  priorities, and values belonging to a particular
  group of people

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Some Causes of Cultural Differences

• a) Different government systems
• United States - Federal Republic
• England - Constitutional Monarchy
• Canada - Parliamentary Democracy
• Saudi Arabia - Regional Emirs
• Iran - Religious Council
• b) Different educational systems
• U.S. et al k-12 free compulsory
• Germany K-U free, U non-compulsory
• Iran - 7-12 years, Islam, male only

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Some Causes of Cultural Differences

• C) Different family systems
• United States
• Dating (socialization) starts at 13
• Nuclear family (dad, mom, 2 ½ kids)
• 1/3 single parent households
• Japan
• Men are breadwinners, mothers run homes
• Groom pays for all wedding expenses
• Divorce rate is low

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Cultural Differences Caused byFamily Systems

• Caribbean
• Children come-of-age at 21-years
• Parents involved in childs marriage
• Brides family pay wedding expenses
• Spanish Origin
• Nuclear family includes extended family
• A good family is a large family (4 kids)
• Family responsibilities come first

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Semantic Differences

• U.S.A Others
• Hood Bonnet /England
• Truck Lorry /England
• Fords Fiera ugly woman /Sp
• Chevy Nova no go /Spanish
• Look out! Look outside / Fr
• Stop sign (stop) Stop (suggestion)
• Soda pop Soft drink
• I love you tu or usted

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American Semantics Frequently Misunderstood by
Other Cultures

• Asleep at the switch . Back off
• Doggie bag . Cold turkey
• Park in driveway . Bling-Bling
• Miss the boat . Rock bottom
• Piece-a-cake . Laid off
• Ball park figure . Bottom line
• Red tape . Ring a bell

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Diversity SkillsWhat are they, and How do I get
them?

• Diversity skills are competencies that allow
  people to interact with others in ways that
  respect value differences

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Diversity Skills For Success

• 7-Ways to develop Diversity skills
• Flexible thinking
• Be open-minded
• See the individual, not her group
• Be aware conscious of otherness
• Do not use hot-buttons (negatives)
• Reach out, but be yourself
• Evaluate yourself

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Inadequate Diversity SkillsA prescription for
Failure

• A strain on interpersonal relations
• Inability to join teams at work
• Feeling challenged insecure
• A target for discrimination law suits
• Constant suspicion among coworkers
• and with customers
• A hostile environment
• Company loses business

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The Costs of Inadequate Diversity Skills

• 1994 Dennys restaurant corporation paid a 45M
  settlement in a discrim-ination case
• 1995 KFCs lack of diversity skills and cultural
  awareness in China became a social liability
  finger lickin good was translated enjoy eating
  your finger off

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The Costs of Inadequate Diversity Skills

• 1996 Texaco paid 176M in damages due to a secret
  recording of racist remarks made by its
  executives
• Mitsubishi paid 34M, 20 fired, for sexual
  harassment involving 350- women
• ATT management forced to acknow-ledge
  apologize for derogatory racist advertisement

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Inadequate Skills and Culture ClashWhen things
dont go as planned

• Ways to resolve Culture Clash
• A. Clash recognition
• B. Communicate (talk)
• C. Circumvent (avoid)
• D. Confront (assertively)
• E. Compromise (give a little)
• F. Commit (give a lot)
• G. Consensus (win-win)

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6-Barriers to Diversity Embracement

• 1. Perception selective limited
• 2. Ethnocentrism acting superior
• 3. Stereotyping grouping, labeling
• 4. Prejudice inflexible opinions
• 5. Prejudice - plus power
• Discrimination the act of unequal
• treatment of
  others

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How to Overcome Diversity Barriers

• Realize that barriers do exist
• Enhance your knowledge (self/others)
• Alter your opinion of others
• Let everyone have an opportunity
• Treat others fairly equally
• Otherness is American, profitable
• Replace negatives with positives
• Start today, start now