What would you do if you landed your dream job, but as soon as you start, you discovered that your boss (or the coworkers you work most closely with) seem to have different values and goals than you do? They might use language that you’re unfamiliar with, have different preferences than you do, or seem offended despite your best efforts to communicate with them politely. Some of these dilemmas might be the result of personality differences, but since the labor force in the United States has increasingly included people from different cultures, races, sexes/genders, age groups, disability statuses, sexual orientations/gender identities, and nationalities, the likelihood of encountering someone with a different view of the world than you have is not a remote one.
[Of course, even though these types of miscommunications can be tough to navigate, we also know that more diverse workplaces offer lots of advantages. For example, they tend to be have happier employees, be more productive and more innovative. They are also better able to offer services to more diverse groups of clients/customers.]
In order to reap the benefits of a diverse workplace, employees need to be interculturally competent, that is, they must be able to communicate effectively with people different from they are. Intercultural competence involves displaying: respect, empathy, tolerance, open-mindedness, good listening skills, flexibility, self-control, and curiosity.
According to the American Association of Colleges and Universities, teaching students to interact and communicate effectively with diverse groups of people should be one of the primary goals of higher education (Association of American Colleges and Universities, 2007). Likewise, the American Sociology Association identifies “an ability to describe cultural diversity in the United States and in the world” (p. 50) in one of their suggested models for departments to use in assessing students. St. Edward’s University also includes a section specifically devoted to diversity in its operating principles :
We seek to understand and promote diversity: We support the ideal of equal and open access to opportunity for everyone. We work to critically examine our own beliefs, biases, and assumptions that may create division and misunderstanding about ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation, values, religion, politics, disabilities, socio-economic status, attitudes, language, and all other differences. We are committed to identifying and eliminating barriers to inclusion within our own policies, procedures, and traditional practices. We value the diversity on our campus and within the community and work to enhance the possibilities for personal and institutional growth such diversity provides.
What does intercultural competence and diversity have to do with this class (and other classes you might take at St. Edward’s)?
One way that you can practice intercultural competence and increase your ability to join a diverse workplace is in the classroom. For example, in this class, you might:
- clearly explain your perspective about a topic to your classmates.
- challenge yourself to better understand why your group members have different values and goals than you do.
- find a way to respectfully disagree with one of your peers about an issue that you’re passionate about.
- understand your own assumptions and values by analyzing how your past experiences, and the environment you grew up in influenced you (and then compare your experiences to those of someone discussed in an article, audio clip, or film).
- seek to understand how others arrived at a variety of different conclusions about the same issue.
Even when you’re not directly discussing differences across cultures, races, genders, age groups, or nations in your classes, if you’re practicing clear communication, respect, empathy, non-judgment, and curiosity, (and the other aspects of intercultural competence listed above) you’re preparing yourself with skills that will serve you well in the future!