| As a mediator for the Equal Employment Opportunity | | | | perspectives are scaled and rated with reference to it. |
| Commission, I have noticed a significant number of | | | | Everyone is ethnocentric to a degree but being aware |
| discrimination complaints being initiated by new arrivals | | | | that you are is the beginning of appreciating and |
| (recent immigrants). An organization's culture may be | | | | valuing other perspectives and reducing the potential |
| different from the cultures of some employees from | | | | for conflict.o Communicating stereotypes about |
| other countries. Expression of these cultural | | | | anyone or the cultural group they belong to can and |
| differences on the job can lead to misunderstandings, | | | | will eventually result in conflicts with members of that |
| conflict, and discrimination charges. Here are a few | | | | group. This is true even if one is communicating with |
| suggestions for lessening the probability of such | | | | one's own cultural identity group. In work settings, those |
| complaints.o The following is an example of the | | | | stereotypical comments tend to find their way to |
| potential of cultural differences to lead to conflict. | | | | members of the other cultural groups and create |
| Asians, Hispanics, and some Europeans may not | | | | barriers and unnecessary conflict with others. Be |
| initiate tasks without specific instruction because this is | | | | mindful of any stereotypes you may spread and stop |
| considered a challenge to the supervisor's authority. | | | | spreading them. If others are expressing stereotypes |
| American supervisors may view this perceived lack of | | | | to you in a work group, one way to stop them is |
| initiative as laziness or lack of self-confidence. In this | | | | simply to confront them with a statement that what |
| situation, it may be helpful to work with an informal | | | | they said is a stereotype. You can helpfully point out |
| group leader of the employees' culture or with a | | | | that their assessment does not ring true for the whole |
| community agency representing the employees' culture | | | | group or individuals in that group. You can tell them that |
| group. They can help explain to the employee the | | | | you would appreciate it if they would deal with each |
| American way of doing things. Using a group leader or | | | | group member as in individual first. |
| cultural organization as a resource communicates the | | | | Increasing the quality and frequency of your |
| supervisor's respect for the culture. It will help in getting | | | | communications with others from different cultural, |
| the job done.o Be mindful that terminology used by a | | | | ethnic, religious, etc. perspectives is a huge key to |
| cultural group may have different meanings and may | | | | reducing the potential of cross-cultural conflict. We |
| create misunderstandings depending on the speakers | | | | have to be mindful that our initial encounters with |
| and the listener's cultural perspectives. In those | | | | others who are different is usually filled with anxiety |
| situations, it might be helpful to employ informational | | | | and that this is a common reaction. We can use the |
| feedback that requires restating in the listeners own | | | | energy of that anxiety to begin to open communication |
| words what the speaker has said and the listener | | | | with others thereby reducing our and their anxiety and |
| uses to show that she understands what is being | | | | the potential for cross-cultural conflict. Remaining |
| conveyed.o "Cultural myopia" is a belief that one's | | | | open-minded and flexible in our contact with others will |
| particular culture is appropriate in all situations and | | | | be helpful in building supportive bridges to other cultures. |
| relevant to all others. It can lead to conflict. Another | | | | Bear in mind r that becoming culturally competent is a |
| concept that can trigger conflict is, "ethnocentrism". | | | | long-term process, so we should refrain from being |
| Ethnocentrism is looking at and valuing situations only | | | | hard on ourselves if we happen make some |
| from your cultural or ethnic perspective, and all other | | | | unintentional mistakes along the path. |