Page 97 - Effective group discussion theory and practice by Adams, Katherine H. Brilhart, John K. Galanes, Gloria J

80 Chapter 4

diverse groups came up with more creative solutions. However, they also found that
the diverse groups had more negative feelings about their groups. To us, these findings
highlight the importance of studying the effects of culture; diversity can be an impor-
tant source of positive synergy and creativity in all areas of American work, but only
if we can appreciate and work with our differences, not against them.
A person’s cultural background profoundly affects every aspect of that person’s
communication behavior, starting with how we experience and interpret others’ behav-
ior and our own. For instance, we noted in Chapter 2 the significant ways in which
cultural norms help you understand another’s nonverbal behaviors during group
discussions. Working with your group’s diversity requires a willingness to meet the
Ethnocentric challenges diversity can pose. A first step is recognizing our tendency to be ethnocentric.
The belief that one’s People tend to think that their personal native culture is superior and judge everyone
own culture is else’s behavior by the norms of their own culture. Successful communication among
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inherently superior to culturally diverse individuals requires them to give up their ethnocentricity. The soft-
all others; tendency ware development team members who interviewed Martha couldn’t get past her
to view other cultures New York style, with its fast- paced talk and aggressive verbal pattern. In relaxed
through the California, that style says, “She thinks she’s all that,” but in New York, people are
viewpoint of one’s taught to promote their accomplishments and talents when given an opportunity. The
own culture.
team interpreted her actions through their cultural filter and concluded, ethnocentri-
cally, that Martha was not a team player. This software development team isn’t unusual.

Effective groups, more and more, require sensitivity to cultural differences.

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