This is part 1 of a multi-part series by Jennifer Buss aims to start conversations about culture and cultural responsiveness. Here are the links to view part 2 or part 3. You can review the first article in this series here.
Tip #1: Don't assume.
“Can I help with anything?” Maria asks as John puts on a sweater.
Maria does not assume John wants or needs her help, just because dressing takes longer because of his disability.
“What are you doing for Hanukkah this year?” Travon asks Margie.
While Travon knows that Margie’s family is Jewish, he does not know that Margie prefers to celebrate Christmas with her girlfriend and her girlfriend’s family. In fact, Margie has not celebrated Hanukkah in years.
- Have you ever been surprised by someone’s abilities once you got to know them?
- Have you ever assumed someone belonged to a majority group (i.e. heterosexual, Christian, English-speaker, cisgender*)?
- Has anyone ever made a wrong assumption about you or your identities? If so, what was that like for you?
Watch this lighthearted video.
How does the woman in this video respond to the assumptions made about her?
Tip #2: Get curious.
Rachel grew up on the Warm Springs Reservation in Central Oregon and now lives in the Portland metro area. She communicates primarily using gestures and facial expressions. Lucas supports Rachel and is interested in learning more about her experiences and preferences. He asks Rachel if it would be okay to ask her brother questions about her time on the Warm Springs Reservation. Rachel communicates that this is okay using her signs. At the next team meeting, Rachel’s brother shares that as a child, Rachel would travel to powwows across Oregon and Northern California with her parents. Rachel has not visited the Warm Springs Reservation since her parents passed away. Rachel confirms that she really wants to visit.
*non-binary is a term for someone who identifies as something other than exclusively male or exclusively female. You can learn more here: https://transequality.org/issues/resources/understanding-non-binary-people-how-to-be-respectful-and-supportive
- What are ways we can learn about others that are natural and comfortable for the other person?
- How can we use natural timing and opportunities to get to know each other more? For example, cooking together might be a great time to learn about someone’s favorite meals, which can then lead to finding out more about their family and special traditions.
- What is the person’s preferred way of communicating? Use techniques such as active listening and open-ended questions to understand the person’s perspective.
Tip #3: Reduce the impact of bias.
Tony read an article in which he learned that men often interrupt women in the workplace. At the next few team meetings, he noticed himself jumping in to contribute his ideas before his female coworkers were finished speaking. Tony now pays different attention to his communication to make sure that he doesn’t interrupt anyone.
Kira took a self-assessment and was troubled to notice that she often had more negative thoughts of the parenting styles of single mothers than that of mothers in two-parent households. This was true regardless of other factors. To work on this, Kira began to intentionally notice the parenting strengths of the single mothers with whom she worked. She also studied her own case notes for statements that appeared judgmental. Kira brought her observations up with her supervisor and together they created a plan for Kira to work on this bias.
- What assumptions are you making about people whose experiences are different from your own?
- How might your biases influence your work, either negatively or positively?
- To learn more about finding your own biases, take a minute to read last month’s pipeline article here.
