50 Activities for Achieving Cultural Competence

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Response to Differences Scale

DianneHofnerSaphiere,NipporicaAssociates

Leawood,Kansas,USA

Purposeandlearningobjectives

• To learn a new model of how to bridge differences (the four-phase model)

• To better understand how one’s approach to differences affects interactions with others

• To experience first-hand the power of dialogue and the importance of creating explicit

group processes that enable all group members to contribute to accomplishing a task

Targetaudience

Groups of 3 to 5 people

Time

Approximately 75 minutes

Materialsandenvironment

• Flipcharts or writing paper, as needed

• Copies of Handout 1, “Self-Reflection,” and Handout 2, “Dealing with Differences,” for

each participant

• Overhead or flipchart to show the model

Procedure

1. Give each participant a copy of the “Self-Reflection” handout.

2. Ask participants to think of a time when they were working on a team and had to work

with someone different from them, such as a person with a very different work style or

differing opinions.

3. Ask them to think about how they reacted to that difference and to mark this on the scale

on the handout. Give them several minutes to do their individual ratings. Stress that there

are no right or wrong answers: the purpose of this exercise is to enter into a dialogue with

fellow team members to learn about one another.

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

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Note: Trainers may define the terms with participants. Alternatively, how the participants

define the terms can be part of the dialogue process that follows (about 10 minutes).

4. Introduce the 4-phase model (identifying similarities and differences, validating or affirm-

ing team members, understanding one another, and utilizing team resources) either by

presenting or discussing the model. Give each person a copy of the “Dealing with Differ-

ences” handout when you are done (about 10 minutes).

5. Arrange participants in small groups of three to five each and assign each group a task that

is fairly easy to carry out and with which they are familiar, such as designing a “Cele-

brating Differences” day for their community (about 5 minutes).

6. Ask the small groups to discuss their approaches to difference. They don’t need to cover

all ratings on the scale—just the ones that are most important to them. They should use

this four-phase model:

• First, they should identify the similarities and differences in how group members

approach difference.

• Second, they should affirm the advantages of each approach and discuss its downsides.

• Third, they should apply their styles to the task, discussing how each style will contrib-

ute to task accomplishment.

• Finally, they should discuss how to use the strengths of each group member and how

they might help each group member develop new skills and styles. For this last phase,

team members can create ground rules or discussion guidelines for their group (about

30 minutes).

Debrief

Ask participants what methods they used to identify, validate, and understand. On a flipchart,

record their methods for making the most of team differences (about 20 minutes).

ResponsetoDifferencesScale

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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

[Four‐phasecyclediagramforflipchartoroverheadslide]

Dealing with Differences

A Four-Phase Cycle for Accomplishing Tasks

VALIDATING

UNDERSTANDING

IDENTIFYING

LEVERAGING

ResponsetoDifferencesScale



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]

Self-Reflection:

My Response to Differences

Think of a time when you were working on a team and had to work with a person different from

you. How did you react to that difference? Circle your reactions below.

Pause and reflect Respond quickly

Emphasize commonality Acknowledge uniqueness

Explore and clarify Assume understanding

Describe Evaluate

Act separately Cooperate

Persuade Listen

Choose “either–or” Adjust or create “in between”

Rational Emotional