Do You Need Diversity Training? (lamey-barfey)

DiversityInc ^ | 26 Oct. | Lizz Carroll

[flowerplough]

Are you unwittingly offending people in your office? Do you say things that cause others to wince or lose interest in having a collaborative relationship with you? You may be in need of good diversity training. DiversityInc put together a list of signs to show where you might be making cultural missteps.

1. Race/Ethnicity

How do you interact with people from different races and ethnicities in the office? Have you ever found yourself complimenting a Black person on her ability to articulate well? Did you tell a Latino coworker that you were surprised he didn't have an accent? Do you think an Asian-American coworker is in an accounting position because "they're all skilled at math"? Have you ever said "you people" when referring to members of a different race and ethnicity?

( ... )

2. Gender

While you may think you have good intentions by using "terms of endearment" for women such as "honey" or "sweetie," these words are inappropriate for the workplace and can belittle a woman and her position as a valuable asset to the company. The same goes for questioning a woman, even casually, about her "time of the month" and making comments that are sexually suggestive.

[Verbosus]

Quote:
“Have you ever said, “That is a way phat idea, dude”, to a person of size?”

Hey, I find that offensive.
Pay me and I’ll forgive you, though.

[BlueLancer]

When I first started my job after I retired from the Army, I drove to my Diversity Training class in a car with a bumper sticker that read...

AIDS AND HOMOSEXUALS
EVOLUTION IN ACTION

Most of the people in the class thought it was pretty funny, but the instructor had a permanent sniff about it for the whole period of the class.

[Lonely Bull]

‘Have you ever found yourself complimenting a Black person on their ability to articulate well?’

No, but our Vice-President has!

Have you ever found yourself groaning over a White vice-president's inability to articulate well?

If he's a Democrat, it's off to sensitivity training with you!

[bornred]

Your article links to 5 Things NEVER to Say to Muslim Coworkers. The money quote:

Only about 20 percent of Muslims worldwide are Middle Eastern. "Muslims are Black. Muslims are white. Muslims are senators - they're in the White House," says Chebli.