Cultural Diversity surrounds my life. My family is American Causation.
My sister and I were raised in the Christian Church. Our parents have been
married for 64 years. My father’s parents immigrated from Sicily and my mother’s
family came across the United States in a covered wagon and homesteaded in
Colorado in the 1880’s. Most of my
co-workers come from Mexico and it seems that I learn new things about their
culture and customs every day.
I was raised in a home that valued a person’s diversity. I
am glad I was raised the way I was because I have an acceptance for people
regardless of race,
religion, or sexual orientation. I do find myself communicating with people
differently because I respect their individuality or culture. I believe that is where the platinum rule
comes into effect. We acknowledge what a person wants or needs and we give it
to them.
Based on what I
have learned this week I would make every effort to learn about a parent, staff
or child’s culture. The resources used
at the center are free of stereotypes. The language in our materials is gender
neutral. It reflects and is appropriate for diverse groups being sensitive to equality
and diversity.
Three
strategies I would use to improve effective communication is to listen effectively.
Make sure I have heard what the person has said by repeating, I see that… or I
understand you……. The second strategy is to show understanding and kindness. Be
empathetic to the other person by using the platinum rule. Put yourself in the
others situation and think before you say or do the wrong thing. The third strategy is to do the right thing.
Make sure that clients are not discriminated against. That people of different
cultures are given the same opportunities as other clients. Use every effort possible
to communicate whether it is by using non-verbal cues or showing respect by not
making eye-contact (O'Hair & Wiemann, 2012).
References
Gonzalez-Mena, J. (2010). 50
strategies for communicating and working with diverse families. Upper Saddle
River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.
O'Hair, D., & Wiemann, M. (2012). Real communication.
New York: Bedford/St. Martin's.
Diana, this was a very interesting blog post to read this week. I see that you family is mixed with many different cultures. I just read Judy's post and her family was the same way. My family is all of one culture. So i know it must be complicated to communicate sometimes when everyone is not on the same page. Are there any strategies that you have came up with to help?
ReplyDeleteHi Diana,
ReplyDeleteI like the strategies that you would use for effective communication especially when it relates to persons of different cultures. Listening is a very essential skill in achieving effective communication. I believe patience discipline,and listening also goes hand in hand. Have you ever lost out on something very important because you just could not bother to listen or think it was just so unimportant? I have had that experience and I end regretting not listening intently.
Judy
Diana
ReplyDeleteEffectively listening is so important. I cannot even begin to imagine the miscommunications between others simply because someone was not listening or did not do their part in asking questions if they did not understand. You state that we need to use repeating, I also agree this is an important part to competent communication. I personally like it when someone is showing genuine interest in what I am saying. Eye contact and repeating our two of the practices of effective listening that I feel our vital to competent communication.
Diana,
ReplyDeleteIt is very great that you were raised to appreciate others' cultures. As I child, I believe that I was also taught this but as I got older and more cultured discovering differences and things that made me uncomfortable, sometimes I unconsciously acted or communicated differently form people who were culturally different. I think that even if we are taught this, later on in life, some experiences can cause us to change or stray away from what we were taught. I really like the strategy of showing empathy. When it comes to communicating with culturally different people, I think this is one of the most important characteristics to have. We must think about how the other party feels or thinks when others are not treating them equally during communication or anything else.
Cherri
Communication Comes To An End.
ReplyDeleteThey say all good things must come to an end. Diana I just want to take this time out to say thanks for allowing me to part of your professional journey. Thanks for your many insightful comment and contributions that you have to my professional journey. Communications is a stomach full and I have a much to digest. I hope to use what I have learned in career and also for personal life. I know I am a better person at the end of this course because I believe I am more conscious of how communication affects us especially how we form and maintain relationships. All the best on the rest of this journey. I believe we can almost glimpse the light at the end of the dark tunnel.
Judy