Page 260 - Keys To Community College Success

statusCHECK

How Developed Are Your Cultural Competence and Communication Skills?
For each statement, fill in the number that feels right to you, from 1 for “not at all true for me”
to 5 for “very true for me.”

1. I consistently work to develop cultural competence. 1 2 3 4 5

2. I seek to incorporate diverse people and cultures into my life. 1 2 3 4 5
3. I believe even positive stereotypes can hurt my ability to get to know someone. 1 2 3 4 5
4. I understand the difference between tolerating those different from me and accepting and 1 2 3 4 5
celebrating those differences.
5. I can adjust my communication style to more effectively connect with others. 1 2 3 4 5
6. I pay attention to and interpret meaning from nonverbal and body language. 1 2 3 4 5

7. I participate effectively when working with a group or team. 1 2 3 4 5

8. I use positive relationship strategies to strengthen my personal connections. 1 2 3 4 5
9. I manage electronic communication effectively and do not let it run my life. 1 2 3 4 5
10. I am able to receive constructive criticism and use it to improve. 1 2 3 4 5

Each of the topics in these statements is covered in this chapter. Note those statements for which you filled in a 3 or lower. Skim
the chapter to see where those topics appear, and pay special attention to them as you read, learn, and apply new strategies.

REMEMBER: NO MATTER HOW DEVELOPED YOUR CULTURAL COMPETENCE AND COMMUNICATION SKILLS ARE, YOU CAN IMPROVE WITH
EFFORT AND PRACTICE.

HOW CAN YOU
develop cultural competence?

A century ago it was possible to live an entire lifetime surrounded only by people
from your own culture. Not so today. American society consists of people from a mul-
titude of countries and cultural backgrounds. In fact, in the 2000 census, American
citizens described themselves in terms of 63 different racial categories, compared with
1
only 5 in 1990. Cable television, the Internet, social networking sites, and the global
marketplace have increased cultural awareness.

What Diversity Means

Differences among people. On an interpersonal level, diversity refers to the differ-
ences among people and among groups of which people are a part. Differences in gen-
der, skin color, ethnicity and national origin, age, and physical characteristics are most
obvious. Differences in cultural and religious beliefs and practices, education, sexual
9 orientation, socioeconomic status, family background, and marital and parental status
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are less visible, but no less significant.