February 17 th , 2017 Trainers: Carmen Pitre & Stan Capela

1. February 17th, 2017 Trainers: Carmen Pitre & Stan Capela

2. Workshop Objectives:

3. Our Time Together: • 10 – 1pm, Group Activities – Stretch Break • Speak without offending • Listen without defending • 1 Mike • Speak from “I” • No wrong feelings, challenge information • Others…….

4. Communication is… THE EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION BETWEEN PEOPLE, e.g. BY MEANS OF SPEAKING, WRITING, OR USING A COMMON SYSTEM OF SIGNS OR BEHAVIOR, RAPPORT, ACCESS • We are communicating all of the time with our words, body language and gestures. • Communication Barriers are set up when we are “unaware” of the effect our spoken and unspoken behaviors. In fact, it is said that audiences weigh speeches as follows: 7% Verbal 38% Vocal Tones 55% Non-Verbal

5. EMOTIONAL BARRIERS

6. Emotional Interference • An emotional individual may not be able to communicate well.  If someone is angry, hostile, resentful, joyful, or fearful, that person may be too preoccupied with emotions to receive the intended message.  • If you don’t like someone, for example, you may have trouble “hearing” them • Racism – belief in racial superiority

7. Encoding Barriers The process of selecting and organizing symbols to represent a message requires skill and knowledge.  Here are a few additional obstacles that can interfere with an effective message.

8.  Lack of Basic Communication Skills  • Language – i.e. in English one word can be used several different ways • Did the supervisor assess the communication style properly? • The receiver is less likely to understand the message if the sender has trouble choosing the precise words needed and arranging those words in a grammatically-correct sentence. 

9. TRANSMITTING BARRIERS Miscommunication may result in all cases… • Channel Barriers • If the sender chooses an inappropriate channel of communication, communication may cease.  Detailed instructions presented over the telephone, may be frustrating for both communicators.  • I.e. Technical support – More helpful for you to be sitting in • Front of a computer, as opposed to taking notes.  • Physical Distractions • Noise or static can occur on the phone • A noisy restaurant • Bright lights, Hot or cold work spaces

10. TRANSMITTING BARRIERS Miscommunication may result in all cases…  Long Communication Chain.  The longer the communication chain, the greater the chance for error.  Passed through too many receivers, the message often becomes distorted.  Lack of Interest A reader who is not interested in the message, may read the message hurriedly or listen to the message carelessly. 

11. Information Overload • If you receive a message with too much information, you may tend to put up a barrier because the amount of information is coming so fast that you may have difficulty comfortably interpreting that information. 

12.  Insufficient Knowledge of the Subject • If the sender lacks specific information about something, the receiver will likely receive an unclear or mixed message.  (The Jargon geeks) Example: You are at a training and the trainer says, “Although the APA suggests this, we recommend you follow CBI standards. Or a computer tech that can’t break down, and explain complicated terms and ideas in a simple way?  What about the staff person that speaks “over the heads” of the client.

13. Homophobia Define : • Popular term • lacks precise meaning • coined 1972 Also denotes, • Fear, hatred, aversion contempt, & prejudice toward lesbians & gay men • Prejudice that extends far beyond the LGBT community

14. Sexual orientation is often the source of silent conflict in the workplace Homophobia, cont. • Open and free communication is often not available to LGBTs • LGBTs experience consequences of living in a Heterosexual Society • Heterosexuals are automatically given: Unearned Privilege • LGBTs are often the victims of unintentional offenses in the workplace

15. What Were You Taught? Heterosexual Privilege: “An invisible package of unearned assets that I can count on cashing in each day, but about which I was “meant” to remain oblivious”. “White Privilege – Male Privilege,” Peggy MacIntosh

16. CULTURE: Culture is a group which shapes a person's values and identity. A single term used to define a particular culture is often exclusive.. Cultural identities can stem from the following differences: race, ethnicity, gender, class, religion, country of origin, and geographic region.

17. Identifying Cultural Conflicts Cultural conflict has three dimensions. To the two dimensions that every conflict has (content and relational), cultural conflict adds the third one--"a clash of cultural values." This third dimension constitutes the foundation of the conflict since it determines personal identity. Cultural conflict can be identified by the following signs: • It usually has complicated dynamics. Cultural differences mentioned above tend to create complex combinations of expectations about one's own and others' behavior. • If addressing content and relational issues does not resolve the conflict, it can be rooted in cultural differences. • Conflict reoccurs or arises strong emotions even though the issue of disagreement is insignificant.

18. DO YOU KNOW? Many of your notions about other people, groups or classes come from: • Your Family • The News • Hearsay • Your Fears And rarely from personal experience.

19. What is Cultural Competence? • Cultural Competence is set of congruent behaviors, attitudes, and policies that come together in a system, agency, or among professionals which enables that system, agency, or those professionals to work effectively in cross-cultural situations. 1 1 Cross, Bazron, Dennis, & Isaacs, 1989

20. Culture Assumptions • Cultural conflicts arise because of the differences in values and norms of behavior of people from different cultures. A person acts according to the values and norms of his or her culture; another person holding a different worldview might interpret his or her behavior from an opposite standpoint. This situation creates misunderstanding and can lead to conflict. Often people of the mainstream America, the Anglo culture, perceive their behavior and beliefs as an ultimate norm, forgetting that Anglo culture is just one of the multiple cultures existing in the USA. They are often unable to perceive their own cultural distinctiveness.

21. Stereotypes • A preconceived and/or oversimplified generalization about an entire group of people without regard for their individual differences. • Stereotypes form the basis of our prejudices. • Stereotypes and prejudices are learned.

22. “THE REAL MCCOY” Elijah McCoy was born in Colchester, Ontario, Canada on May 2, 1844. His parents were George and Emillia McCoy, former slaves from Kentucky who escaped through the Underground Railroad. In an effort to improve efficiency and eliminate the frequent stopping necessary for lubrication of the train, McCoy set out to create a method of automating the task. In 1872 he developed a "lubricating cup" that could automatically drip oil when and where needed. He received a patent for the device later that year. The "lubricating cup" met with enormous success and orders for it came in from railroad companies all over the country. Other inventors attempted to sell their own versions of the device but most companies wanted the authentic device, requesting "the Real McCoy. “Elijah McCoy” African American Inventor

23. In 1980, the U.S. Postal Service issued a postage stamp in his honor. Around the same time, President Washington decided to move the Nation’s Capitol from Philadelphia to an area on the border of Maryland and Virginia and Major Andrew Ellicott asked Banneker to assist in surveying the "Federal Territory". Major Pierre L'Enfant from France was commissioned to develop the plans for for the new city. Banneker consulted frequently with L'Enfant and studied his draft and plans for the Capitol City carefully. L'Enfant was subject to great criticism and hostility because he was a foreigner and abruptly resigned from the project and moved back to France. As the remaining members of the team gathered, they began debating as to how they should start from scratch. Banneker surprised them when he asserted that he could reproduce the plans from memory and in two days did exactly as he had promised. The plans he drew were the basis for the layout of streets, buildings and monuments that exist to this day in Washington D.C. Benjamin Banneker died quietly on October 25, 1806, lying in a field looking at the stars through his telescope. Nations around the world mourned his passing, viewing him as a genius and the United States’ first great Black Inventor.

24. We need to understand cultural differences because it: • Helps us to understand the values, attitudes and behaviors of others • Helps us to avoid stereotypes and biases that will create a barrier, and undermine our efforts to communicate. • Plays a critical role in the development and delivery of services that are responsive to the needs of the individuals that we work with and their families…our bottom line.

25. People Are Like Icebergs • 90% of an iceberg is out of sight. Very little can be determined about a person based on their appearance. Stereotypes are opinions based limited information.

26. What is Cultural Sensitivity? • Knowing that cultural differences as well as similarities exist, without assigning values like “better or worse” and “right or wrong,” to those cultural differences.

27. Lack of Sensitivity to Receiver A breakdown in communication may result when a message is not adapted to its receiver.  Recognizing the receiver’s needs, status, knowledge of the subject, and language skills assists the sender in preparing a successful message. 

28. Exclusion often leads to… • Less interest in performing to full capacity • Cultural life and traditions seem distinct • Perceived “over sensitivity” • It is often a result of a self-fulfilling prophecy that leads to a vicious cycle.

29. Acceptance Is Critical To Competence and Sensitivity • A perspective based approach: Shifts perspective to understand that the same “ordinary” behavior can have different meanings in different cultures. • Acceptance does not necessarily mean agreement. • There is a difference between disagreement and intolerance.

30. Being Accepted Results In: • Positive feelings • A more productive and enjoyable workplace • A higher quality of life

31. Think about this… • “Treat others as they want to be treated.”

32. Appreciate Diversity We are different, and we are as beautiful as this ROSE. Avoid communication Barriers

33. Then comes Integration • The internalized ability to shift frame of reference • The ability to use this frame of reference to deal with identity issues • This is when we can begin integrating our lives with our experiences from a variety of cultural realities.

34. Where are you? • You may be in different places with different groups. That’s OK — this a journey. • Why? If INTEGRATION is the Goal, how • will you get there?

35. WHAT’S AGE GOT TO DO WITH IT? IS AGE REALLY A FACTOR IN COMMUNICATION? Baby Boomers (1946-1964); Gen Xers (1965-1980); Millennials (1981-2000). What Do Parents Owe their Kids? (Adult Kids) • A college education • A home down payment • Help with credit card debt

36. Breaking Down the Barriers Summing it all up… THE END

37. Articles & Info