This assignment will be about cultural awareness. It will discuss bullet points outlined in the instructions and then close with some gains and new awareness brought up from personal growth as well as what has been learned during the duration of taking this course. Let’s begin about where I originally came from as it is important to the entire message within this paper.
I grew up in a very small town in the flat and desolate state of Kansas. If there was such thing as culture it probably revolved around sports and religion. Growing up there was television, but it never does it justice in comparison to real life. When I did finally move to a larger city, it was very shocking to see other cultures moving about, going about their daily lives. What is interesting is in the beginning you don’t really know how to act. I felt like a foreigner in my own country. It should be stated that outlook has vastly changed over the course of fifteen years.
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"Cultural Awareness".
I would say there have been many internal hurdles that were faced early on with basic interactions with other cultures. Every culture has minor nuances, and some may practice other moral codes than some other. Luckily I was blessed with the ability of silent observation and so I would take in the actions of mannerisms of other cultures, while silently formulating my own opinions. By doing this it allowed me to adjust to any awkward situations, without making a scene. Although the drawback to this is that sometimes it causes a person to make too many assumptions, and that is the foundation for prejudices and stereotypes. Although in contrast stereotypes have to exist based on some reoccurring pattern; we are just a society of: guilt by association.
Another way to overcome this is to simply take an interest in other cultures. Traveling and diverse schools are a great way to integrate one’s self into other cultures first hand. Traveling abroad puts you out of your element, and makes you humble and vulnerable; the only option you have is to adapt and accept. The same rule applies in any large city in the United States. Places like New York, L.A., San Francisco are melting pots which have hosted diverse cultures since they were first founded.
In today’s society you have to let go of biases, they will only hold you back. Racism, or prejudices in the workplace will get you no where and you be legally terminated from jobs based on racist behavior. The country has adopted a no tolerance to this now as it should be. In regards to a managerial role involving biases, you have to look beyond that. Focus on the qualifications and skills of the candidate, and most importantly how personable they are in relation to working well in a team. Culture, religion, sex, sexual preference, race, or gender should not even be a factor.
This course has taught me a lot in regards to dealing with cultural diversity in the workplace. With all of the examples used during this course it is actually quite sickening to think about how things used to be done in the workplace. We as a society seem so modern in comparison to only 50 years ago. One great example of workplace evolution is the C.I.A. In the 1940’s nearly no women held any position of authority, and were used as spies. Fast forward to current times and now the C.I.A. is made up of nearly all women, with the number two in charge being a woman.
You can also be legally sued or terminated for any type of discrimination. In this tough economy it would be wise to keep any negative opinions of any other culture or sexual orientation out of the equation, lest you be fired and probably blacklisted from trying to find any other type of work. People work better together if they know they can be comfortable and free. While this doesn’t give anybody the right to push their beliefs or sexual preferences upon anyone, especially in the workplace, but if they or I conduct myself in a professional manner befitting of the workplace; than that should be fine. In the end even outside of the workplace you will be a better person for not making assumptions or casting discrimination upon any race or gender. It is the right way to live, to accept people from all walks of live. America was founded on immigrants from other places, so the fact that the country has had a history of racism and discrimination is contradictory to the whole premise of the country in the first place.
