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. It may not be so for those on whom it is thrust. The program design may imply that minority-culture members already know plenty about the dominant culture s norms and values. This bias may or may not be intended. Even when intended, it may not be explicitly stated by the seminar leader, hoping instead to bring change in a Trojan horse.