Reflecting on your biases
There have been many studies (here's one) on how employees still do not feel comfortable bringing their "whole selves" to work. Many of us work on culturally diverse work teams and despite being in the diversity hub of the world, I constantly see companies, colleagues, and even peers struggling to maintain an accepting and inclusive mindset. I encourage everyone to do a self check-in periodically because we all can be slightly biased whether we like to admit it or not.
This exercise is from Harvard Business School Publishing and is a great place to start. What I love about it is the push to reach all the way back to your childhood to discover the reason why you behave the way you do and what you value. Some ways to identify your filters (jot them down to keep track!):
To go one step further, you may want to be conscious of how to manage the diverse relationships around you. The first step is a willingness to be culturally exposed. Most people are afraid of venturing out beyond comfortability and aren't even willing to learn about someone else's background.
Try to have an investigative and respectful attitude where you genuinely inquire about someone's cultural values without assumption. For example, asking about weekend or holiday plans is a great way to get a snapshot of someone's cultural values and in turn, what they value in the workplace. Asking for a clarification on customs during a cultural event can be another informal way to learn more about a colleague and even flattering for the other party and you'll be building your cultural competence as well!
This exercise is from Harvard Business School Publishing and is a great place to start. What I love about it is the push to reach all the way back to your childhood to discover the reason why you behave the way you do and what you value. Some ways to identify your filters (jot them down to keep track!):
- Think about your childhood. What did you learn about values, conflict, religion, family obligations, and work? Did you have rules about what to wear to certain venues? Were you expected to speak in a certain way to certain people, such as your friends’ parents or your teachers? What was forbidden? What was encouraged?
- Reflect on how you live now. Do you hold on to any of these childhood lessons? How does what you learned as a child affect the decisions you make as an adult? In what areas have your ideas shifted since childhood? What factors caused these shifts?
- Focus on how cultural filters influence your interactions. With whom do you feel comfortable living, working, and socializing? What types of people makes you feel uncomfortable?
To go one step further, you may want to be conscious of how to manage the diverse relationships around you. The first step is a willingness to be culturally exposed. Most people are afraid of venturing out beyond comfortability and aren't even willing to learn about someone else's background.
Try to have an investigative and respectful attitude where you genuinely inquire about someone's cultural values without assumption. For example, asking about weekend or holiday plans is a great way to get a snapshot of someone's cultural values and in turn, what they value in the workplace. Asking for a clarification on customs during a cultural event can be another informal way to learn more about a colleague and even flattering for the other party and you'll be building your cultural competence as well!