Interpersonal Leadership Skills: Valuing Diversity

1. Interpersonal Leadership Skills: Valuing Diversity Children Youth and Families State-Wide In-Service March, 2008 Dr. Patreese D. Ingram Dr. Patreese D. Ingram Penn State University

2. What is Diversity? • Why has it become a popular topic? Dr. Patreese D. Ingram Penn State University

3. Three Major Trends • Global Economy • Increasing diversity of our population • Tendency to “Celebrate Differences” vs. “Blending In” Dr. Patreese D. Ingram Penn State University

4. Trend 2: Changing Demographics • Between the years of 1995 and 2025 our nation will grow by 72 million people • Asian population will more than double • Hispanic/Latino population will increase by 32 million – 44% of total new growth • African-American population will represent 16.5% of new growth • White population will decline by 9.5% Dr. Patreese D. Ingram Penn State University

5. Population Estimate(in thousands) Dr. Patreese D. Ingram Penn State University

6. Projections: Percentage of Population By Race/Ethnicity (in thousands) Dr. Patreese D. Ingram Penn State University

7. Trend 2: Changing Demographics • 1 in 6 Americans speaks a language other than English at home • There is a widening gap between the rich and the poor • There is an increasing number of “non-traditional” families • The fastest growing religion is Islam Dr. Patreese D. Ingram Penn State University

8. Trend 2: Changing Demographics • There are growing numbers of older people • 18% of our population have a disability • Between 2% and 15% of our population is gay/lesbian Dr. Patreese D. Ingram Penn State University

9. So What? • An increasingly diverse population will mean planning for and delivering services and programs to more diverse participants and working with a more diverse workforce – in both formal and non-formal settings. Dr. Patreese D. Ingram Penn State University

10. Who are the diverse people? • Let’s make a list Dr. Patreese D. Ingram Penn State University

11. Primary and Secondary Dimensions of Diversity Dr. Patreese D. Ingram Penn State University

12. How important are various dimensions of diversity?Nine most important things we notice about people in our society in order of importance: • Skin color • Gender • Age • Appearance • Facial expressions • Eye contact • Movement • Personal space • Touch Dr. Patreese D. Ingram Penn State University

13. Your own community or workplace • Take a few minutes to think about your own community or workplace. • Consider a number of dimensions of diversity. How important is each of these differences to the people in your community or workplace? • Are people treated differently based on these factors? • Are decisions made about people based on these factors? Dr. Patreese D. Ingram Penn State University

14. The Past/The Present/The Future • We tend to have a natural affinity for people who share many of our own dimensions of diversity. • In the past, it is likely that the people we interacted with were very similar to ourselves. • As our communities become more diverse, understanding the perspectives of diversity will become more important. Dr. Patreese D. Ingram Penn State University

15. Pennsylvania DemographicsIn Thousands Dr. Patreese D. Ingram Penn State University

16. Pennsylvania Population Projections By Race/Ethnicity (in thousands) Dr. Patreese D. Ingram Penn State University

17. Immigration in Pennsylvania • In 2000 foreign-born was 4.1% (508,291) • That represented a 37.6% increase since 1990 • Countries with largest numbers of immigrants to PA in 2000: Countries of the former Soviet Union, China, India, Mexico, and Vietnam Dr. Patreese D. Ingram Penn State University

18. The Future • Today’s youth are more likely than previous generations to face the challenges of interacting and working with people different from themselves. • The ability to accept and value human differences will help us relate more effectively with others in almost any circumstance. Dr. Patreese D. Ingram Penn State University

19. What Is Culture? Dr. Patreese D. Ingram Penn State University

20. What is Culture? • The values, beliefs, guides for behavior, traditions, and principles common to a large group of people • May include shared language and folklore, ideas and thinking patterns, and communication styles • The “truths” accepted by members of the group Dr. Patreese D. Ingram Penn State University

21. What is Culture? • Serves as a road map for both perceiving and interacting with the world • Like the behavioral “software” that programs us all • Most cultural rules are never written • We interpret other people’s behavior through our own cultural software Dr. Patreese D. Ingram Penn State University

22. What is Culture? • Culture is like the air we breathe. We take it for granted, rarely think about it, and assume our world viewpoint is merely the human viewpoint • We normally think about our culture only when it comes into conflict with some aspect of another culture Dr. Patreese D. Ingram Penn State University

23. Culture is like an Iceberg 6/7th’s is under the water Dr. Patreese D. Ingram Penn State University

24. Culture is like an Iceberg Above is visible: food, art, religion, music, clothing, language, dance Dr. Patreese D. Ingram Penn State University

25. Culture is like an Iceberg Below is invisible: beliefs, values perceptions, assumptions, expectations, history, heritage Dr. Patreese D. Ingram Penn State University

26. What if you belonged to a different culture? Dr. Patreese D. Ingram Penn State University

27. Where did we receive our cultural programming? • Where did we learn our values, beliefs, attitudes, and patterns of thinking? Dr. Patreese D. Ingram Penn State University

28. Examples of cultural programming • What are some examples of your cultural programming? • Think about the family or personal beliefs or values you hold or rituals you perform based on the cultural programming you received Dr. Patreese D. Ingram Penn State University

29. Cultural Programming • Most of us can finish the following statements: • You can’t teach an old dog …. • Big boys don’t… • You can lead a horse to water, but… Dr. Patreese D. Ingram Penn State University

30. “On Automatic” • Stereotypes become mental tapes that affect how we think and feel about people who are different from ourselves. • Those responses become automatic • As adults, most of us are still “on automatic” Dr. Patreese D. Ingram Penn State University

31. Stereotyping • When we stereotype, we place a person in a particular “mental file”, not based on information gained through knowledge about or personal experience of the particular person. Rather, we assign the person to a “mental file” based upon what we believe about a group to which the person belongs. Dr. Patreese D. Ingram Penn State University

32. Stereotyping • Once learned, those stereotypes are called up instantly by our brain’s reticular activating system (RAS). • Once in place, stereotypes are difficult to undo. • It’s hard to stop being “on automatic.” Dr. Patreese D. Ingram Penn State University

33. Developing Diversity Competence • Awareness • Knowledge • Skills • Behaviors Dr. Patreese D. Ingram Penn State University

34. Awareness • Recognize differences as diversity rather than abnormal behavior or inappropriate responses to the environment • Respect the benefits of diverse values and behaviors to people and to the organization • Accept that each culture finds some values more important and some behaviors more desirable than others Dr. Patreese D. Ingram Penn State University

35. Awareness • Understand the effect that historic distrust has on present day interactions • Have a clear sense of your individual culture. • Recognize your own ethnocentricity – the ways in which you stereotype, judge, and discriminate – and your emotional reactions to conflicting cultural values Dr. Patreese D. Ingram Penn State University

36. Awareness • Understand how the culture of your organization affects those whose culture is different. • Recognize the similarities that are shared across the human culture regardless of the differences that exist among individual cultures and groups. Dr. Patreese D. Ingram Penn State University

37. Knowledge • Learn factual information about other cultures and groups with different backgrounds • Read an article or book about a cultural or social group different from your background. Compare your views with those of the author. • See a movie about other cultural lifestyles. Compare how you live your life to what you’ve seen on film. Dr. Patreese D. Ingram Penn State University

38. Knowledge • Read about cross-gender differences in communication styles • Attend a cultural event, celebration, or holiday program of a different culture than you have not experienced. Find out the meanings behind the differences. • Learn a new language Dr. Patreese D. Ingram Penn State University

39. Knowledge • Interview people from different cultures to learn about their cultures. • Explore your family history and background. • Interview an older member of your family. Dr. Patreese D. Ingram Penn State University

40. Skills • Take personal responsibility for the way you respond to difference. • Make continued and sincere attempts to understand the world from other points of view. • Develop skills in cross-cultural communication Dr. Patreese D. Ingram Penn State University

41. Skills • Develop problem solving skills. • Develop skills in conflict management. • Look for ways to work effectively with diverse groups of people Dr. Patreese D. Ingram Penn State University

42. Action/Behaviors • Teach others about cultural differences. • Develop a mentoring relationship with someone from a different culture or identity group. • Show more patience when working and interacting with people who have learning styles different from yours. Dr. Patreese D. Ingram Penn State University

43. Action/Behaviors • Integrate diversity issues as an ongoing topic in staff meetings at work. • Develop a personal plan for continued learning toward diversity competency. Dr. Patreese D. Ingram Penn State University

44. The Challenge of Diversity • Consider the 7 Underlying Principles of Diversity • Share any thoughts that come to mind Dr. Patreese D. Ingram Penn State University

45. Commitment to Diversity • Chose one thing you will do in the next 30 days to increase your understanding of diversity. • Jot it down on both parts of the Commitment Plan. • Select a member of this group to serve as your “buddy”. Exchange names, contact information, and the bottom portion of plan. • Carry out the activity you selected within 30 days. • Call you “buddy” to discuss what you learned and how you increased your understanding of diversity. Dr. Patreese D. Ingram Penn State University

46. Thank You Dr. Patreese D. Ingram Penn State University