Many presentations at annual national conferences of the American Society for Training and Development and other human resource professional associations address cross-cultural issues. Consulting firms specializing in helping organizations manage cultural diversity abound. Luther seems unaware the Hispanics place a higher value on extended family relationships than do most Anglos. Lisa seems unaware that blacks from some subcultures within the United States keep eye contact while speaking but not while listening, the reverse of the pattern typical of majority-culture whites. Reasons for concern Simply informing members of today s organizations about cultural differences is an incomplete strategy for helping workmates bridge the gaps that impair cooperative work.
Awareness is a first step, but alone is insufficient.
Or, they may feel personally blamed for creating the inequities often encountered by minority-culture employees. In short, they perceive that their self-interests are threatened. When we feel defensive, we naturally resist the threat. Resistance can take many forms. To be sure, cultural awareness training can be a powerful and enlightening experience for those who wish to learn.