Cultural Diversity Competency
When thinking about cultural competence, it is hard to really understand without knowing what it actually means. According to Sue & Sue “Cultural competence is an active, developmental, and ongoing process, that is something people achieve through ambition rather than it just being achieved” (2003). What kind of competencies it takes to be successful working in a culturally diverse workplace, and how to develop these competencies are two things this paper will discuss. Also, a personal view-point from the author on; what kinds of strengths she has and what areas she needs improvement in regards to cultural competence, and a few ways she feels she could improve those areas in which she needs improvement.
Successfully Working in a Culturally Diverse Workplace
There are many competencies required to be successful while working in a culturally diverse workplace. Effective communication, mindfulness, uncertainty reduction, and emotion regulation are the four main areas in which could truly help promote more success in the workplace. These will be the main competencies discussed.
Effective Communication
In order to be able to communicate effectively, one must first understand that communication is not just speaking verbally. Communication consists of a variety of process in order to convey information from one person to another. Matsumoto & Juang state that
“Communicating can be a very complex and intricate process involving the exchange of messages between interactants, both verbally and nonverbally” (2013).When effectively communicating in a culturally diverse workplace; it is important to understand the people in the different culture may not communicate in the same manner as another would. Each cultur...
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...lop anger, aggression, and violence in communications. With self-awareness and patience people are less likely to experience conflicts in culturally diverse situations.
Works Cited
Kirmayer L.J. (2012) Transcultural Psychiatry, vol.49 no. 2. Doi: 10.1177/1363461512444673.
Retrieved from: http://tps.sagepub.com.library.capella.edu/content/49/2/149
Matsumoto, D., & Juang, L. (2013). Culture and psychology (5th Ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth
Cengage Learning. ISBN: 9781111344931.
National Association of Social Workers (NASW). (2001). Cultural Competence. Retrieved from http://www.naswdc.org/practice/standards/NAswculturalstandards.pdf Sue, D.W., & Sue, D (2003). Counseling the culturally diverse: Theory and practice, 4th Ed.
New York: John Wiley. (Caprice D. Hollins) Retrieved from:
http://www.culturesconnecting.com/docs/WhatisCulturalCompetenceHandout.doc
Counselors today face the task of how to appropriately counsel multicultural clients. Being sensitive to cultural variables can be conceptualized as holding a cultural lens to human behavior and making allowances for the possibility of cultural influence. However, to avoid stereotyping, it is important that the clinician recognize the existence of within-group differences as well as the influence of the client’s own personal culture and values (Furman, Negi, Iwamoto, Shukraft, & Gragg, 2009). One’s background is not always black or white and a counselor needs to be able to discern and adjust one’s treatment plan according to their client.
Cultural Competence is a substantiated body of knowledge based of cultural “values held by a particular cultural group and the ability to cohesively adapt to individualized skills that fit the cultural context, thus, increasing relationships between employees, managements, and stakeholders, including patience and research subjects. Cultural competency is critical to reducing disparities and improving access to high-quality services, respectful of and responsive to the needs of diverse working conditions and individualized characteristics. The main focus emphasizes the understanding of cultural competence provide internal resources with skills and perceptions to thoroughly comprehend ones cultural attitude, increase the ability to multicultural diversity, and the ability to effectively interact with other cultures (Shelley Taylor, 2006, pp. 382-383), which is absent within the case study of Joe and Jill. Essentially speaking, principles of cultural competence are acknowledgement to the importance of culture in people's lives, respect for cultural differences, an...
Cook, D. & Helms, J. (1999). Using race and culture in counseling and psychotherapy. Needham Heights, Massachusetts: A Viacom Company.
Cultural competence has to do with one’s culture. Culture affects among other factors, how children are raised, how families communicate, what is considered normal or abnormal, ways of coping with issues, the way we dress, when and where we seek medical treatment, and so forth. I should know because I come from a very cultural home where it is considered bad to talk to a male doctor about anything gynecological.
Sue, D.W., & Sue, D. (2013). Counseling the culturally diverse: Theory and practice (6th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.
As stated before this initiative must be continued in order to benefit current employees and future employees. This translates into current and future success of the organization if the initiative is administered correctly. The development of a cultural competence foundation for managers and their millennial employees must be built on. The desired end result is attaining cultural competence throughout the entire organization.
Remember, self-reflection is vital to becoming a culturally-competent counselor. The counselor should consistently re-examine their worldview and personal beliefs about diverse individuals and other cultures. The idea is for the counselor to explore their own prejudices, emotions, and preconceived notions of those that differ from themselves. Remaining curious and willing to learn about culturally distinct groups is a practical way of working effectively with varied clients in counseling and understanding what barriers and prejudices are typical in their
Most psychologists do acknowledge and accept religion and spirituality as important aspects of human diversity. A client’s culture is the embodiment of their worldview and is passed on through their values, beliefs, morals, and religious and spiritual traditions “Because spirituality and religion are less important to psychologists overall than their clients, they may have been neglected as important aspects of multicultural competency” (Ammondson, Lukoff, Pargament, Pilato, Scammell &Vieten, 2013, p.132). Incorporating spiritual and religious competencies in psychology is a form of multicultural competence. Multicultural competencies strive for psychologists to understand the world views of culturally different clients without being biased. Psychologists need to implement delicate, and pertinent intervention techniques with clients who culturally differ. Cultural differences extend into a client’s religion and spirituality beliefs. Multicultural competence is predominant for psychologists when working with clients in any type of therapeutic environment. Psychologists who are culturally aware have insight into how their cultural biases influence the counseling process, are comfortable with clients’ culture, and respect clients’ religion and culture (Sue, Arredondo, & Mc Davis, 1992a, 1992b). Multicultural skills and competencies are illustrated when psychologists actively seek out educational workshops that are culturally sensitive to elevate their proficiency and training in multicultural practices. Acquiring multicultural competence is a continuous process that includes self-awareness, and reflection. Cultural competence and knowledge affect the counseling process by allowing psychologists to implement culturally sensitive counseling strategies. Effective
In today’s work environment, it has become more evident and vital than ever to foster cultural diversity. Business organizations that want to stay in business are integrating their global and local business efforts along with cultural diversification. However, the path that leads to cultural diversity is not an easy one. Issues and conflicts may slow down, and even restrain, efforts to integrate cultural diversity in the workforce, but the need to embrace and make cultural diversity work is a sensible and attainable prospect.
Multiculturalism in counseling is a huge factor that can impact their techniques, therapies, interventions etc. There are three dimensions in order for a counselor to avoid multicultural biases. These include, self awareness, understanding/knowledge and skill in using and developing counseling therapies and interventions that are appropriate. In order for a counselor to avoid any multicultural biases, a counselor has to first be aware of his or her own cultural values and biases. The counselors attitudes and beliefs are important for their own cultural self-awareness and how they feel about their own cultural background.
In addition, research for this project enabled me to identify five essential elements for acquiring cross cultural competency which I will use as guidelines in conflict resolution in my future occupation:
The assertion has appeared repeatedly in the literature that it is unethical for counselors to provide clinical services to clients who are culturally different from themselves if the counselors are not competent to work effectively with these clients (e.g., Corey, Corey, & Callanan, 2003; Herlihy & Watson, 2003; Lee, 2002; Pedersen, Draguns, Lonner, & Trimble, 2002; Remley & Herlihy, 2005; Vontress, 2002). Historically, however, counselors have been slow to recognize a connection between multicultural competence and ethical behavior. Multiculturalism and ethical standards both emerged during the 1960s as separate strands of development within the counseling profession. Multicultural counseling evolved from a growing awareness that discrepancies between counselor and client were resulting in ineffective service delivery and early termination of treatment for ethnic minority clients (Atkinson, Morton, & Sue, 1998” (p.99). Prior to this form of counseling, counseling was most effective for Caucasians. However, as time pasted and theories for minorities improved the code of ethics began to improve as
When individuals or groups from different cultures communicate, this process is called intercultural communication. The transaction process of listening and responding to people from different cultural backgrounds can be challenging. The greater the difference in culture between two people, the greater the potential of misunderstanding and mistrust. Misunderstanding and miscommunication occur between people from different cultures because of different coding rules and cultural norms, which play a major role in shaping the patterns of interaction (Jandt, 2012).
Cultural Competency is “the process by which individuals and systems respond respond respectfully and effectively to people of all cultures languages, classes, races, ethnic backgrounds, religions, and other diversity factors…” (Sue 24). In order to be culturally competent there are many factors that you must be knowledgeable about and practice in everyday interactions. Some of which include “understanding culture and its function in human behavior and society, ...have a knowledge base of their clients cultures and be able to demonstrate competence…, and obtain education about and seek to understand the nature of social diversity and oppression” (NASW 1999). I will have to know how to understand, interact with, and find the best possible solution for those who are both in my culture and those who come from many other cultures along with socio-economic backgrounds. As I was reading the introduction to Chapter two in our assigned textbooks I could not help but relate with what the content in the book started out at. Saying that all social workers must understand the perspectives of all people gets really overwhelming, especially when starting your path learning about social work. I felt like no person could be completely culturally competent because of the fact that you had to display being accepting and understanding and actually mean it.
Successful Communication is the conveying and understanding of a message from one person to another. For communication to be effective, the meaning must be easily understood. An individual 's communicative success relies on factors that include speaking, reading, listening, and reasoning skills. Forms of communication include verbal and non-verbal, as well as, one way and two ways.