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~Beyond Diversity to Cultural Proficiency~
TIPS FOR A SUCCESSFUL CULTURAL
COMPETENCY PLANNING PROCESS
Along with Cultural Competency Standards for
Excellence in the Workplace
Copyright © 2015 Did You Know Publishing, Inc.
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Published by Did You Know Publishing Company
P.O. Box 157233, Cincinnati, Ohio 45215
www.didyouknowpublishing.com/woventraditions
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Fax: (513) 834.5472
Copyright © 2015 All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any
Means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording
or by any information storage system without written permission
from Did You Know Publishing, Inc., except by a receiver
who may quote brief passages in a review to be
printed in a magazine or newspaper.
Distributed by Did You Know Publishing, Inc.
Manufactured in the United States of America.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Cultural Competency 4
2. What is Culture? 4
3. Definitions of Cultural Competency 4
4. How can my organization become more culturally competent, diverse and inclusive? 5
5. Seven Essential Strategies for Promoting and Sustaining Organizational and Systemic
Cultural Competence, Diversity and Inclusion
5
6. Process and Indicators in Planning and Evaluation 8
7. Crafting a Cultural Competency Plan 8
8. Tips for a Successful Cultural Competency Planning Process 8
9. Attachments 10
10. Attachment A – Cultural Competency Standards for Excellence in the Workforce 12
11. Attachment B – Cultural Competency Self-Assessment for Leaders 20
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4
CULTURAL COMPETENCY
Quality leadership should ensure that the organization has a policy, plan, strategies, and standards in place that
enables the organization to effectively serve and interact with people equitably across different cultures and
backgrounds.
WHAT IS CULTURE?
Culture has many different meanings. For some it refers to an appreciation of good literature, music, art, and
food. For a biologist, it is likely to be a colony of bacteria or other microorganisms growing in a nutrient medium
in a laboratory Petri dish. However, for anthropologists and other behavioral scientists, culture takes on a
deeper meaning ; a full range of learned human behavior patterns.
This deeper view of culture gets at the heart of cultural competency. What is culture? “An entire set of values,
behaviors, languages, thoughts, actions, attitudes, beliefs, social interactions and communication patterns that
distinguish a group of people, and norms of racial, ethnic, religious, or social groups and more.”
DEFINITIONS OF CULTURAL COMPETENCY
The Alliance for Nonprofit Management defines cultural competency as “a community-centered process that
begins with an understanding of historical realities and an appreciation of the community’s assets in its own
cultural context. The process works to enhance the quality of life, create equal access to necessary resources,
and promote community partnerships resulting in strategic and progressive social change.”
The National Association of Social Workers defines cultural competence as the “process by which individuals and
systems respond respectfully and effectively to people of all cultures, languages, classes, races, ethnic
backgrounds, religions, and other diversity factors in a manner that recognizes, affirms, and values the worth of
individuals, families, and communities and protects and preserves the dignity of each.”
A strong cultural competency plan and/or policy can benefit an organization in a variety of ways, including:
A more inclusive workplace. Increasing cultural competency among the board, organizational leadership,
staff, and volunteers can help employees and clients feel more comfortable and secure in the workplace.
More effective recruitment and talent retention. Organizations with stronger cultural competency
policies and practices are often more successful at attracting and retaining high-quality talent.
Improved program delivery. A keen understanding of cultural competency can help organizations to
improve the design and delivery of their programs.
Increased ability to work in multicultural communities, and reach out to new communities. Culturally
competent staff members are more successful at working and building trust within multicultural
communities.
Stronger partnerships with external organizations. Organizations work more successfully with partners’
organizations when they have strengths internally in cultural competence.
Improved involvement of team members. Organizations value and involve team members in
organizational decisions. Team members influence the organization and are included in the
organization’s decision-making process.
Better outcomes. Ultimately, greater attention to cultural competency will result in organizations being
more effective in their work because they will benefit from and utilize a wide range of talent, input, and
engagement in achieving their missions.
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How can my organization become more culturally competent, diverse and inclusive?
Objectives:
1. Understand the connection between individual cultural competence and organizational cultural competence.
2. Learn from examples of local organizations working to become culturally competent. 3. Create an action plan to identify immediate next steps to help their organization become more culturally
competent, diverse, and inclusive.
There are seven essential strategies for promoting and sustaining organizational and systemic cultural competence, diversity and inclusion.
The cultural competence, diversity and inclusion of an organization is impacted by numerous, interactive, and dynamic client, provider, system, and broader societal factors. Therefore, the authors caution against the interpretation of the following strategies as “be all, end all” approaches for “achieving” cultural competence, diversity and inclusion. Rather, these strategies represent initial steps that organizations can employ as a means of becoming more self-reflective and committed to continually improving cultural competence, diversity and inclusion.
Strategy 1: Provide executive level support and accountability
Central tasks at this level:
Disseminate cultural competence standards and guidelines throughout the system.
Make a commitment to bring about increased cultural learning and skill development throughout the organization or system not as an “add on,” but as a central part of service delivery and system development.
Ensure policy and fiscal alignment at the executive level. For instance, ensure that cultural competence strategies and interventions are included within an organization’s overall budget.
Institute accountability strategies for ensuring multicultural change. For example, including cultural competence requirements in contracts and linking funding with progress in implementing benchmark areas can ensure that cultural competence becomes an organizational priority.
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Strategy 2: Foster client, community, and key stakeholder participation and partnerships.
Central tasks at this level:
Promote stakeholder participation and partnerships on advisory groups, workgroups, and program planning committees. Partnering with clients and other relevant stakeholders can serve the important function of ensuring that programs are developed with sensitive to the cultural needs and values of those seeking services
Hire peer and community members as staff. Hiring peer and community members as paid personnel can enhance the cultural competence of services.
Develop community relations and partnerships. These relationships can help to keep an organization connected to the community and its needs and strength areas, which in turn can lead to the development of creative approaches to service delivery or program development.
Strategy 3: Conduct agency assessments to measure cultural competence diversity and inclusion within the agency.
Central tasks at this level:
Conduct patient/client/customer satisfaction assessments. The input of patients/clients/customers is a valuable strategy for identifying organizational strength and growth areas.
Conduct assessments of patient/client/customer outcome data based on demographic variables as a means of identifying cultural competence need areas. Conducting analyses of patient performance and outcome data based on race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, religious preference, disability status, and other cultural factors is a key strategy for identifying potential cultural competence need areas.
Strategy 4: Develop incremental and realistic cultural competence action plans.
Central tasks at this level:
Convene a workgroup comprised of executive level staff, clients, staff, community members, relevant stakeholders, etc. charged with developing and overseeing the implementation of the agency cultural competence action plan. Convening a group with diverse representation of staff, clients/customers, and community members can help to increase “buy-in” with regard to the importance of developing a cultural competence action plan.
Engage in strengths based on planning. Beginning with organizational strengths is important in that it creates immediate momentum as a result of starting with “low hanging fruit” and “easy wins.” Building on strengths helps to increase the likelihood of goal achievement and can demystify cultural competence through acknowledgement of existing strong points.
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Select realistic goals. A strategy for evaluating capacity for implementation is to note whether or not a person or department exists within the agency or system who can assume responsibility for each goal.
Strategy 5: Ensure linguistic competence.
Central tasks at this level:
Post signs and disseminate information about the availability of trained interpreters, bilingual/bicultural staff, and other linguistic support services.
Translate satisfaction surveys and important documents in the languages of the populations served.
Strategy 6: Diversify, develop, and retain a culturally competent workforce.
Central tasks at this level:
Develop formal recruitment strategies. Organizations are encouraged to develop formal recruitment strategies that include recruiting diverse staff at job fairs, college and universities, community centers, churches, and through newsletters and list-serves of national and ethnically-specific organizations.
Recruit community members, diverse paraprofessionals, peer mentors.
Institute ongoing cultural competence education and training for staff at all levels of the agency. Because enhancing cultural competence is an ongoing process, we suggest that training and continuing education be offered regularly and throughout all levels of the organization.
Strategy 7: Develop a system strategy for managing staff and client grievances.
Central tasks at this level:
Appoint an ombudsperson or persons to informally discuss grievances with staff and clients/customers as they arise.
Create a formal structure to address complaints that involve executive level staff.
Hire bilingual/bicultural staff to assist with the grievance reporting and resolution process.
The above information was adapted from the following article:
Delphin-Rittmon, M.E., Andres-Hyman, R., Flanagan, E.H., & Davidson, L. (2013). Seven essential strategies for promoting and sustaining systemic cultural competence. Psychiatric Quarterly, 84, 53-64. doi: 10.1007/s11126-012-9226-2.
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PROCESS AND INDICATORS IN PLANNING AND EVALUATION
Conducting a Self-Assessment
Before crafting a cultural competency plan or policy, leadership should first conduct a self-assessment to
determine what needs exist at an organizational level. The cultural competency plan or policy of a
telecommunications company may have a different focus from that of a school district which focuses on
workforce development or the arts which may have a different focus from a nonprofit that provides direct health
services.
By conducting a self-assessment, organizations can better understand what level of cultural competency the
organization as a whole – and its leaders, team members, etc. – are exhibiting in:
The mission, values, and goals of the organization
Organizational policies, procedures, administration, and staffing
Building workplace culture
Program and/or service delivery
Outreach, fundraising, and advocacy efforts
Partnership building and maintenance
Self-assessments should include all leaders from all varying levels within the organization; should focus on
specific strengths and areas of growth; and should be conducted in an open, judgment-free environment.
A sample cultural competency self-assessment tool for leaders is provided as an attachment (B) to this document.
CRAFTING A CULTURAL COMPETENCY PLAN
Cultural competency plans and policies should be specially tailored to fit the unique needs of the individual
organization. Cultural competency plans should be based on a self-assessment; should include measurable goals,
standards, and specific benchmarks (sample - attachment A); should be based on a specified timeline; should be
allocated resources; and should incorporate a range of team members and other stakeholders.
TIPS FOR A SUCCESSFUL CULTURAL COMPETENCY PLANNING PROCESS
The inclusion of team members, board members, and other key stakeholders is essential to a successful cultural
competency planning process. Organizations should consider the following key questions when building
strategies to engage these groups:
1) Who will lead the cultural competency planning? When developing a cultural competency plan,
organizations will need to consider whether they will engage internal leaders and/or outside consultants
to lead the process. While involving internal leadership is more likely to achieve buy-in from employees
and result in lasting change, consultants bring valuable expertise to the process.
2) How will we keep the issue on the agenda? A major struggle in implementing cultural competency plans
is keeping the organization’s attention on the issue. Before implementing a plan, organizations should
identify an executive leader who will be responsible for keeping the issue on the table and identifying
opportunities to “jump-start” the process when planning or implementation comes to a stall.
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3) How can we engage team members constructively? Before finalizing a cultural competency plan, it is
important that staff from all levels of the organization feel some ownership. Taskforce leaders can
conduct surveys of employees, board members, and other stakeholders to identify the specific needs of
the organization, or engage these groups in helping to help develop the plan.
4) How should we structure cultural competency training? Training and professional development
opportunities relating to cultural competency should be structured according to the unique needs of the
organization. Would board members and staff benefit from joint or separate trainings? Should trainings
occur before or after an organizational cultural competency policy has been finalized? Would the
organization benefit from highly participator activities along with self-reflection? Including information
about cultural competency in employee orientation is also a helpful step to show new staff that the
organization is serious about cultural competency.
SELECTED RESOURCES
Applegate, Beth; Askura, Vicki; Moss, Monika K.; Rouson, Brigette; St. Onge, Patricia; Vergara-Lobo, Alfredo.
Embracing Cultural Competency: A Roadmap for Nonprofit Capacity Builders.
La Frontera Center, Inc., Building Bridges: Tools for An Organization’s Cultural Competence, 2d Ed.
www.lafronteraaz.org
10
Attachments
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12
Attachment A
Cultural Competency Standards for Excellence in the Workforce
The following standards were developed by Did You Know Publishing, Inc., based on the 2001 National Association of Social Workers Standards for Cultural Competence in Social Work Practice.
Goals and Objectives of the Standards
These standards intend to move the discussion of cultural competence within the
organization toward the development of clearer guidelines, goals, and objectives for
the betterment of the organization.
The specific goals of the standards are
to maintain and improve quality of culturally competent services by the
organization and services delivered by team members
to establish professional expectations so that team members can monitor and
evaluate their culturally competent practice
to provide a framework for team members to assess culturally competent
practice in engaging the complexities of providing services to diverse
populations, and recruiting, and maintaining a diverse workforce.
to establish specific ethical guidelines for culturally competent practice in
one’s living, learning, or working environments
to provide documentation of professional expectations for regulated agencies,
peer review committees, state regulatory bodies, and other stakeholders.
EXPLANATION OF THE STANDARDS
Standard 1. Cultural awareness of self and others
Individuals shall develop an understanding of their own personal and cultural values
and beliefs as a first step in appreciating the importance of multicultural identities in
the lives of the people they work with and serve.
Interpretation
Cultural competence requires that individuals examine their own cultural
backgrounds and identities to increase awareness of personal assumptions, values,
and biases. The individual’s self-awareness of their own cultural identities is as
fundamental to services as the informed assumptions about constituents’,
colleagues’, and co-workers’ cultural backgrounds and experiences in the United
States. This awareness of personal values, beliefs, and biases influences
relationships with colleagues and co-workers. Cultural competence includes
knowing and acknowledging how fears, ignorance, and the “-isms” (racism, sexism,
ethnocentrism, heterosexism, ageism, able-bodiedism, and classism) have
influenced their attitudes, beliefs, and feelings.
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Individuals need to be able to move from being culturally aware of their own
heritage to becoming culturally aware of the heritage of others. They can value and
celebrate differences in others rather than maintain an ethnocentric stance and can
demonstrate comfort with differences between themselves and others. They have
an awareness of personal and professional limitations that may warrant the referral
of a constituent to another person, office, or center that can best meet their needs.
Self-awareness also helps in understanding the process of cultural identity formation
and helps guard against stereotyping. As one develops the diversity within one’s
own group, one can be more open to the diversity within other groups. Cultural
competence also requires individuals to appreciate how one needs to move from
cultural awareness to cultural sensitivity before achieving cultural competence and
to evaluate growth and development throughout different levels of cultural
competence in practice. Self-awareness becomes the basis for professional
development and should be supported by supervisors, managers, etc., and the
organization.
Culturally competent individuals shall:
Examine their social identities and cultural heritage to increase awareness of
their own assumptions, values, biases and prejudices and how these influence
interactions with constituents, colleagues, and co-workers.
Identify and acknowledge how fears, ignorance, and the “-isms” have
influenced their attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors.
Develop and employ strategies to identify and change detrimental attitudes,
beliefs, and behaviors.
Recognize when personal and professional limitations warrant the referral of a
constituent to another resource and skillfully execute such referrals.
Recognize that normative behavior in one context may not be understood or
valued in another context.
Acknowledge the ways in which membership in various social groups
influences worldview, what privileges one is afforded, and the potential to be
a target of discriminatory attitudes and behaviors.
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Standard 2. Cross-cultural knowledge and skills
Individuals shall have and continue to develop specialized knowledge and
understanding about the history, traditions, values, and artistic expressions of
colleagues, co-workers, and major constituent groups served.
Interpretation
Cultural competence is not static, and requires frequent relearning and unlearning
about diversity. Individuals need to take every opportunity to expand their cultural
knowledge and expertise by expanding their understanding of the following areas:
the impact of culture on behavior, attitudes, and values; the help-seeking behaviors
of diverse colleagues, co-workers, and constituent groups; the role of language,
speech patterns, and communication styles of colleagues, co-workers, and various
constituent groups in the communities served. It is important to not presume a
particular group has the same set of values or beliefs as one’s own.
Culturally competent individuals shall:
Work with a wide range of people who are culturally different and similar to
themselves and establish avenues for learning about the cultures of these
colleagues, co-workers, and constituents.
Assess the meaning of culture for individual colleagues, co-workers, and
constituents; encourage open discussion of differences; and respond to
culturally biased cues.
Select and develop appropriate methods, skills, and approaches that are
attuned to colleagues’, co-workers’, and constituents’ cultural, bicultural, or
marginal experiences in their environments.
Consult with supervisors and colleagues for feedback and monitoring of
performance and to identify features of their own professional style that
impede or enhance their culturally competent practice.
Evaluate the validity and applicability of new techniques, research, and
knowledge for work with diverse colleagues, co-workers, and constituent
groups.
Standard 3. Organizational and professional values
Individuals shall develop and support organizational and professional values
dedicated to culturally competent practice.
Interpretation
Organizational and professional values are the norms and guidelines that shape
expectations for acceptable behavior and provide standards for both individual and
group action. Establishing organizational and professional values that reflect
cultural competence is an essential step in putting those values into practice.
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Culturally competent leaders shall:
Define and prioritize a set of core values and principles demonstrating a
multifaceted commitment to diversity-minded service for employees to
follow.
Create and maintain services that are guided by an awareness of current and
emerging demographic and sociocultural trends in the constituencies served
by the organization.
Create and maintain a workplace climate that demonstrates commitment to
cultural pluralism.
Include cultural competency requirement in employee performance review
and assessment procedures.
Implement recruitment, hiring, and retention efforts that ensure diversity
within the profession.
Create or provide access to employee educational and training programs that
advance cultural competency within the organization.
Create and provide services responsive to people of varying ethnic, racial,
religious, or social backgrounds.
Standard 4. Language diversity
Individuals shall support the preservation and promotion of linguistic diversity, and
work to foster a climate of inclusion aimed at eliminating discrimination and
oppression based on linguistic or other diversities.
Interpretation
Linguistic restrictions and prohibitions, such as the English-only concept, have been
used throughout American history as the dominant culture’s method of dealing with
perceived threats to linguistic, and thus cultural, homogeneity.
Demographics in the United States have changed dramatically in the last ten years,
and will continue to transform society. This change has affected our interaction with
each other as colleagues, co-workers, and as information service providers striving
to serve our diverse populations and to collaborate in our multiethnic/multicultural
workplaces. Among all the parameters affecting these interactions, language
diversity – the vocal, audible aspect of diversity – poses challenges to individuals in
the workplace.
Culturally competent individuals shall:
Master reference interviewing techniques that reflect an understanding of the
role of language in the client’s culture.
Clear signage, perhaps in more than one language appropriate to the
organization’s constituencies, should be used prominently. Translation of
important documents should be considered.
16
Standard 5. Workforce diversity
Individuals shall support and advocate for recruitment, admissions, hiring, and
retention efforts in the organization that increase diversity and ensure continued
diversity in the profession.
Interpretation
In a diverse workforce, team members can find someone to relate to, and get
services that are sensitive to their needs and preferences. Diversity also improves
staff performance and overall organizational success.
It is diversity that contributes to a deeper level of understanding and competence to
our daily work. A richly, diverse workforce provides a high level of service to
membership in an environment where respect, appreciation, equity and inclusion
are core values.
Culturally competent organization shall:
Go beyond the traditional avenues to advertise positions to create and
develop formal and informal ways to reach individuals that represent the
constituents served.
Obtain statistics about underrepresented personnel in the organization,
review information, and work to understand the lacking numbers and
personnel in the organization.
Develop and implement human resource and other organizational policies,
procedures, and practices that support staff diversity.
Develop and implement organizational policies, procedures, and practices that
effectively address the dynamics of a diverse workforce.
Review recruitment, hiring, and promotion policies, procedures, and practices
to remedy inadvertent exclusion of or discrimination toward
underrepresented, underserved, and historically oppressed groups.
Implement safeguards against exclusion of or discrimination toward
underrepresented, underserved, and historically oppressed groups in the
workplace, and take corrective action when inequities are discovered.
Standard 6. Organizational dynamics
Individuals shall participate in and facilitate the development of organizational
dynamics that enable individuals, groups and organizations to continually develop
and exercise cultural competence.
Interpretation
Cultural competence can be conceptualized both at the individual and organizational
levels. It is also important to view cultural competence in terms of the interplay
between individuals and the organizations within which they work. The term
organizational dynamics describes both the components of an organization – such as
17
its structure, culture, strategies, change, and other processes, policies, and practices
– and the organization’s pattern of activity, change, and growth as it responds to
both internal and external forces. Individuals, and the groups with which they work,
shape and influence the organizational dynamics. Organizational dynamics also
shape and influence individual and group behavior and attitudes. Organizational
dynamics can impede or foster culturally competent behavior and attitudes.
Culturally competent organizations shall:
Identify and use applicable theories, methods, frameworks, and models for
developing and sustaining multicultural organizations.
Regularly review and adapt its structures, strategies, policies, practices, and
processes to foster an inclusive environment, including identifying and taking
steps to address inequity and exclusion (intentional or inadvertent).
Strive to create structures, strategies, policies, practices, and processes that
equitably integrate the values, norms, and behavioral standards of diverse
groups, including dominant and non-dominant groups.
Seek outside assistance when needed from professionals trained in addressing
social justice and diversity issues.
Through its structures, strategies, policies, practices, and change processes:
o Support the expansion of cross-cultural knowledge and skills at the
individual, group, and organizational level.
o Strive to increase individual, group, and organizational capacity to work
with and serve a variety of people and groups.
o Create opportunities and venues for sharing information and learning
regarding cultural competence.
o Empower all employees to fully participate in the life of the organization;
have their voices heard and their perspectives and experiences valued.
o Establish organizational norms that foster openness to and respect for
discussing issues of cultural competence, including situations where
exclusionary and/or insensitive attitudes and behaviors were experienced.
o Recognize the dynamics inherent to intercultural interactions, including the
effect that dominant and non-dominant status has on group dynamics and
interpersonal interaction.
o Acknowledge cultural competence as an ongoing learning process integral
and central to supervision, evaluation, training, hiring, promotion, and
human resource management.
o Infuse cultural competence into the enactment of the mission, values, and
goals of the organization.
o Foster a workplace climate and organizational culture, through formal and
informal means, that actively addresses challenges associated with
diversity.
o Foster a workplace climate and organizational culture, through formal and
informal means, that leverages, maximizes, and celebrates the benefits of a
diverse workforce.
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Standard 7. Cross-cultural leadership
Leaders shall influence, support, and encourage the creation of a proactive processes
that increase diversity skills; empower colleagues, co-workers, and constituents from
diverse backgrounds; share information about diverse populations; and advocate for
their concerns.
Interpretation
Successful leaders will help to foster cultural competency skills among fellow
leaders, direct reports, and other staff. Cultural competency skills are sensitive to
diversity, multiethnic/multicultural leadership, acceptance and valuation, and ability
to deal with ambiguity. Cross cultural leadership helps to fulfill the organizational
mission (Northouse 2006, 3; Rank and Hutchinson 2000).
Culturally competent leaders shall:
Foster sensitivity, openness, and a spirit of inquiry to other world views and
cultural orientations.
Model culturally competent attitudes and behavior.
Support cultural competency skills training – including the exploration of social
justice, privilege and oppression, and fear and anger around cultural diversity
issues – in a safe environment that allows for discussion and reflection.
Encourage and seek out leadership qualities from a variety of cultural
backgrounds and support their development and retention in the profession.
Develop and support a multiethnic/multicultural workforce to meet the needs
of the constituency.
Create opportunities for cross-cultural communities and skill development of
staff.
Support continuing education of staff to be culturally competent.
RESOURCES:
National Association of Social Workers. Standards for Cultural Competence in Social
Work Practice. Washington, DC: National Association of Social Workers, 2001.
http://www.socialworkers.org/practice/standards/NASWCulturalStandardsIndicator
s2006.pdf
Northouse, Peter, ed. Leadership: Theory and Practice, 4th ed. Thousand Oaks, CA:
Sage Publications, 2006.
Rank, M.G. and W.S. Hutchinson. “An Analysis of Leadership Within the Social Work
Profession.” Journal of Social Work Education 36, no. 3 (2000): 487-512.
19
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Attachment B
CULTURAL COMPETENCY SELF-ASSESSMENT FOR LEADERS
PART ONE
For each of the following, please indicate the extent of your own (individual) understanding and
practice in relation to your work. Check the response you believe is most accurate in your
experience to date and at present. (On these questions, do not focus on your aspirations or what
you believe the standard should be, but rather an honest snapshot of where you are on a
continuum up to the present).
For purposes of this assessment, consider culture in a broad sense, with race or ethnicity as
central and interconnected with other aspects of culture that may create a very different dynamic
(such as history, geographic background, communication style, gender roles, value systems).
At the end of Part One and each part, please total the number of entries in each column.
1 (Not At
All)
2 (Minimally)
3 (Somewhat)
4 (Moderately)
5 (A Great
Deal)
1. I understand that cultural identity covers a wide range of life experiences and characteristics.
2. I can readily name significant aspects of my own cultural identity.
3. I consider how my own cultural identity and background may influence the way that I work in providing services.
4. I consider how my own cultural identity and background may influence the way that I give and receive feedback.
5. I check my assumptions about others who are culturally different.
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1 (Not At
All)
2 (Minimally)
3 (Somewhat)
4 (Moderately)
5 (A Great
Deal)
6. I consider how intercultural dynamics may be involved in work relationships internally (with co-workers).
7. I consider how intercultural dynamics may be involved in work relationships externally (with people seeking service, people in other agencies, the larger system statewide or beyond).
8. I examine both the assets and needs of the people with whom I am working with consideration of cultural background.
9. I intentionally identify and address issues relevant to the cultural base(s) of people with whom I am working.
10. I strategically and intentionally address intercultural dynamics to build cultural competency of the staff in the work unit.
11. I strategically and intentionally address intercultural dynamics to build cultural competency of the staff as a whole.
12. I strategically and intentionally address individual behaviors to demonstrate and build cultural competency as a part of staff supervision.
22
1 (Not At
All)
2 (Minimally)
3 (Somewhat)
4 (Moderately)
5 (A Great
Deal)
13. I strategically and intentionally address institutional practices to acknowledge and build cultural competency in the organization (decision- making, evaluations).
14. I intentionally recruit, retain, and develop staff to ensure an understanding of cultural difference that informs the quality of service delivery.
15. I review and generate materials and service delivery techniques to ensure sensitivity and effectiveness across different cultural backgrounds.
16. I pay attention to how my own assumptions and racial, ethnic, and cultural background could affect my interactions with people.
17. I avoid jargon or slang when I am around those who don’t understand that cultural jargon or slang.
18. When experiencing frustration or sensing conflict in a cross-cultural situation, I ask myself, “What may be going on here that is beneath the surface?”
23
1 (Not At
All)
2 (Minimally)
3 (Somewhat)
4 (Moderately)
5 (A Great
Deal)
19. I develop friendships or associations with people who are different from me in age, gender, race, physical abilities, economic status, sexual orientation, and education
20. I avoid judging people on their language use (fluency, style, grammar).
A. Total Responses in
Each Column
B. Multiply by Column
Value x1 x2 x3 x4 x5
C. TOTALS:
D. TOTAL THIS
SECTION (Add
totals in line C)
PART TWO Please indicate the extent to which you would realistically describe yourself as having the
following awarenesses or perspectives in relation to your work.
1 (Not At
All)
2 (Minimally)
3 (Somewhat)
4 (Moderately)
5 (A Great
Deal)
21. I have an awareness of different levels (disparities) in the resources and outcomes of different cultural groups in the community served.
22. I have an awareness of how approaches to expressing need and receiving services, may differ based on cultural background.
24
1 (Not At
All)
2 (Minimally)
3 (Somewhat)
4 (Moderately)
5 (A Great
Deal)
23. I am aware of how cultural identity can influence dynamics at different levels – individual, interpersonal, organizational, community-wide, systemic.
24. I keep a curiosity and openness about how adjusting my practices can build cultural competency and improve effectiveness.
25. I have a commitment to not making remarks or asking questions that are “hot buttons” for men, people of color, LGBT, or other groups.
26. I recognize I am a product of my own upbringing, and my way is not the only (or best) way.
27. I realize others may stereotype me and I try to provide an invitation for others to overcome incorrect assumptions they make about me.
28. I try to understand my own prejudices and consciously work to know and question my assumptions about people.
29. I ask for clarification when I don’t understand what someone is saying.
30. I recognize my personal and cultural values and know which values I am able to compromise without losing my integrity.
A. Total Responses in Each
Column
B. Multiply by Column
Value x1 x2 x3 x4 x5
C. TOTALS:
D. TOTAL THIS SECTION
(Add totals in line C)
25
PART THREE Regarding the cultural dimensions of the work – including management style, understanding of
staff, self-monitoring – indicate the extent of your engagement in learning events and
experiences to build proficiency.
1 (Not At
All)
2 (To
Minimal
Extent)
3 (To
Moderate
Extent)
4 (To
Great
Extent)
5 (To
Maximum
Extent)
0 (Not
Applicable)
31. Continuing education or workshops/conferences, which may include employer sponsored training
32. On-the-job experiences* *(where you were taking the initiative to address diversity directly in the work)
33. Living in diverse communities
34. Spending time, recreation in diverse communities
35. Domestic/international travels
36. Developing (beginning or deepening) friendships or professional alliances outside of main workplace
37. Engaging in a formal self- assessment
38. Working with a coach
39. Having and consulting a mentor
40. Personal reading and reflection
A. Total Responses in Each Column
B. Multiply by Column Value x1 x2 x3 x4 x5 x0
C. TOTALS:
D. TOTAL THIS SECTION (add totals on line C)
26
SCORING Beginning Emerging Proficient Exceptional PART ONE 0 – 24 points 25 – 49 points 50 – 79 points 80 – 100 points
PART TWO 0 – 12 points 12 – 24 points 25 – 39 points 40 – 50 points
PART THREE 0 – 12 points 12 – 24 points 25 – 39 points 40 – 50 points
Total Up to 48 points Up to 97 points Up to 153 points
Up to 200 points
Part One: Questions 1 through 20 20 x 5 = 100 possible points
Part Two: Questions 21 through 30 10 x 5 = 50 possible points
Part Three: Questions 31 through 40 10 x 5 = 50 possible points
