50 Activities for Achieving Cultural Competence

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7

Silent Interview

DonnaStringer,ExecutiveDiversityServices,Inc.

Seattle,Washington,USA

Purposeandlearningobjectives

• To introduce training participants to one another

• To examine stereotypes and first impressions

• To examine what cultural assumptions people make on first meeting

Targetaudience

This is a good icebreaker for a diversity awareness class where participants do not know one

another well. It has worked in several international groups with up to 13 national populations

represented and is especially useful for making the point that stereotypes are based on visual

differences.

Time

60 minutes with a group of 30 or less. Use with larger groups is not recommended because

the reporting and introductions step becomes tedious if too many are in the group. It is ideal

for groups of 20 or less.

Materials

• Handout 1, “Silent Interview: Process,” for each participant

• Handout 2, “Interview Questions,” for each participant

Procedure

1. Pair individual participants with others whom they don’t know or whom they know least

well.

2. Tell participants that they have 10 minutes to complete the silent interview process about

their partner. There is to be no talking during this time.

3. Stress that it is okay to look at your partner during this exercise, even if you might not

normally do such a thing, and that it is okay to make guesses and to be wrong.

4. When 10 minutes are up, ask the partners to share their answers with one another and

obtain the accurate information.

50ActivitiesforAchievingCulturalCompetency

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5. Have each person introduce her or his partner to the whole group and share information

about one thing they learned from the verbal interviews that took them by surprise.

6. Ask for their observations about this process. What was easy and why? What was difficult

and why?

You may modify the questions to address the cultural or cross-cultural issues of greatest

interest or concern among participants.

Debrief

Guide the debrief in the direction of these important conclusions:

1. First impressions, which we all have, are usually colored by our own feelings and values.

Because of this, our first impressions are sometimes wrong.

2. Being asked to share those first impressions is uncomfortable because we are aware that

they might be based on stereotypes and consequently be inaccurate.

3. Knowing that others are judging us is an uncomfortable feeling.

4. Our first impressions can be even more inaccurate if we are unable to ask for and receive

feedback.

5. Some people are uncomfortable being the first to speak because their culture considers

this impolite. For others, it might not be uncomfortable at all.

6. Assumptions are based on previous experience, as are the categories we use to assess one

another.

7. We often miss important clues.

SilentInterview

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Reproducedfrom50ActivitiesforAchievingCulturalCompetence,byJonamayLambert,

SelmaMyers,andGeorgeSimons,editors.Amherst,MA:HRDPress,2000,2008

[Handout1]

Silent Interview: Process

Instructions:

Pair up with the person in this room with whom you are least familiar.

First 10 minutes:

Conduct a silent interview with your partner.

NO TALKING!

Answer the questions on Handout 2, “Interview Questions,” by looking

at your partner and responding as you believe your partner would, if she

or he could speak.

a) Write your answers for each question on the lines labeled “a)”.

Second 10 minutes:

b) Share your presumed responses with your partner. Ask for your

partner’s actual responses. Discuss how you arrived at your

assumptions. Write your partner’s own answers to each question

on the lines labeled “b)”.

Brief:

Back in the large group, introduce your partner by name and share the

most surprising discovery you made about her or him.

SilentInterview



Reproducedfrom50ActivitiesforAchievingCulturalCompetence,byJonamayLambert,

SelmaMyers,andGeorgeSimons,editors.Amherst,MA:HRDPress,2000,2008

[Handout2]

Interview Questions

1. What is this person’s ethnic or national group?

a)

b)

2. Where did this person grow up? Describe the neighborhood and the geography.

a)

b)

3. What does this person do in his or her spare time?

a)

b)

4. What would be the ideal gift for this person?

a)

b)

5. What kind of school or educational institution did this person attend?

a)

b)

6. Describe this person’s current neighborhood: rural, suburban, or core city; busy or quiet; sin-

gle home or apartment; etc.

a)

b)