According to Kinicki and Kreitner, authors of the text Organizational Behavior, "Diversity represents the multitude of individual differences and similarities that exist among people. This definition underscores a key issue about managing diversity." (Kinicki & Kreitner, 2009, p97). With this definition management's position should then be to understanding the people, whether they be subordinate, peers, and superiors, and come up with methods and procedures for analyzing the diversity that exists and then implement the results into a cultural diversity training program.
In order to truly know a person, and to accomplish the task at hand, it is in this writer's opinion that two methods should be combined to in order for the training program to be effective. The first method is Lee Gardenswartz and Anita Rowe's "Four Layers of Diversity" wheel with the "Myers-Briggs Type Indicator." By combing these two methods, a person can reasonably evaluate another and thereby develop a cultural diversity training program.
The first method, as explained by Gardenswartz and Rowe, discuss the different layers of diversity. "Like seashells on a beach, people come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors. This variety represents the essence of diversity." (Kinicki & Kreitner, 2009, p97).
[...] By picking one of the two choices for each of the four questions, the results will then give us a four letter personality combination that fits into one of the 16 possible outcomes from this test. This result will replace the Gardenswartz and Rowe's first layer in the “Four Layers of Diversity“ effectively combining the two methods. So how does one put these two methods together to develop a cultural diversity training program? Easy. During the interview process, most of an applicant's information can be collected through the resume submitted and during the interview process itself. [...]
[...] This would minimize the first two steps in the Tuckman's 1965 model Stages of Team Development: Forming, Storming, Norming and Performing before finally Adjourning; which equates to more productivity from the team earlier with greater results. The best way to implement this information into a training program would be to have each team member review the profiles of their colleagues before the team even gets started to minimize down time. Of course combining the two methods is not the end-all-be-all to developing a cultural diversity training program, it is however, a good place to start. References Kinicki, A., & Kreitner, R. (2009). Organizational Behavior: Key concepts, skills & best practices (customized 4th ed.). [...]
[...] The value to a leader in using this personality types is three fold. It can assist in helping an individual understand him or herself better and thereby relate better; it can assist in helping an individual understand others better; and finally, it is a helpful aid when learning to work with others in an organization or on a team. When individuals understand and learn to anticipate the actions of others, the team becomes more effective. The “Myers-Briggs Type Indicator” is explained below. [...]
[...] New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Irwin. Keirsey, D. & Bates, M. (1984). Please Understand Me: Character and Temperament Types. Del Mar, California: Prometheus Nemesis. [...]
APA Style reference
For your bibliographyOnline reading
with our online readerContent validated
by our reading committee
