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ELC 347
DAY
Agenda
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Questions
Exam #1 Graded
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Assignment 3 posted
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2 A’s, 2 B’s and 1 C
Due in one week
Group Project Meeting (30 Min)
Discussion on Diversity and Setting Goals
Individual Capstones
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October 20 Proposal Due
Diversity
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What is this Diversity Stuff?
Why Should I care?
Why are these people so wired?
They need to learn to adapt to us
We’re hiring from everywhere; how can
I know about all of them?
Focus of discussions
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Multicultural teams
The danger of assumptions
Potential issues in diverse work teams
Strengths of alternative views
Guidelines for a constructive diversity
climate
Multicultural teams
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US is a heterogeneous culture
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Power in the workforce has traditionally
been held by
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White Males
Anglo-Saxon
Upper-middle class
Protestant faith
Japan (and many other Asian
countries) are homogenous cultures
US Diversity TimeLine
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In the beginning
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The “melting pot”
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After the Civil Rights Movements
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Affirmative Action
Today
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American first
Acceptance of Diversity
Tomorrow
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Diversity as a Competitive Advantage
Impediments to Diversity
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Ethnocentricity
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Appearance
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Belief that ones culture is the “correct”
culture
Cultural Pride
Invisible cultural populations
Different Cultural Interactions
Attribution
Dangers of Assumptions
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If there is a conflict of communication
breakdown among employees of
different culture groups, don’t
automatically assume it’s a cultural
issue.
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Most likely it is a Communications
Problem
Danger of Assumptions
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Don’t automatically attribute characteristics or ethnic labels to
someone who looks different from you. In addition, don’t
assume that just because two people speak a common
language or look similar, that they are culturally the same or
even that they share a cultural affinity
Country of origins
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Not all Black people are from Africa
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Not all native French speakers are from France (or Canada)
Not all Asians are the same race
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Caribbean
Japanese, Chinese, Thais, Koreans etc. etc.
Not all Spanish speaking persons are Puerto Rican or Mexican
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Central America
South America
Dangers of Assumptions
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You can’t assume that an employee has heard and
comprehends all you have said; even if seems to
speak English fluently, Actually, in quite a few
cases, you can’t be sure that what you heard from
the employee is what he or she actually meant.
Some cultures have idioms that require some
context
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“cut it out”
Chinese have indirect discourse
In Japan a pause is a sign of respect, In America it
is sign on non-comprehension
Dangers of Assumptions
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Be careful not to jump to the
conclusion when the new employee
from another country doesn’t seem to
be interested in becoming one of the
group.
Not everyone wants to be like
Americans
The concept of the “Ugly American”
Perceptions of a review
US
Arab
Japanese
Purpose of
Review
Develop employee
and distribute
awards
Determine
placement, Provide
opportunity for
employee to show
loyalty
Express company
goals and how
employee fits. allow
employee to develop
internal excellence
Person
Conducting
review
Immediate
Supervisor
Manager
Mentor
Method of
conducting review
Direct criticisms and
affirmation in Writing
Criticisms is allways
subtle and always
oral
Respect is
important, criticism
is subtle and verbal
Role of Praise
Individual Praise for
motivation
Same as US
Praise for groups.
never single out
individual
Potential Issues
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Areas of misinterpretation
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The way respect is shown
The way conflict is handled
The requirements for personal space
The work ethic
The speed of business and conversation
Respect
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Eye contact
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Different for male and female
Direct disagreement show lack of
respect in many cultures
Clothing
If you don’t know ASK
Conflict
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People differ in their approaches to conflict
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Arguments
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Their assumptions about he nature of conflict and conflict behavior
The degree to which harmonizing is a priority over winning or over
surfacing a problem or conflict
clear the air
Show respect
are healthy
Harmonizers
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Allow other to go first
Apologizes for misunderstanding whether at fault or not
Redirects conversation rather than disagree or offer a negative response
May not offer facts and statistics that might disprove someone's
statement
May smile when the discussion becomes uncomfortable or offensive
Personal Space
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Different for different cultures
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3 ft for American
1.5 for middle eastern
5’ for Japanese (in conversation)
Personal Contact
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In America it is sign of intimacy
Korean sign of impoliteness
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No PDA’s
Work Ethic
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Length of day
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2 hour lunches common in some countries
Work continues into social evenings in Japan
Holidays differ
Work style
Some differences are not due to culture but
to upbringing
Speed of Business
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Americans are in a hurry
Japanese are more pensive
Some cultures require socialization
before business can be conducted
Brainstorming is uniquely American
Guidelines for a Constructive
Diversity Climate
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Know how to attract, hire and retain talented people
Learn how to treat employees in a way that is
consistent with their needs and values
Educate all you employees about the issues of
racial and sexual harassment
Discover how to use each employee’s strengths in
the most effective manner
Perform a needs assessment to determine what he
real issues are in the work team
Secure or develop training and awareness
programs to improve understanding
To Improve Understanding
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Ask about family
Find out religious observances
Offer voluntary language classes
Invite suggestions and input
Discuss in private notable social interaction problems
Encourage others to interact with foreign employees
Affirm different perspectives when voiced
Respect Social distance
Inquire about food preferences/avoidances
Openly treat non-native employees with respect and require
others to do the same
Advantage of Alternative views
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Different Cognitive styles
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Big Picture visionaries
Detail oriented performers
Liners thinkers
Spatial thinkers
Avoid “group think”
Assignment #3
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Complete Project Challenge on pages
129 & 130 parts A & B. Upload a well
formatted word document.
Due October 12 (next week)
Setting Goals and Securing
Commitment
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Why do we need goals?
How do you get them to agree?
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Getting Buy-in
Maintaining commitment
Conflicts – how to resolve
Discussion Objectives
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Defining the project goal
Developing Goal Statements
Managing Goal Conflicts
Maintaining commitment
The Project Goal
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Clearly defined and understood
Final result
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Vision of the project
A statement of the end result of the project,
which will satisfy the major reasons why the
stakeholders are undertaking the project,
defined in terms of three criteria;
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specification objectives,
time objectives
cost objectives
Goal Myopia
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Holding up a project for something that
doesn’t really impact the project goal
Difference between
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Doing things right
Doing the right thing
Working hard isn’t the same as
working smart
Developing Goal Statements
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Single sentence description of the end
result
Make take several “passes” for
validation by stakeholders
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Upper management
Accounting and finance
Engineering
End users
Define Goal Standards
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If you can’t measure it…don’t do it
Success
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Failure
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Completion of a project with all goals
accomplished in the amount of time specified
Non-completion pf or wrong-completed project
Good measures
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Margins
Percent error
Capacity
Gain Consensus for Buy-In
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Buy-In
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All members of the cross-functional team agree
and understand the underlying vision for the
project’s development and marketing plan and
that this is the best possible plan for the project.
Consensus is NECESSARY!
Show them (end-users) how the goal fulfills
their desires and needs
Modify the goal until it does fulfill their
desires and needs
Who must agree to a Goal?
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The project’s end-user
Upper management
Your immediate supervisor
The check-signers
Your Peers
Subcontractors
Your subordinates
Set Doable Expectations
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There is no honor is accepting goals that
cannot be met
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Giving your best shot at a un-doable expectation
is not good practice
Three elements for a realistic goal
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People…the right ones and enough of them
Money…a good budget is critical
Time...A well developed time line
Setting a Timeline
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You can make more money but you
can’t make more time!
Danger points
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Assuming that everything will go well
Assuming that you get more resources
Build in flexibility!
Budget and Cost factors
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Two types
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Remember that most companies have every
dime budgeted
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Capital budgets
Expense budgets
If you go over budget…someone must go under
budget!
Build in a “fudge factor”
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Emergencies and unforeseen expenses
5 -15%
Managing Goal Conflicts
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Most business have multiple projects
and limited resources
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Conflicts between projects will arise
Priorities are based on
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Market Conditions
Compatibility with other projects
Ownership
Resources available
Goal Conflicts
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3 basic paths
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Influence
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Early detection
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Sell the project!
Invite criticism and adjust accordingly
Conflict resolution and negotiation
Influence
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Salesmanship
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Barter
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It’s all in the way you explain it
Trade favors
Log rolling
Peer Influence
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Create, in advance, a circle a professional that
know and respect you
An informal “advisory” board
Early Detection
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A little conflict is a good thing
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Time spent on conflict resolution does not
advance the project
Resolve conflicts early!
Look for smoke and don’t wait for the
fire
Invite critical thinking and positive
conflict resolution
Conflict Resolution Guidelines
1) Is it conflict or a problem?
Solve problems
2) Does the project manger need to be involved?
Resolve at lowest level possible
3) What are the issues and the emotions connected
with the conflict?
Find the land mines!
4) Are the parties involved committed to resolution?
Precede until resolution
Conflict Resolution Guidelines
5. Are all discussions characterized by a genuinely
constructive attitude and by a positive, non-loaded
(not sarcastic or accusing) statements?
Disarm the combatants!
6. What is going to make this OK with all the parties?
What is the common ground
7. After resolution is achieved, re-verify with each
party.
Make sure there is no miscommunication
8. Celebrate the resolutions with all concerned and
congratulate all on their commitment to the project
by their resolving the issue.
Creating Goal Commitment
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Securing commitment
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Return to vision
Project name
Tie success of project to each team members needs
Allow members to take lay claim for their parts in defining
success
Maintaining commitment
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Keep communicating the vision
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Update progress
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Write it down and let everyone see it
Lots of milestones and subsequent celebrations
Mementos and keepsakes
Make sure everyone know that they are part of something
important!
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Make it a source of personal; and professional satisfaction for you
and your team