DIVERSITY AND CULTURAL SENSITIVITY
IN THE WORK PLACE
By
Zacharys Anger Gundu, PhD
Dubai Leadership Summit, December, 2011
DIVERSITY IS A WAY OF LIFE
DIVERSITY AS A MELTING POT OR A
MIXING BOWL?
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
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Know the dynamics of Diversity and Culture and its
impact on Learning.
Identify skills that help to open communication channels
with others.
Develop personal strategies to increase knowledge
about other cultures.
Learn to become advocates for diversity in the work
place.
Learn how to foster an attitude of inclusion and respect
in the work place.
Identify barriers to accepting others and how to
overcome them in the work place.
DIVERSITY AND YOU.
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Do you believe there is only one right way of doing
things (or do you allow for other valid ways?)
Do you have honest relationships with each other?
Do you find working with people from different
backgrounds irritating or rewarding?.
Are you open to people from different cultures?.
DIVERSITY AND YOU
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How do you handle disrespect from others ?
How does ethnicity, nepotism, sexism manifest
around you?
Is there a diversity policy in place in your place of
work.?
Are assignments and opportunities for advancement
accessible to everyone in your place of work?
THE EARTH AS A DIVERSIFIED VILLAGE
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If we were to shrink the earth to a village of 100
people, with its existing human diversity, we will have a
picture looking like this:
57 will be Asians.
 21 Europeans.
 14 from the western hemisphere (North and South).
 8 Africans.
 52 Females.
 48 Males.
 70 Non white.
 30 White.
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THE EARTH AS A DIVERSIFIED VILLAGE
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70 Non Christian.
30 Christian.
6 people will own 59% of the entire wealth of the
earth and most of them will be in the US.
80 will be in sub standard housing.
70 will not be able to read.
50 will suffer from malnutrition.
1 will be near death.
I will be near birth.
WHAT DIVERSITY MEANS
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Recognition that each of the different people at work
is unique in terms of talents, gifts, skills, personality
traits, physical abilities, cultural background,
appearances, thoughts, feelings, beliefs and points of
view.
Its about ‘learning from others who are not the same,
about dignity, respect for all , and about creating
workplace environments and practices that encourage
learning from others and capture the advantage of
diverse perspectives’. Cornell University.
PRIMARY CHARACTERISTICS OF
DIVERSITY
These are
characteristics
we are born
with.
Gender
Eye colour
Hair colour
Race
Birth Defects
Skin colour.
SECONDARY AND TERTIARY
CHARACTERISTICS OF DIVERSITY
These are
characteristics
we acquire
as members
of different
cultural
formations.
Religion
Education
Status
Geographical
Location
Dress
Skills
Marital status
Tertiary
Characteristics
linked to
Personality and
style.
Political
affiliation
WORK PLACE DIVERSITY AS A
CHALLENGE
Managing
Diversity in
the work
place is
always a
nightmare.
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The unqualified acceptance of people
from different backgrounds in the work
place is always a challenge.
The differences we carry to the work
place influence our thinking, actions,
interactions and choices.
All these can interfere with our ability to
support, trust and respect each other in
the teams we work.
CHALLENGES OF CROSS CULTURAL
COMMUNICATION
Diversity bias.
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These are assumptions that make it
difficult to accept others who are
different from us. They include:
The Assumptions of superiority.
I

am better.
The Assumptions of correctness.
 My

way is the correct way.
The Assumptions of universality.
 We
are all the same: If you are less than
me, you must be sub human.
CHALLENGES OF CROSS CULTURAL
COMMUNICATION
Other barriers
to accepting
others.
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Other barriers to accepting others aside
from bias include:
 Perceptions.
 Feelings
based on opinions, dislikes, attitudes,
beliefs and values.
 Prejudice.
 Prejudgment
without sufficient knowledge.
 Stereotypes.
 Generalizations
on people without reference to
individual differences.
 Discrimination
 Denial
.
of fair treatment.
CROSS CULTURAL COMMUNICATION
Valuable tips
while
discussing
issues like
race, sexual
orientation,
disabilities,
religion.
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Many diversity issues are sensitive so
while discussing them, its good to be:
Calm and open.
 Know the issues and emotions at stake.
 Establish rapport.
 Respect the other’s views even if you do
not agree with them.
 Choose your words carefully.
 See the difference as a perspective and
not a wrong.
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THE VALUE OF DIVERSITY TO THE
ORGANIZATION
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Diversity awareness helps us to appreciate our
differences and the potential value they bring to the
work place.
It helps us to connect to and leverage the variety of
gifts and talents people bring to the work place.
It promotes stronger healthier organizations( diverse
ecologies are also stronger).
Promotes creativity and greater variety of solutions to
problems.
Promotes greater productivity and competitive
advantage.
DIVERSITY TYPES
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Gender.
Age.
Race.
Ethnicity.
Culture.
Religion.
Language.
Disability.
Height.
Weight.
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Sexual Orientation.
Education.
Education.
Dress.
Skills.
Union/Non Union.
Full time/Part time.
Marital status.
Political Affiliation.
MANAGING DIVERSITY IN THE WORK
PLACE
How to
manage
Diversity in
the work
place.
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Whatever happens, people should come
first. All, irrespective of differences
should be treated with respect. ‘Small
things’ like people’s names should be
pronounced properly.
Support social networking in the workplace
(This can help reduce differences)
Plan and implement systems and practices
that foster respect and inclusiveness in the
organization.
MANAGING DIVERSITY IN THE WORK
PLACE(Cont)
Key systems
that can
advance
Diversity
goals.
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Recruitment and hiring.
Performance management.
Career development.
Coaching and mentoring.
Flexible work arrangements.
Training and learning.
These systems can be deployed to
leverage diversity in the organization.
MANAGING DIVERSITY IN THE WORK
PLACE (Cont)
Strategies for
managing
Diversity.
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Build diversity into recruitment, planning
strategy, decisions and partnerships.
Identify where and to what degree local
divisions should be
encouraged/empowered to take the lead
in expressing and managing diversity.
Encourage cross cultural conversation and
interaction.
Aim at cross cultural balances in decision
making.
Leadership from the top.
COST OF POOR MANAGEMENT OF
DIVERSITY IN THE WORK PLACE
Poor
Management
of diversity
can be very
costly to
business.
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The cost of managing Diversity poorly
includes:
 Complaints
and legal actions.
 Low employee morale.
 Inefficiency.
 Increased tension and conflict.
 High employee turn over.
 Lost investments in recruitment and training.
 Lost time and money in managing conflicts
and misunderstanding.
 High rates of absenteeism.
DIVERSITY POLICY
Its important
for the
workplace to
have a
Diversity
Policy.
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The organization’s Mission should
include a statement on the value of
diversity.
Develop diversity goals for each area
of the business.
Develop strategies to show how each
goal will be met.
Clarify how you can mainstream
diversity in the work place.
PERSONAL ACTION IN SUPPORT OF
DIVERSITY
Knowledge of
and
relationship
with
colleagues.
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Know your colleagues and subordinates
by name.
This fosters a climate of respect. Know
how to pronounce their names correctly.
If titles are important, use them. In
Malaysia , France and Nigeria, titles
are important.
In the USA, first names are preferred
and amongst the Japanese, exchange
of cards are important.
PERSONAL ACTION IN SUPPORT OF
DIVERSITY (Cont)
Use of body
language.
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Be careful about the use of gestures.
Avoid touching.
Eating out requires special knowledge across
cultures.
Know that eye contact is interpreted
differently across cultures.
Amongst Africans, younger people are
expected to avoid eye contact with older
people as a sign of respect.
Amongst Europeans, eye contact is necessary
when talking to others. It’s a sign that you have
nothing to hide.
PERSONAL ACTION IN SUPPORT OF
DIVERSITY(Cont)
Other tips.
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Treat everybody equitably.
Watch for signs of harassment.
Encourage and recognize contributions of
different people
Learn and use some of their languages.
Give meaningful and culturally
appropriate gifts/rewards.
In other places, formal dress is the norm, in
places like Singapore, long sleeve shirts
are just fine.
PERSONAL ACTION IN SUPPORT OF
DIVERSITY(Cont)
Other tips.
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In some cultures meals and table
manners are very important in business.
The French for example, conduct
business over lunch or dinner.
In China, a banquets and bouts of
drinking are parts of business deals.
In Africa, there is the concept of
‘African time’ that may account for
delays in appointments.
HANDLING RELIGIOUS DIFFERENCES
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Religious jokes are tolerated in some
religions more than others.
Treat religious views with respect.
Be consistent in allowing time off for
religious reasons.
Never promote one religion over and
above the other in the workplace.
Accept religious views as personal to
the individual.
PERSONAL COMMITTMENT
What are you
going to
commit to the
promotion of
diversity when
you return
home?
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THINK AND ACT DIVERSITY
The End and
Thanks.