By Tracy Durham

Canine animation makes important business points on diversity:◦ Everyone is not always accepting of those who look, talk and

think differently.◦ It is important to have an open mind to see the possibilities

diversity can bring to an organization. 1. Produce stronger ideas and fresher thinking. 2. Help to avoid stereotyping and personal barriers. 3. Diversity means differences in gender, age, ethnicity,

culture, religious beliefs, physical ability and more. 4. Respecting and tolerating differences is crucial to

successful communication in organizations.

Historically, humans seldom had to connect with people other than those living in their own hunting and gathering groups.

In the past many organizations were built on uniformity, separation and specialization. People who thought alike and had similar job skills were grouped together.

In today’s growing global society there is an increased need for individuals to interact with people from different cultures, races, genders and ages.◦ “In 2005, nearly 40 percent of people entering the workforce in the U.S.

were non-white-half of those where first generation immigrants, with two thirds being female.” (Daft, p 12)

The need to build relationships with diverse others has become very important for successful communication within organizations.

Diversity involves accepting and respecting the unique differences of individuals. These difference include race, class, gender, age, ethnicity, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, physical abilities, religious beliefs, political beliefs, culture, language, lifestyle, and other ideologies.

Step 1: Accept Yourself

Step 2: Lower the Barriers

Step 3: Recognize and Value Diversity

Step 4:Clarify Miscommunications

In his book “Bridges Not Walls” John Stewart describes four of the six steps that Psychologist David W. Johnson outlines for building relationships with diverse others. The steps are as follows:

“Know thy self”---Socrates “To thine own self be true”--Shakespeare

Accepting yourself involves reflecting on your own identity which can be divided into three parts:

1. Self-schema-a generalization about the self, derived from past experience that guides your understanding of what you learn about yourself from interacting with others.

2. Gender identity-the fundamental sense of your maleness or femaleness.

3. Ethnic identity-your sense of belonging to a particular ethnic group.

If one is aware of their own beliefs and opinions and fully aware that those beliefs and opinions are just that and not fact, then they can have an intelligent and open-minded conversation with someone else and learn something about that person and possibly learn something else about themselves.

Differences are a wonderful thing; they are what sets everyone apart from one another and leads to much learning. You often learn so much more from someone who you are very different from, than from someone who you are very similar to.

When we know our own flaws and imperfection we realized and accept that we are not perfect. When we don’t know ourselves, we lack the understanding of who we are and what are strengths and weaknesses are.

If we know ourselves, then we know our own biases before we get to know someone else.

Self acceptance is very important. It allows us to be able to tap into our strengths and acknowledge our weaknesses. In order for us to learn from others and not become that person, we need to know ourselves.

Your identity is made up of a set of attitudes that defines who you are called self-schema.

Each person has multiple schemas, identities and selves.

Each schema is arranged in a hierarchy◦ The more important an identity is, the higher it is in the hierarchy and

the more likely it is to influence your behavior and choices.

The more schemas you have the better you deal with stress.◦ Example-(a woman who only sees herself as a wife, is likely to be

devastated by a divorce. If she sees herself as a wife, mother, friend, and tennis player, her divorce will not be as detrimental because she has other roles to fall back on)

How do you identify yourself?

Purpose is to:

Determine labels that apply to yourself.

Compare self-identification labels with those used by others.

Realize how labeling yourself and others leads to barriers in communication.

What identity label is most important to you? and Why?

Do all of you identify yourselves in the same way? How do you account for the different labels used?

What does it mean when you refer to groups of people with labels? Do you feel the same about labeling yourself?

Once you accept yourself, you are able to accept others. However, there are difficulties with building relationships with diverse others:◦ A. Prejudice

Four steps to reducing prejudice and stereotypes◦ B. Blaming the victim◦ C. Cultural Clash

Can be defined as “an unjustified negative attitude toward a person based solely on that individual’s membership in a particular group.” (Stewart p. 458).

Stereotyping is labeling members of a particular group with the same characteristics. ◦ Distort the truth.◦ Leads to prejudice.

Ethnocentrism is a form of prejudiceo People regarding their own ethnic group, nation or culture

as superior to others.

Prejudice put into action is discrimination.

Purpose is to: Become familiar with the term stereotype.

Better understand how stereotypes limit our thinking and lead to prejudices and discrimination.

Who did you give your gifts to and why?

We can avoid prejudice by not making assumptions about someone. We are talking with someone to learn something so we should keep an open mind and allow the information in.

We can avoid making these assumptions about people by knowing that this perception process happens and actively shaping our thinking to be more understanding and willing to see beyond the surface. As simple as it sounds, it comes down to having an open mind and getting to know people before making any judgments, especially in regards to visual diversity.

I don’t think we can ever really can avoid "prejudice" because by the nature of the word "it is to pre judge something." We prejudge people everyday in our lives, from the clothes a person wears, the way a person speaks, the manner in which they carry them selves etc. However, it is up to the person to keep an open mind as to whether or not they want to get to know a person and go beyond prejudging a person. Therefore, perception can have two faces, 1. before we know a person, 2. after we get to know the person.

We can avoid prejudice in our perception of others by first understanding our prejudices. We all have them. If we are unaware of what they are then we will not know how to separate them from our perception of things.

1. Admit you have prejudices and make an effort to reduce them.

2. Identify which stereotypes are reflected by these prejudices and change them.

3. Identify the actions involved with your prejudices and change them.

4. Ask diverse peers for feedback on how well you are communicating your new attitude toward valuing diversity.

Occurs when we attribute the personal characteristics and/or actions of the victim as causes of prejudice and discrimination.

Blaming the victim for negative things that happen builds a wall when attempting to establish positive relationships with diverse others.

Occurs when there are differences in opinions about basic cultural values among individuals from different cultures.◦ Members of minority groups commonly question the values of

the majority.◦ Members of majority group react accordingly

First they feel threatened—they avoid and deny and are defensive.

Then they feel confused-they seek more information to identify the problem

Finally they feel enhanced-heightened awareness and positive actions leading to solving the problem.

In order to benefit from all the positive aspects of diversity one must recognize that it exist and learn to respect and utilize the fundamental differences among people.

To build relationships with diverse others and create a workplace that encompasses all members one should follow these steps◦ 1. develop an appreciation for ones own cultural background◦ 2. develop an appreciation for the cultural background of others◦ 3. create a strong self identify◦ 4. develop a set of pluralistic values

Communication is one of the most detailed parts of developing relationships with diverse others.

In order to communicate effectively with people who have different backgrounds and cultures you must increase your awareness of the following:◦ Language sensitivity-appropriate knowledge of words and

expressions.◦ Awareness of stylistic elements of communication-

appropriate knowledge of nuances in language and differences in style.

“The general manager of an international firm tells of complimenting a distinguished English gentleman on the knickers he was wearing. Why did the gentleman turn crimson? In Britain knee-length trousers are called “plus fours”, while “knickers” are ladies’ underpants.”(Axtell, p 167)

“Among the British, one’s personal privacy is sacred. Therefore even the customary American conversational gambit, “What do you do?”, becomes forward and impolite in proper English social circles. We in the United States are identified by what we do; the British are not. On a scale of rudeness, It would be compared to asking an American how much money they make.”(Axtell, p 48)

“An American teenager was hitchhiking in Nigeria. A carload of locals passed him. The car came to a screeched halt. The locals jumped out of the car and roughed the teenager up. Why? Because in Nigeria, the gesture commonly used in America for hitchhiking (thumbs extended upward) is considered a very rude signal.”(Axtell, p 3)

1. Make appropriate use of all communication skills we have discussed here.

2. Negotiate with the other person if you think they have misunderstood what you are saying.

3. Use inclusive words instead of exclusive words. ie, chairperson instead of chairman

4. Avoid using adjectives that put the spotlight on a certain group. ie, older teacher, blind lawyer

5. Use quotes, metaphors, and analogies that are from diverse sources.

6. Avoid terms that are demeaning or that devalue others. 7. Be aware of the genealogy of words which others view

as inappropriate. The way the receiver interprets the word is more important than the way you interpret it.

"We have become not a melting pot but a beautiful mosaic. Different people, different beliefs, different yearnings, different hopes, different dreams." -- Jimmy Carter

"If we cannot end now our differences, at least we can help make the world safe for diversity." John F. Kennedy

"If we are to achieve a richer culture, rich in contrasting values, we must recognize the whole gamut of human potentialities, and so weave a less arbitrary social fabric, one in which each diverse human gift will find a fitting place." Margaret Mead

“America is not like a blanket—one piece of unbroken cloth. America is more like a quilt— many patches, many pieces, many colors, many sizes, all woven together by a common thread.” --Rev. Jesse Jackson

We all should know that diversity makes for a rich tapestry, and we must understand that all the threads of the tapestry are equal in value no matter what their color. -- Maya Angelou

What we have to do . . . is to find a way to celebrate our diversity and debate our differences without fracturing our communities. - Hillary Rodham Clinton

Axtell, R. E. (1990). Do’s and taboos of hosting international visitors (p. 48). New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons.

Axtell, R. E. (1991). Gestures; the do’s and taboos of body language around the world. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons.

Axtell, R. E. (1993). Do’s and taboos around the world (3rd ed., p. 167). New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons. (Original work published 1985)

Daft, R. L. (2005). The leadership experience (3rd ed., p. 12). Mason, OH: Southwestern.

Meeting Openers. (2009, February 18). Diversity - animated meeting opener [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQRF6cNHUjQ

Otero, G., & Smith, G. (1994). Teaching about cultural awareness. Denver,

Colorado: The center for teaching international relations. (Original work published 1977)

Stewart, John. Bridges Not Walls: A Book About Interpersonal Communication. New York: The McGraw Hill Companies, 2012.