Diversity and Personal Conduct
Based on:
- Parvis, L.. Understanding cultural diversity in today's
complex world . Lulu.com. 2006. ISBN:9781411658424.
- Choosing Civility: The Twenty-five Rules of Considerate
Conduct P.M. Forni.
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Introduction
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Thoughtful behaviour, manners, and common decency are in
short supply theses days.
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Some times we forget to use our manners, which may create
tension and hard feelings with others or towards others.
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Good manners and behaviours will improve our lives.
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Proffessor P.M. Forni identifies 25 rules of civility that are
fundamental for connecting effectively and joyfully with
others.
Civility can be related to honesty and truth or love for
neighbours or the collection of all.
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Forni’s 25 Rules of Considerate Conduct
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Pay attention
Acknowledge others
Think the best
Listen
Be inclusive
Speak kindly
Don't speak negatively
Accept and give praise
Respect even a subtle "no"
Respect others' opinions
Mind your body
Be agreeable
Keep it down (and
rediscover silence)
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Respect other people's time
Respect other people's space
Apologize earnestly
Assert yourself
Avoid personal questions
Care for your guests
Be a considerate guest
Think twice before asking for
favors
Refrain from idle complaints
Accept and give constructive
criticism
Respect the environment and be
gentle
Don't shift responsibility and
blame
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Magic Words
Magic words exist as part of a social contract, designed
to express affection for another, making others feel
better in the context of the situation. For example:
 Please should not be used for just any request, but a
request that might be considered unreasonable without it.
This is because it is used to reflect the knowledge that the
asker understands the trouble involved in the request.
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Thanks is used to show that the other person's actions are
valued and appreciated.
Sorry is perhaps more important than the first two, as it is
used to express regret over one's actions and acknowledge
wrongdoing. Without such regret, relationships often
dissolve over time.
http://en.wikipedia.org
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Respect
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On a practical level respect includes taking someone's
feelings, needs, thoughts, ideas, wishes and
preferences into consideration. It also includes
acknowledging them, listening to them, being truthful
with them, and accepting their individuality and
idiosyncrasies (habits).
Respect can be shown through behavior and it can also be
felt. We can act in ways which are considered respectful,
yet we can also feel respect for someone and feel respected
by someone. Because it is possible to act in ways that do not
reflect how we really feel, the feeling of respect is more
important than the behavior without the feeling. When the
feeling is there, the behavior will naturally follow.
http://eqi.org
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Respect
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Nowadays it seems much more possible to survive without
being respected. Someone could, for example, inherit a large
sum of money, have many servants and employees and
have salesmen constantly calling on him and catering to him,
yet not be respected in the least. Someone could also make
a lot of money through having a particular talent which is
valued, such as being able to be a successful businessman
yet not really be respected, perhaps because of the way
he treats others.
When we are respected, we gain the voluntary
cooperation of people. We don't have to use as much
of our energy and resources trying to get our needs met.
When people respect one another there are fewer
conflicts and people are more happy/willing to do things for
you.
http://eqi.org
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Inclusion
A practice of ensuring that people feel they are included
or part of. It may require the following:
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Open-mindedness: Receptive to new and different ideas
or the opinions of others.
Tolerance: means that you put up with something you
don't particularly like or that may even be most horrible to
you.
Simple kindness: The quality or state of being kind.
"Do not envy one another; do not hate one another; do not
turn away from another; and do not undercut one another,
but be you. O servants of Allah, brothers.“ Prophet
Muhammad ((PBUH)
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Positive Attitude
The belief that one can increase achievement through optimistic
thought processes. A positive attitude comes from observational
learning in the environment and is partially achieved when a vision of
good natured change in the mind is applied toward people,
circumstances, events, or behaviors (Wikipedia). Since it is difficult to
measure the effects of a positive mental attitude, it can be
considered a philosophy and a way to approach life.
Example of a positive attitude: “Thinking the glass is half full,
rather than half empty”.
Quotes on Attitude
"Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more
important than any other one thing." Abraham Lincoln
"If you think you can, you can. And if you think you can't, you're right."
Henry Ford
www.selfgrowth.com
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Discussion Questions on Diversity & Personal
Conduct
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Your friend calls you and asks you to
help him move to a new apartment.
Your reaction:
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o
Forget it! I’m not wasting my day off moving
furniture!
Why not? I would love to help. After all what are
friends for?
You agree, but mentally beat yourself up for not
saying “No”.
You come up with a legitimate excuse, why you
can’t do it.
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www.selfgrowth.com
Discussion Questions
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On your lunch break a waiter spills
coffee on your brand new white
Kandoora. Your reaction:
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You are upset, but you tell the waiter not to worry
about it. We all make mistakes and have our good
and bad days.
You ask to talk to the manager and inform him that
the restaurant must pay for the dry cleaning
You hope that the stain won't be too noticeable
when you get back to the office.
You are furious! Your immediate hope is that the
waiter will get fired.
www.selfgrowth.com
10
Discussion Questions
You are the stage manager for a non-English speaking
festival. What strategy would you implement first with
an existing team to ensure cross-cultural respect?
a. Employ interpreters (translators)
b. Ensure that your team is multicultural.
c. Develop a working knowledge of the languages spoken at
the festival.
d. Call a team meeting to discuss cultural diversity of the
groups attending.
www.selfgrowth.com
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Diversity and Globalization
Based on:
- Parvis, L.. Understanding cultural diversity in today's
complex world . Lulu.com. 2006. ISBN:9781411658424.
12
Globalization
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It is a process of interaction and integration among the
people, companies, and governments of different nations. A
process driven by international trade and investment and
aided by information technology. This process has effects on
the environment, on culture, on political systems, on
economic development and prosperity, and on human
physical well-being in societies around the world.
For thousands of years, people—and, later, corporations—
have been buying from and selling to each other in lands at
great distances, such as through the famed Silk Road across
Central Asia that connected China and Europe during the
Middle Ages.
www.globalization101.org
The worldwide interdependence of resource flows, product
markets and business competition.
John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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Pro Globalization
Trade among international means gives the trading
country the opportunity to acquire capital at a lower
price.
 Creates economic growth,
 Reduces poverty,
 Expands export markets,
 Dynamically changing economic competiveness
among nations (Thompson),
 promotion of peace and harmony among different
cultures and ethnicities.
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Pro Globalization (Continued)
With the advancements in travel, transportation and
information and communication technology
(Internet), people are no longer restricted in their
worldwide movement and they share their culture
more easily with others as well as learning about
other cultures.
 This has further lead to the creation of what is
known as 'world culture.' With all boundaries lost,
access to other cultures is easier, and people believe
that this can help in the promotion of peace and
harmony among different cultures and ethnicities.
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Anti Globalization
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The disadvantages of globalization are costly for
national governments, economies, and their people.
“consequences of global change for the well-being
of various groups, the sovereignty and identity of
countries, the disparities among peoples, and the
health of the environment” (Lechner, Loftin, and Boli).
Outsourced labour may take a toll on the national
economy. Many employees may lose their jobs to
production from abroad.
Globalization has resulted in the spread of infectious
diseases.
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Anti Globalization (Continued)
Globalization can be blamed for easing the
committing of international, organized crime.
 It had a negative effect not only on the environment
but also on prices and demand, especially for oil
 While globalization does encourage free trade, it
negatively affects national markets.
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Many people believe that a people's exposure to foreign
culture can undermine their own cultural identity.
Could lead to a homogenization of world culture
Example: Some French people would argue that fast food
does not belong in French society and is of lower quality
than their own.
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Globalization & the Future
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The future of globalization is a bright one to some but
ominous or worrying to others. By the year 2020, the world
economy “is projected to be about 80 percent larger… than
it was in 2000 and average per capita income to be roughly
50 percent higher” (Sachs).
Global technologies are expected to benefit those countries
that accept and utilize them and hold back those countries
that do not.
Within globalization countries such as “China, India, and
other developing countries” are thought to further integrate
into the global economy (Sachs).
“hundreds of millions of working-age adults will join… a
more interrelated world labour market” (Sachs). Thus it is
evident that globalization will more than likely be a powerful
force in the future.
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Discussion Questions on Diversity and
Globalization
1. Globalization means that the actual boundaries of
the world’s nations are being eliminated. True/False
2. Globalization has led to the end of geography:
distance does not matter any more. True/False
3. Globalization represents an increasing
integration of all of the following except
a. economics.
b. culture.
c. communications.
d. morals.
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Discussion Questions on Diversity and
Globalization
Which three of the following are often regarded as
characterizing globalization?
a) Increasing space
b) Shrinking space
c) Strengthened borders
d) Shrinking time
e) Disappearing borders
The loss of sovereignty for nation states is often
associated with the pro globalization critics.
True / False
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References
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Thompson, Robert L. “Globalization: Benefits and
Costs.” Illinois Ag Policy Briefs. University of Illinois,
9 Dec. 2009. Web. 9 Dec. 2009.
Lechner, Frank, Teresa Loftin, and John Boli. The
Globalization Website. Emory University, n.d. Web.
9 Dec. 2009.
Sachs, Jeffrey. “The End of Poverty.” New York,
New York: The Penguin Press, 2005. Print.
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