Interactions and Group Diversity - Essay Sample

Introduction

Personal styles of communication/conflict resolution or decision-making pays attention to people's race, gender, ethnicity or any other categorization. It is essential to consider personal perceptions of gender, race, and family practice, among others because people tend to be sensitive in their reactions towards the behavior of others if they belong to a category that is different from the decision-maker or the one is who is passing a message or trying to resolve a conflict. So it is crucial to beware about personal perceptions to not only to avoid cases of bias in decision-making or conflict resolution but also create an environment where people would feel that my intentions are genuine and well-intended in so far as the interests of the groups are concerned. Therefore, having an awareness of personal perceptions about a given group of people would eliminate situations were preconceived notions that inform my relationships with those I serve. However, categorization does not influence the outcomes but helps me to come up with the right strategies of arriving at the best decision/conflict resolution.

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After assessing my level of intercultural sensitivity, I can conclude that, based on Milton Bennett's Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity, I am at the acceptance stage. The acceptance is the fourth of the six stages that were prescribed by Bennett which any person undergoes as they get to terms with people of different cultures. The reason for selecting this phase is because of the feeling that I have reached a level where I recognize and appreciate differences in culture as exhibited in behaviors and values. In personal interactions, there is a sense of acknowledgement that some people are different from me in many ways and their differences do not imply an abnormality. It is uniqueness and diversity that characterize humanity and any variations in culture should be treated as a perfect representation of the beauty of the human race.

Forging close interactions with individuals from different would help me expand my openness to others. Having close relationships with people of different cultures would allow me to learn about the different beliefs and values of people and how such standards affect their behaviors about themselves and those from different cultures. Genuinely seeking information from people of diverse backgrounds would be an essential element in these interactions. The interactions will not necessarily involve asking for information but through close association and the target would be the values and norms of people and how they affect their behaviors and perceptions.

Embracing Others and Ethical Behavior

The best way to serve others in the group or community is by accepting and appreciating people who profess either a different culture or whose physical appearances differ from that of my cultural affiliation. This can be enhanced by treating every member of the group/community with respect and dignity as well as appreciating their ways of doing things. Moreover, acceptance would be promoted by sensitizing other members of the community about the strength of people who embrace others when facing issues of life. Such action would mitigate stereotypes thereby making the community understand the value of diversity.

The best approach to people exhibiting unethical behavior is first to notify these individuals that their behaviors violate established ethical standards and sensitize them on the imperativeness of observing ethics in their behaviors or actions. This would be done by creating the awareness that behaving unethically hurts people and undermines peaceful co-existence of people within their environment. Making people conscious of this virtue can entail informing them about the benefits society stands to gain if ethical standards were upheld. This would give them the necessary information on the need to espouse ethical behaviors and how such action benefits them and society as a whole.