Note: The main reference has been majorly used in the paper.
1.1Understanding of Diversity
My understanding of diversity is that diversity concerns the differences of people. I understand diversity from the concept of an organization. To me, it means that the organization has some differences in culture. That means that there are people from different backgrounds in different departments of the organization, firm or even the company. With the reference provided, the author asserts that there are many definitions that diversity takes (Bucher & Bucher, 2015). The author says that term diversity is used in different contexts such as trade books, popular media, and scholarly literature (Bucher & Bucher, 2015). My definition of diversity is similar to the author’s concerning the differences in people. The author adds that diversity includes every person in any given institutions or any society. Also, diversity concerns culture and that is what adds to the diversity consciousness.
The surprise in class and the reference textbook provided is that there are changes in the cultural landscape. Heraclitus asserted that change could be constant. The surprise concerns the differences in lifestyle and other perspectives. Another surprise concerns the way the names of people have differed currently in the United States as mentioned. An insight I have obtained from the provided textbook is that there are changes in the African-Americans have generally reduced from 19% to 13% in the new demographics. On the contrary, Asians have improved in numbers similar to the Hispanics who have made the population growth rate in the US to increase significantly. Another insight I have obtained is that the immigration scenarios has raised the population growth too in the US. The rise in the population growth is very significant in the role played in maintaining and achieving a very diverse economy.
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1.2 Assessment of diversity skills
Diversity skills are those skills that are required in the accommodation and flexibility of different lifestyles and different viewpoints. My diverse skills include self-awareness. I have visited different places to meet people who have different cultures and norms. Also, I have seen how different people behave in some situations due to their different experiences. Secondly, I have had strong communication skills with people I have made interactions. Also, I have maintained a better way in conflict resolutions when I have disagreements with some of my friends. Additionally, I know what other people uphold and what they hate. The knowledge makes me have a better understanding of what they want and what they would not need in their daily activities and the process of interaction.
The diversity skills have therefore assisted me in the proper and effective interactions with people at my workplace (Ragins, 2007). Also, diversity skills have aided me in creating a better relationship with my classmates. We then get to know what they require in terms of assistance in the classwork if any. In the workplace, the workers improve their relationships with others to increase the organizations' output and maintain the organizational missions, goals, and objectives. A diversity skill that I need to strengthen is the willingness to have the knowledge and learn from others (Connerley & Pedersen, 2005). Another skill that requires strengthening is to have stronger and comprehensible communication skills with other people. The strong skills in communication help one achieve a one-to-one acceptance with a person of different diversity. It is very vital to understand diversity analytics to achieve personal goals and other people's objectives in having productive and improved relations with others. As a leader, the diversity skills help in the maintenance of a consistent relationship with the people one leads. A leader would make it possible in their leadership position to achieve their leadership roles.
1.3 Personal and social barriers
One personal barrier is that I often have a limited perception that is somewhat selective. The own limited understanding is that attached to the mind. The mind usually ingests what information it wants and sieves the necessary information. Another personal barrier concerns prejudice. Sometimes, I have wrong opinions in some situations. Insufficient knowledge adds up to the prejudice levels.
Some of the barriers I face when in the presence of diversity include informal networks. The networks here are those social barriers that are based on the stereotypes and the lack of leadership roles for women as mentioned in the provided reference (Bucher & Bucher, 2015). Another social obstacle in diversity I face is the discrimination that comes from some people who do not value the opinions of others. At times, discrimination is based on different cultures and lifestyles. I was once discriminated when I was on a bus traveling to a friend in Italy. The bus was full then one passenger entered and started talking ill because of where I am from. Another social barrier is about pride. Some people have untold pride about themselves and see others as failures and not necessary in life. Such cases yield emotions that lead to severe disagreements in either the workplace or at school. Another barrier is looking down when people converse. The reaction in such a scenario would lead to poor relations at the end.
Options in overcoming such barriers include knowing what other people's culture says. Also, overcoming such barriers is through the accommodation of other people and appreciating their societal and cultural differences. The process of accommodating others is important. It would make me feel that creating an effective relationship fosters improved interactions with the other people. The options would help in a significant way the relationship situations that I may have with others while at work or school. Overcoming the barriers aims at creating an effective workforce. Also, it leads to greater school work that concerns group discussions and improved study.
1.4 Action Plan
My action plan includes the inclusion of proficiency in the examination of the different cultures of the different people in both classes and at work. Another step towards my action plan is ensuring that I would expand my know-how on what others think and their separate worlds (Bucher & Bucher, 2015). Another step towards knowing the best action plan applicable is checking on who I am and who others are. Additionally, the action plan would comprise of measures to improve personal eye-contacts when making conversations with people at either the workplace or at school. Also, the action plan would contain a learning circle that involves lesson on a daily strategic plan (Bucher & Bucher, 2015). The learning circle consists of dialogues with the diverse people in the areas of associations. I would improve on this area by ensuring that I have extended times of conversations with the people at work and the school setup. The process would allow the participants involved in the process of the engagement to come up with powerful emotions towards such situations. The other action plan consists of the encouragement of other people to have their expressions and opinions within the group discussions. The action plan would help to perform a comprehensive alert on what each team member wants if it is at the area of work. Another action plan is to take the matter of discrimination with the greatest seriousness. I would ensure that I become accommodative to other people to ensure that the issue is effectively managed. The action plans discussed here would ensure that the power of diversity consciousness is improved and a more significant relationship is enhanced both at the workplace, the school set up and also with other people in the societal setup.
References
Bucher, R. D., & Bucher, P. L. (2015). Diversity Consciousness: Opening our minds to people, cultures, and opportunities (4th ed.). Boston: Pearson.
Connerley, M. L., & Pedersen, P. B. (2005). Leadership in a diverse and multicultural environment: Developing awareness, knowledge, and skills. Sage Publications.
Ragins, B. R. (2007). Diversity and workplace mentoring relationships: A review and positive social capital approach. The Blackwell handbook of mentoring: A multiple perspectives approach, 281-300.
