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Welcoming Cultural Diversity

• "Tolerance toward people who don't look like you or have opinions like yours, regardless of your ethnicity, is the most important workplace value.
• The workplace is not a place for bias or prejudice.  It's up to each person to practice patience, tolerance, and self-control to show respect to all people.
• Work is not the place to talk about politics or religion.  Do your best to allow people to have their thoughts and opinions without trying to convince them of yours.
• Work (or anyplace) is not the place for divisive behavior or insensitive language, regardless of what nation you are from.
• Ask nicely about a person's nation of origin.  Have them explain their foods, family system, and early education.  Good communication fosters a happier and safer workplace with higher morale and helps diminish discrimination and harassment.

• If you are from another country and have become an American citizen, use the language that includes other Americans.  By continually using the word we or our or my as language meaning your home country, you can expect a separation between you and other Americans (Davis, 2003, p. 210)."

Reference:  Davis, P.  (2003).  E2 using the power of ethics and etiquette in american business.  Canada: Entrepreneur Press.

Do you welcome diversity?

E2 is available on loan from the Ohio State University Leadership Center.  A complete listing of all the Leadership Center's resources is available on our website http://leadershipcenter.osu.edu/

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Created: 2008-04-02, Updated: 2008-11-12