Suspending Judgment: A Key to Being Culturally Competent

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Suspending Judgment A Key to Being Culturally
Competent

• Presented by
• Tinisha L. Agramonte
• Director, Outreach and Retention
• Office of Diversity and Inclusion
• U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

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• WORKSHOP OBJECTIVES
• Briefly explore the concepts and definitions of
  culture and cultural competency
• Briefly discuss the benefits of a culturally
  competent organization (effective Diversity
  Management)
• Identify personal biases and judgments
• Discuss and Practice strategies to suspend
  judgment
• Increase participants ability to effectively
  communicate across cultural lines
• WORKSHOP GUIDING PRINCIPLE
• You Dont Know What You Dont Know!
• WORKSHOP METHODOLOGY
• Lecture, small group discussions, and role plays

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Culture

• What is Culture?
• Definition the sum total of the way of living
  includes values, beliefs, standards, language,
  thinking patterns, behavioral norms,
  communications styles, etc. Guides decisions and
  actions of a group through time.

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Cultural Competency

• Cultural Competence Definition
• A set of congruent behaviors, practices,
  attitudes and policies that come together in a
  system or agency or among professionals, enabling
  effective work to be done in cross-cultural
  situations

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GUIDING DIVERSITY MANAGEMENT PRINCIPLE

• The shifting demographics in this country require
  VAs employees to be CULTURALLY COMPETENT to
  effectively accomplish its mission and to realize
  its vision

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Department of Veterans Affairs MissionTo
fulfill President Lincolns promise To care
for him who shall have borne the battle, and for
his widow, and his orphan by serving and
honoring the men and women who are Americas
veterans.

• What changes has the VA seen w/regards to its
  veteran demographic population?
• What is required/ will be required as a result of
  the changing demographics?

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Diversity Data

• PROJECTIONS
• By 2050, Latino and Asian populations will
  double, and the Black population will grow by
  71.
• The US will attract 1 million immigrants a year,
  most of Latino or Asian origin.
• By 2030, 1 in 4 US residents will be Latino or
  Asian.

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Cultural Competence, Effective Diversity
Management, Mission AccomplishmentThe
Connection Benefits

• Diversity Management
• Goes beyond legalistic and moral approaches to
  EEO to develop a workplace that allows all
  employees to perform at their individual best
• Focuses on mission effectivenessremoving
  attitudinal, physical, and/or institutional
  barriers, with regards to diversity, that
  compromise the organizations ability to meet its
  mission.
• Employs tactics to leverage strengths, talents,
  competencies, etc.

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• The issue sold out in the US and UK in 72 hours,
  and was immediately rushed to reprint 30,000
  extra copies for American newsstands, another
  10,000 for Britain and 20,000 more in Italy. I
  guess black models can sell magazines after all,
  right?
• African-American women shell out 80 percent more
  money on cosmetics and twice as much on skin care
  products than the general market.

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VA Mission and Diversity Management

• How are they related?
• VAs Diversity Management program is committed to
  building a workplace collaboration of cultures to
  enhance the support provided to veterans.
• Differences in experience, education, geography,
  language and perspective are treated as
  value-added contributions rather than
  distractions.
• Diversity programs may include outreach to the
  community and affinity groups to find how better
  to serve veterans of various demographics and how
  better to find qualified employment candidates
  and address a wide range of employee workplace
  concerns and workforce trends.

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Murphy Brown Time

• Who Is the Norm?
• POLITICALLY CORRECT COMMENTS, OBSERVATIONS ???

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• What is Diversity To You?

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Diversity Dimensions
Digital Competence
Language
CommunicationStyles
Religion
Age
Gender
Income
Education
Military Experience
SexualOrientation
Ethnic Heritage
Parental Status
Work Experience
Race
Size
Marital Status
Mental Abilities
Physical Abilities
Geographic Location
Work Styles
Appearance
Occupations
VALUES
Primary
Secondary
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SocializationWho and what established your
ruler???

• All encompassing educational process through
  which Values, Goals, Beliefs, Attitudes, and
  Gender roles are acquired
• Primary method of learning culture That
  framework of shared designs for livingdetermines
  boundaries around what is right/wrong, good/bad,
  etc.

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Our Perception is Based On

• Life experiences (Pleasure vs. Pain)
• Parental Influence
• Peer-group influence
• Media influence
• Education vs. Socialization

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The Cultural Competence Continuum

• Where Am I Now?
• Where Could I Be?

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The Cultural Competence Continuum
Positive
Cultural Proficiency
Cultural Competence
Cultural Precompetence
Cultural Blindness
Negative
Cultural Incapacity
Cultural Destructiveness
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Cultural Competence Definitions

• Cultural Destructiveness forced assimilation,
  subjugation, rights and privileges for dominant
  groups only
• Cultural Incapacity racism, maintain
  stereotypes, unfair hiring practices
• Cultural Blindness differences ignored, treat
  everyone the same, only meet needs of dominant
  groups

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Cultural Competence Definitions, cont.

• Cultural Pre-competence explore cultural issues,
  are committed, assess needs of organization and
  individuals
• Cultural Competence recognize individual and
  cultural differences, seek advice from diverse
  groups, hire culturally unbiased staff
• Cultural Proficiency implement changes to
  improve services based upon cultural needs, do
  research and teach

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When Cultural Incompetence Occurs

• Conflicts arise, leading to
• Discrimination allegations/Grievances
• Low morale, productivity, tense working
  relationships
• Mishaps, terminations, resignations, retention
  issues
• Bullying or workplace violence
• Ineffective mission accomplishment (honoring
  veterans as heroes by providing outstanding care)

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Benefits of Workforce Diversity
Inclusion(Cultural Competence, Effective
Diversity Mgt)

• Improved understanding of those you work for,
  with, and around.
• Creates a work environment that allows everyone
  to reach their full potential.
• Provides multiple perspectives on problem
  solving.
• Better performance outcomes.
• Increases employee productivity.
• Increased retention rates.
• Boosts employee morale.
• Improved customer relations.
• Reduces complaints and grievances.
• Its the right thing to do!

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Acquiring Cultural Competence

• Starts with Awareness
• Grows with Knowledge
• Enhanced with Specific Skills
• Polished through Cross-Cultural Encounters

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To Suspend Judgment One Must

• Seek first to understand before being understood
• Observe and Actively listen without
  judging-remember listening does not equate to
  agreeing
• Be willing to allow people to feel what they feel
• Be willing to commit to future actionsway ahead

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Questions
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Office of Diversity and Inclusion

• Tinisha Agramonte
• Director, Outreach and Retention
• 202-461-4030
• http//www.diversity.hr.va.gov