Cross-Cultural Conflict at the Workplace
Submit a 1- to 2-page critical reflection in which you respond to the following:
Describe a person you interact with on a regular basis who:
Does not share your cultural background
Challenges your assumptions or beliefs and/or subscribes to beliefs you may not hold (Some possibilities are a colleague, acquaintance, family member, someone in a service or retail position for an establishment you frequent, or a member of the public you serve in your job.)
Identify the challenges that you have faced in connecting and creating a relationship with this person. What steps do you need to take to overcome these challenges and develop an authentic relationship with this person?
Do you think this person wants/would welcome developing a more connected relationship with you? What disadvantages might there be for them in forging a closer relationship with you?
Considering your professional role, how will you create a cultural “third space,” as described by Abumrad, when interacting with people who are different from you?
What are the advantages of cultivating professional relationships with others outside your culture in this way?
Reference the Learning Resources to enrich your reflection.
Resources:
Dolan, T. (2016, January 14). Connecting with the 'other'.Links to an external site. VolumeOne. https://m(dot)volumeone(dot)org/articles/2016/01/14/205781-connecting-with-the-other
Winters, J. (2002, May 1). Why we fear the unknown.Links to an external site. Psychology Today. https://www(dot)psychologytoday(dot)com/us/articles/200205/why-we-fear-the-unknown
Abumrad, J. (2020, June). How Dolly Parton led me to an epiphanyLinks to an external site. [Video]. TED. https://www(dot)ted(dot)com/talks/jad_abumrad_how_dolly_parton_led_me_to_an_epiphany/discussion
Kline, M. (2016, March 8). Celebrating our differences, connecting through our sameness.Links to an external site. The Higher Ed Workplace Blog. https://www(dot)cupahr(dot)org/blog/celebrating-our-differences-connecting-through-our-sameness/
Tapia, A. T. (n.d.). Viewpoint: For diversity to work, recognize differences, not just similarities.Links to an external site. https://www(dot)kornferry(dot)com/content/dam/kornferry/docs/article-migration/Briefings21_Viewpoint_p9-10.pdf
Week 5: Cultural Humility & Diversity
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It is paramount to recognize the value of embracing diversity in workplaces. This may include establishing a shared understanding of colleagues' perspectives or mindsets concerning different issues affecting the company. The ability to embrace diversity proves increasingly valuable in transcending different prejudices, including racism, sexism, and homophobia. Conflicts will likely manifest when people have divergent cultural beliefs or values, thus warranting the need for common ground. This essay reflects on a cross-cultural conflict incident at the workplace and approaches to address it.
I had a workmate of Chinese origin who constantly challenged my beliefs for a shared understanding when advocating for our workplace rights. Despite advising him to follow the right channels to voice his grievances, he preferred a more aggressive approach to conflict resolution. He would constantly complain when employees of his descent were not promoted. At first, I thought this workmate was going through some difficult moment in their life and that things would improve over time. However, the workmate started demanding to know why certain individuals were invited to boardroom meetings, and others were not. Things escalated when the workmate misinformed junior workers about the organization's decisions, sometimes more publicly, which negatively affected cohesion.
I have faced challenges in connecting and creating authentic relationships with this workmate. For instance, closely associating with him would create the impression that I had been recruited to complain. I struggled to respond to his behaviors and even considered avoiding his interactions because doing otherwise would imply that I was being racist. In addition, his emotional instability made him less understanding and more confrontational, even outside the workplace. In order to overcome these challenges and cultivate an honest relationship with this workmate, I needed to understand the causes of his complaints. An ...