Multicultural Communication at Work
Format MLA
Volume of 300 – 500 words (2 pages)
Assignment type : Essay
Description
Write a 300-500 word post summarizing AND analyzing some aspect of a current event/issue/article relevant to the week’s overall topic(s) along with a link to the source material.
For this assignment you will find a short video from Youtube (less than 10 minutes) that is related to any element of discrimination in the workplace, power, or privilege as we have learned about so far in this course.
To complete the assignment, please do the following:
1. In the first paragraph of your post, summarize what the video is about.
2. In the next paragraph you will explain to us the following:
How does this video relate to a specific reading/video/lecture from our class?
Evaluate the video, is a good video? Is it problematic?
3. Provide a link to the video and works cited (if appropriate)
Module 8: SECOND VIDEO/READING ASSIGNMENT
MULTICULTURAL COMMUNICATION AT WORK
QUESTION:
What do you notice about other’s communication style?
o Brainstorm a list
Our communication style is impacted by our gender, race and social class
COMMUNICATION INTRICACIES
Tone
Rate of speed
Degree of loudness
What do you think about people who speak too slow or too loud
Directness
Indirectness
Pacing and Pausing
Word choice
Elements such as jokes, figures of speech, etc.
CONVERSATION RITUALS
Objections
o Ritual of “discussion” or “fight”
o Some may take opposition as “it’s a bad idea”
o How can this affect our careers?
Use of I’m sorry
o Use of I’m sorry not as apology but as empathy (express concern)
o Used to express concern
Rapport building (women) vs. Status dimension (men)
o Did you agree with this part of the article?
o Do you have personal examples from childhood?
Use of “I” versus “We” when taking credit
o Does this relate to rapport building and/or status dimensions? How?
Asking questions
o “One down” position of power
THINK ABOUT THIS…
How do you see communication affected by the following:
o Gender
o Race
o Social class
We often say “poor communication” but what it’s really meant is “different linguistic styles”
TWO MEN, THREE WOMEN ON A RAFT
o What issues are at play in this reading?
o What responsibility must each of the people take for their role in the raft?
o What can this article teach us about “unconscious communication”
SOCIAL CLASS AND COMMUNICATION
o How does social class affect our communication?
o How does this communication affect our ability to:
o Negotiate pay
o Negotiate promotions
o Do you think people who grew up in a lower social class are at a disadvantage for these things?
• How Communication and Power & Privilege are Related
• LECTURE Leadership in a Multicultural workplace – teacher’s video, outline transcribed
• LECTURE: Multicultural Communication at Work – teacher’s video, outline transcribed
• READING Gender Differences in Managerial Behaviors -Gentile
• How Stereotypes About Leadership Hold Women Back – Article
• READING: The Power of Talk-D. Tannen – reading
• READING: How you speak shows where you rank.- S. McGinty
