If we cannot now end our differences, at least we can help make the world safe for diversity.” John F. Kennedy

Welcome to the final week of the course. Our final week summarizes the components of diversity we have been studying and the aspects of being a successful student. The final component is putting it all together.

As we have discussed all term, developing, maintaining and improving, diversity consciousness is a lifelong journey. It is always changing and growing as we learn more and participate in life experiences. It begins with you as an individual person. Think about how you describe who you are. What words would you use? Do you have a strong sense of self-awareness? We are social beings and most of us are part of a multitude of relationships, ranging from friends and families to groups and organizations. The influences that others have upon us can shape our self-perception and impact our overall behavior as well as affect how we see and even describe ourselves. We enter new relationships all the time and bring into them our own values, experiences and biases, if you will. We are all social beings and we tend to seek out individuals and groups that fit into our own self-concept and self-perception.

In spite of our varied beliefs and attitudes, we all have the ability to adapt ourselves to improve our relationships. For example, when a couple gets married, both partners will often alter their beliefs and attitudes to fit

Watch this video, from the text, to gain a little more perspective.

into the marital relationship and make it better. It is clear that we cannot view a person and truly understand them without also looking at how they function in their own social environment, and we must always consider one’s cultural diversity as well.

We are all members of a larger social group and community that has its own norms and traditions based on culture and with diversity in mind. In our society, relationships influence how we tend to perceive ourselves and this influence makes our self-perceptions subject to change. This is essential to keep in mind from a social psychology perspective. For example, when you observe a person over time, it is clear to see that that person does not act the same way in all circumstances or with all people. Think about how you behave when you are with your peers watching a movie versus when you are with your work colleagues in a business meeting. Then think about the factors of diversity that are involved as well. Developing your own diversity consciousness is a process and a journey, and what an amazing one at that!

Week 6 Assignments

The Diversity in the Workplace discussion  is an educated guess as to where diversity will lead in the future. You have seen how diversity has evolved over the years and how we currently see it reflected in culture and society. What direction do you think it will take next?

Diversity in the Workplace

The value of diversity in groups and society is continually debated. Its benefits and challenges are many, particularly in the workplace where increased awareness of diversity issues has changed the nature of organizations.

Instructions:

After reading the required material for this week answer the following questions in your discussion post:

1. What kinds of diversity do you believe strengthens a group or organization? Why?

2. What are the advantages and disadvantages of having a diverse work team?

Initial Post Checklist:

· Did you use scholarly resources to support your work?

· Did you discuss each area in the instruction and Grading Rubric?

· Did you use APA?

Resources

Required Text

Kahn, A. (2015). The ecology of diversity. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education. Ch. 8.3-8.5

Required References

Nelson, B. (2014). The data on diversity. Communications of the ACM, 57(11), 86-95. doi:10.1145/2597886 [EBSCOHost]

Ross, H. (2012, January 9). Diversity, inclusion, and the concealed mind (Part 1) [Web log comment]. Retrieved from http://mylinkage.com/blog/fighting-the-bias-in-your-brain-by-howard-ross/ (Links to an external site.)

Secord, R. (2015). Managing cultural diversity. Leadership Excellence Essentials 32(9), 24. [Proquest]

Schmit, K. (2014). Working with different generations. Credit Union Management, 37(1), 24-26. [Proquest]