2015 APTMetrics

Leveraging Cultural Competence for Inclusion

6th Annual Florida Diversity & Leadership ConferenceApril 30, 3015

Mary L. MartinézDirector, Diversity & Inclusion Practice

• A global human resource consultancy building world-class, customized talent management solutions

• Nationally recognized for its employment class-action litigation support services

• Headquartered in Darien, CT with major U.S. offices in Atlanta and Chicago

• Staff of approximately 65, including Industrial/Organization psychologists, HR practitioners and IT specialists

• Celebrating its 20th anniversary this year

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About APTMetrics

Objectives for Today’s Session

• Explore the evolution of the concept of “cultural competence” from cross-cultural models

• Define cultural competence in a D&I context from a behavioral perspective – • Discuss the difference between cultural

competence and “inclusive behavior”• Consider ways to increase

• Personal cultural competence and inclusive behavior

• Organizational inclusiveness

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• How do you define culture?

• What does it mean to be “culturally “culturally competent”?

• Is demonstrating inclusive behavior the same thing?

Your Thoughts – Small Group Discussions

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A General Definition of Culture

• A learned “way of life” shared by a group of people• Beliefs, norms, roles and infrastructure

• Ways of thinking, acting and feeling – “the software of the mind”

• Symbols, heroes, rituals and values • Visible differences (appearance, language) and

invisible differences (values, subtleties of communication)

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Individuals are a product of the layering of cultures to which they belong and by which

their world views have been shaped.

• Historically, “culture” has been used by cross-cultural experts to refer to the world views of different national cultures

• Used in gender studies -- women are “acculturated” differently from men

• More recently, focus on “culture of inclusion”

• Other terms: cultural intelligence, cultural agility

• Assessments related to “cultural competence” still focus largely on the dimensions of difference between regions/countries

Cultural Competence as a Concept

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• Memorizing the cultural dos and don’ts of a country – points of etiquette

• Applying generalizations associated with a culture to everyone in the group

• Simply having met someone or visited a place that represents a “culture”

• Thinking that the answer to difference in cultures is always• Assimilation of the person who is different into your

cultureOR• Your own adoption of the other culture

• Your thoughts?

What Cultural Competence is NOT

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“Culturally agile professionals succeed in contexts where the successful outcome of their jobs, roles, positions or tasks depends on dealing with an unfamiliar set of cultural norms, or multiple sets of them.”

-- P. Caligiuri

What Does it Mean to be Culturally Competent?

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“…cultural intelligence is the capability to function effectively across a variety of cultural contexts, such as ethnic, generational and organizational cultures.” -- D. Livermore

What Does it Mean to be Culturally Competent?

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“Cultural intelligence is judged on the results of the encounter, not on the participants’ intentions or thoughts. An intelligent result of a cross-cultural encounter is the creation of a shared understanding across all participant cultures – an understanding which will enable the parties to get on with their work.” -- E. Plum

What Does it Mean to be Culturally Competent?

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• Awareness of own “culture” and its impact on one’s perceptions

• Openness to and valuing of differences• Nonjudgmental attitude when encountering

differing values, customs• Flexibility/adaptability• Curiosity• “Appropriate” self-efficacy/humility• Innovation and creativity

Common Attributes in Definitions of Cultural Competence*

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*Reflects, in large part, Paula Caligiuri’s synthesis of many other theorists and researchers in her book Cultural Agility, Building a Pipeline of Successful Global Professionals, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2012.

How This Ability Underlies Key Leadership Capabilities for the Future

Leaders who seek out and welcome diversity of experience, thought and style foster greater organization capability to compete in a multicultural, multi-generational global marketplace that values innovation.

(Linguistic theory/research)

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Our Premise: Cultural competence is not

the end state: It is a means to achieving

the benefits of diversity and inclusion

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Cultural Competence

Inclusive BehaviorDiversity That

Works!

Inclusive behavior leverages cultural competence through observable

actions to create effectiveness in a diverse

workplace.

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Individuals and organizations engaging in inclusive behavior:

• Respect all diversity dimensions and value their resulting perspectives,

• Operate effectively in different cultural contexts,

• Act to eliminate barriers to exclusion of diversity, and

• Drive action throughout the organization to capitalize on differences as a business asset.

APTMetrics’ Definition of Inclusive Behavior

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How do we get there?

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Individual Behavior as Basis for an Inclusive Organization Culture • Individuals make the decisions that shape an

inclusive culture• D&I interventions are largely aimed at changing

the way individuals work,

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We need to define, assess and develop the individual behaviors that create inclusion.

BUT …• Few organizations are measuring changes in

individual behavior• Consequently, they do not know why they are not

getting the D&I outcomes they are looking for

Requirements for Assessment of Inclusive Behavior• Concrete, well-defined and observable descriptors• Based on research and validated through testing• Uses multiple inputs – 180- or 360-degree input• Offers individual and aggregate reporting • Can be administered before and after

interventions to develop the desired competency and on an ongoing basis to monitor progress

• Provides developmental feedback

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Sample Inclusive Behavior Assessment Items

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Increasing your Own Inclusiveness

• Take an assessment to gain a better understanding of your own cultural preferences, profile and/or biases

• Be aware that your mindset can lead to biases, either conscious or unconscious about members of other cultures

• Spend time in groups/communities that differ from your own, engaged in meaningful ways

• Seek opportunities to have conversations with those from different backgrounds than your own to understand their particular frame of reference for viewing the world

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Increasing your Own Inclusiveness (continued)

• If you are finding it difficult to work effectively with a team member, customer, or business partner, talk about the “why” of your viewpoints

• If leading a team, ensure that teambuilding is done around differences

• Provide a variety of ways in which team members can offer their ideas (discussions, emails, surveys,1-1 meetings with you)

• Pay attention to group dynamics and make assignments that capitalize on differences and break down naturally affinities that might create cliques within the team

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Increasing the Inclusiveness of Your Organization• Increase the inclusiveness of systems, processes

and practices by seeking input from a wide range of individuals with different cultural perspectives

• Define behavioral expectations for inclusiveness as part of the organization’s values, competencies, performance and rewards

• Measure inclusiveness at the individual (developmental assessment; performance appraisal process) and organization level (employee survey; aggregate assessment data)

• Tell the success stories of inclusion for teams, products, customers and community partnerships

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Further Questions and Discussion

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For more information, contact:

Mary L. MartinézDiversity & Inclusion Practice LeaderAPTMetrics, Inc.4625 Highway A1A, Suite 3AVero Beach, FL 32963mmartinez@APTMetrics.com Office: 1-203-202-2400 Ext 1011Mobile: 1-203-295-1581 www.APTMetrics.com Global Strategies for Talent Management.

Contact Information

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• Adler, Nancy J. – International Dimensions of Organizational Behavior. Third Edition, Cincinnati: South-Western College Publishing, 1997.

• Bennett, Milton -- Bennett scale, or DMIS (for Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity). https://idiinventory.com/

• Caligiuri, Paula -- Cultural Agility: Building a Pipeline of Successful Global Professionals. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2012.

• Hofstede, Geert, et al – Cultures and Organizations - Software of the Mind, Third Edition. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2010.

• Gardenswartz, Lee and Anita Rowe, Patricia Digh, Martin Bennett -- The Global Diversity Desk Reference: Managing an International Workforce. San Francisco: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Published by Pfeiffer, 2003.

• Lewis, Richard D. – When Culture Collide, Third Edition. Boston: Nicholas Brealey International, 2006.

• Livermore, David – Leading with Cultural Intelligence. New York: AMACOM, 2010.

• Peterson, Brooks– Cultural Intelligence – A Guide to Working with People from Other Cultures. Boston: Intercultural Press, 2004.

• Plum, Elisabeth – Cultural Intelligence – the art of leading cultural complexity. London: Middlesex University Press, 2008.

• Rosen, Robert, et al -- Global Literacies: Lessons on Business Leadership and National Cultures.   New York: Simon & Schuster, 2000.

Selected References

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Additional Information on Links with Leadership Capabilities (Slide 13)

• Sally Helgesen & Julie Johnson’s The Female Vision: The authors identify three components of Female Vision that are value-add for organizations: “broad-spectrum notice, the ability to find satisfaction in the daily experience of work, and the penchant for viewing work in a larger social context.” They state: “Without the female vision, organizations … lose power. They undermine the full potential of their talent base. They diminish the capacity of their people to make balanced decisions. They undermine creativity and reduce the potential for real collaboration. They remain one dimensional in a multi-dimensional world.” (Helgesen, Sally and Julie Johnson. The Female Vision – Women’s Real Power at Work. Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc., 2010. Pages xv and 91)

• Carlos Ghosn, CEO simultaneously of Nissan and Renault and who holds dual Brazilian and French citizenship, speaks about his first years with Nissan in Japan, when he says he was “determined to become assimilated, without sacrificing my individuality or originality. I tried to be transparent to the people around me. Being observant, respectful and willing to learn helped me overcome most cultural barriers. As an outsider arriving with a somewhat credible track record of performance, I was able to bring new ideas and challenge the status quo.” (From a Fortune interview, cited by Paula Caliguiri in Cultural Agility, Building a Pipeline of Successful Global Professionals. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2012, p. 191)

• The Global Talent Index Report: The Outlook for 2015 (Chicago: Heidrick & Struggles, 2011): “The rarest personality traits,” says Karl-Heinz Oehler, vice-president of global talent management at the Hertz Corporation, “are resilience, adaptability, intellectual agility, versatility – in other words, the ability to deal with a changing situation and not get paralyzed by it.”

• Paula Caligiuri’s Cultural Agility, Building a Pipeline of Successful Global Professionals defines “Perspective Taking” [one of 9 Cross-Cultural Competencies in her model] as “An ability to see situations from multiple perspectives and reassign meaning to behaviors. Those with this ability tend to suspend judgment while they seek to understand the lens through which a situation can be interpreted.” (p. 54)

• Milton Bennett’s Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity (DMIS): “The crux of intercultural adaptation is the ability to have an alternative cultural experience. Individuals who have received largely monocultural socialization normally have access only to their own cultural worldview, so they are unable to experience the difference between their own perception and that of people who are culturally different. The development of intercultural sensitivity describes how we gain the ability to create an alternative experience that more or less matches that of people in another culture. People who can do this have an intercultural worldview.” (Becoming Culturally Competent, by Milton J. Bennett in In Wurzel, J. (Ed.). (2004). Toward multiculturalism: A reader in multicultural education (2nd ed., pp. 62-77). Newton, MA: Intercultural Resource Corporation.)

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