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A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE
® Institute
Building Community &
Embracing Diversity in the Workplace II:
Building Respect For a Varied Workforce
Some effective measures of effective communication that managers and business leaders can take to promote a diverse workforce and the varied expertise and experience of all employees include:
Prerequisite #1:
Take responsibility for your own words and acknowledge the outcomes resulting from them.
Prerequisite #2:
Be willing to accept other people’s reactions to what you say without becoming defensive.
Examine the intent of your words.
When communicating with someone, be aware of your intentions, because they will affect the outcome of the interaction. Always start by assuming goodwill on the part of the other person.
Clarify for understanding.
Confirm that you and the person you are speaking with have a common understanding of your discussion before moving on to the next topic.
Express thoughts and feelings.
There are times when it is helpful, even critical, to express personal feelings that are relevant to the exchange.
Do respond; don’t react.
Responding means to speak or act “in response to.” Try to answer or acknowledge what has been said, rather than expressing an emotional reaction to a conversation.
Practice active listening.
Active listening is total involvement in the process of communication with another person. It means to further the conversation by clarifying rather than interpreting, making sure your understanding of the other person’s words is accurate.
ADL's A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE® Institute operates on the premise that educators are most likely to be successful in integrating anti-bias content and methodology practices in their classrooms when they have had hands-on experience and training with the materials they use. For this reason, ADL's A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE® Institute curriculum materials are available only within the context of a six-hour (minimum) staff development workshop, and are not for sale through ADL’s Resource catalog. In the interest of providing specific examples of the Institute's curriculum materials, this sample exercise has been made available. For more information on how to organize an A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE ® Institute training program in your workplace, contact workplace@adl.org, on your college or university campus, contact campusdiversity@adl.org, or in your school or community, contact your ADL Regional Office, ADL National Headquarters (212) 885-7700, or by E-mail. |
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