Developing Leadership Diversity

Chapter Objectives Understand and reduce the difficulties faced by minorities in organizations. Apply an awareness of the dimensions of diversity and multicultural issues in your everyday life. Encourage and support diversity to meet organizational needs. Consider the role of cultural values and attitudes in determining how to deal with employees from different cultures or ethnic backgrounds. Break down your personal barriers that may stand in the way of enhancing your level of diversity awareness and appreciation.

Ethnocentrism The belief that one’s own culture and subculture are inherently superior to other cultures

Biculturalism The sociocultural skills and attitudes used by racial minorities as they move back and forth between the dominant culture and their own ethnic or racial culture

Glass Ceiling An invisible barrier that separates women and minorities from top leadership positions

Diversity Workforce Diversity Diversity A workforce made up of people with different human qualities or who belong to various cultural groups Diversity Differences among people in terms of age, ethnicity, gender, race, or other dimensions

Interactive Leadership A leadership style in which people develop personal relationships with followers, share power and information, empower employees, and strive to enhance others’ feelings of self-worth

Social Value Systems Power Distance Uncertainty Avoidance How much people accept equality in power; high power distance reflects an acceptance of power inequality among institutions, organizations, and individuals. Low power distance means people expect equality in power Uncertainty Avoidance The degree to which members of a society feel uncomfortable with uncertainty and ambiguity and thus support beliefs and behaviors that promise certainty and conformity Individualism A value for a loosely knit social framework in which individuals are expected to take care of themselves

Social Value Systems (contd.) Collectivism A preference for a tightly knit social framework in which people look out for one another and organizations protect their members’ interests Masculinity A preference for achievement, heroism, assertiveness, work centrality, and material success Femininity A preference for relationships, cooperation, group decision making, and quality of life

Ex. 11.4 Rank Orderings of 10 Countries Along Four Dimensions of National Value Systems (adapted) Country Power Uncertainty Individualism Masculinity Australia 7 2 5 Costa Rica 8 2 (tie) 10 9 France 3 4 India 6 Japan 1 Mexico Sweden Thailand United States

Cultural Intelligence (CQ) … refers to a person’s ability to use reasoning and observation skills to interpret unfamiliar gestures and situations and devise appropriate behavioral responses.

Ex. 11.5 Stages of Personal Diversity Awareness Highest Level of Awareness Integration Multicultural attitude – enables one to integrate differences and adapt both cognitively and behaviorally Adaptation Able to empathize with those of other cultures Able to shift from one cultural perspective to another Acceptance Accepts behavioral differences and underlying differences in values Recognizes validity of other ways of thinking and perceiving the world Minimizing Differences Hides or trivializes cultural differences Focuses on similarities among all peoples Defense Perceives threat against one’s comfortable worldview Uses negative stereotyping Assumes own culture superior Lowest Level of Awareness