Course 2: Becoming a 7 Cups Leader - (Discussion #10) Diversity, Cultural Differences, and Second Language Learners
Please note: In order to successfully complete Course 2, you must respond to this post. Your comment/response should answer the questions/shows that you completed the given activity (if any). Read the post carefully and follow the instructions given. Save your responses to a document that you can later refer to. You will need to copy/paste your response in the course evaluation form at the end of each course to show that you have done the work and to refresh your memory.
We are truly lucky to have a global community, rich in background and culture. In order to nurture our diverse community, we should each make a conscious effort to understand each other. The more we know, the more mindful we can be of one another's differences.
Please read this insightful doc written for us by @Hope.
Questions:
Please list some advantages of a diverse team.
How can we be respectful of different cultures on 7 Cups?
Activity: Please reply to 3 of your peers in this thread with encouraging or supportive words!
After fulfilling the requirements of this post, please check out the next post here! You must take part in the brainstorming/activities given in all of these posts to successfully complete the program.
This post is brought to you by the Leadership Development Program Team, find out more information about the program here.
1) having a diverse team brings together a melting pot of beliefs and values that creates a multicultural and rich society.
2) Remembering that we are a global team and therefore must treat everyone with respect.
@EvelyneRose
I agree with treating everyone with respect!
@EvelyneRose Oh, your answer brings up a good culture difference. When I was in school we learned that here it's like a cultural mosiac, whereas in the US it's more like a melting pot. The mosiac way of doing things was taught as 'better' even if not really directly. It's hard to lose the negative connotation of the melting pot (my learned bias), basically it was lack of diversity, everyone takes on the same quallities although everyone's 'flavours' or qualities get distributed in that. A salad bowl metaphor got added to the curriculum after me, I first heard about it from those younger than me.
I think it's also a great example of stereotypes. Canada really doesn't meet the mosiac model (or salad bowl) in many aspects. If doing a similar map distribution to what @QuietMagic shared I think Canada overall might lean a bit more towards the mosiac than the US, but there are differences in the various regions in both countries and there's overlap. Of course, there are also advantages and disadvantages to both.
I guess that's where too the salad model may come in? There's the individual items but then there's the dressing that is similar to a melting pot where flavours from all the incredients infusion in too. Balance between assimilating to some of the norms while also maintaining cultural diversity.
@Heather225
Please list some advantages of a diverse team.
- Innovation from the differents perspectives
- Learning about differents cultures
- Reaching and helping people outside of our country or culture
How can we be respectful of different cultures on 7 Cups?
First, we have to accept that people can have different beliefs or think differently. When a disagreement occur in such situation, we can try to find a mutual agreement or delegate the task to someone else.
Hi @Vintagechoc, I am from India
@DonaldDraper
Hi! Nice to meet you 
@Vintagechoc Nice to meet you too. See you around, in LCR maybe :)
@Heather225
Please list some advantages of a diverse team.
Diversity is an important role in any industry or team. Not only give a variety of different point of views from different people based on background, culture, language, etc but also expand the community. A diverse team are more productive and perform better because it's a pool of talents, different speciality.
How can we be respectful of different cultures on 7 Cups?
Learn more about other culture, respect others and talk to people from different places. If you're unsure about inappropriate behaviour toward people with a different culture, ask them. Try not to mock or belittle others when they make a mistake
@dancingMoment7201
i absolutly agree to your points! first of all to ask not to suppose and also to be mindful of the fact that mistakes are a side effect of being human and to be made fun of it!
@dancingMoment7201 i love how you explained why diversity is important. :)
@Heather225
Woop, I absolutely love this doc! Thanks @Hope <3
Please list some advantages of a diverse team.
A diverse team means more chance to learn about different culture, more variety of ideas to help the team and different experiences that can help us be even more inclusive and plan things right!
How can we be respectful of different cultures on 7 Cups?
We can do so by being inclusive of everyone and being willing to learn more about it. I also loved how docs mentioned timezones so yes, making sure we time things so that everyone can get the chance to join and mostly by being open-minded about variety of ideas, opinions and trying to understand each other.
@Heather225
Questions
Please list some advantages of a diverse team.
A diverse team is more innovative, responds better to change, is a better crisis-solver, etc.
How can we be respectful of different cultures on 7 Cups?
By being aware of their existence, acknowledging their differences and embracing them as part of our diversity, which is something that truly makes this place work, and an amazing asset.
@Heather225
Advantages of a diverse team
Different cultural perspectives promote creativity and innovation
Diversity allows to reach and help people all over the world.
Exposure to different cultures and practices promotes learning new skills, more creativity and increased productivity.
How can we be respectful of different cultures on 7 Cups?
Ignore stereotypes by which certain countries and cultures are associated with certain traits.
Respectful the beliefs of all members of the Community
Be mindful of schedules and availability because of different celebrations.
Remember to express time in an understandable way for people of different timezones while scheduling something.
Schedule team meetings trying to accommodate the convenience of team members living in different timezones.
@WelcomeToChat
your answer to the second question came to my attention as it has really important points such as ignoring the stereotypes!
and making sure that given the difference in timezones we should be mindful while schedule!
@Listeningsarinn
Thank you, Sarinn, for your kind words !
Marcelo
@WelcomeToChat
*hugs* nice to meet you btw!
@Listeningsarinn
Hey Sarinn !!!
You are so nice to me !
Hugs to you too !!!
Marcelo
@Heather225
Please list some advantages of a diverse team.
first of all there is the timezones difference this makes the team function 24/7, also thereis the language diversity which makes people we are able to communicate with wider, also we get to learn alot from eachother as we are from highly different backgrounds and have very different experiences
How can we be respectful of different cultures on 7 Cups?
by not trying to impose what we believe is true, acting disrespectful and/or understamting other peoples' knowladge and experience level just because they don't think the way we do!
@Listeningsarinn I think it's awesome that there's always people here! And yes, great point about not imposing beliefs.
@AffyAvo
yeah i always love how cups hasn't got a night time or sth
@Heather225
The advantages of a diverse team is firstly the vaaast horizon of new ideas , its like having lots of different beautiful minds together in one place, that can only cultivate more extricate and unique ideas for a prosperous march ahead. We can promote and protect diversity by practicing tolerance and learning to speak the last, we dont need to have opinions on everything. Sometimes just by listening to the different aspects widens our dimension
The doc was really simple and succinct. Thanks @Hope
Advantages:
Diversity means new and new means of creativity. Learning about different cultures could help us in many ways directly and indirectly.
How can we be respectful?
By removing stereotypes from conversations
By being open minded
By respecting Timezones
And Also by using simple English for those who have English as the second language :)
@Heather225
1. The different perspectives can drive innovation.
Allow us to reach and help more people situated outside of our country/culture.
Cover different time zones and allows us to support people living in different timezones.
We get to learn about different cultures and practices which adds to our set of skills.
There's a wider range of skill sets available for that team which can fuel creativity and productivity.
2. We can rise above the stereotypes, be respectful of individual beliefs and consider timezones.
@kateaala
Well done!
@kateaala those are good examples of being culturally sensitive.
@kateaala
The pretty well and concise.
@kateaala
Amazing <3
@kateaala Perfect, well said.
@kateaala
Well done!
@kateaala
Inspiring to hear you say rise above it. Keep it up
@kateaala
Great answer!
@KateDoskocilova
Great response! Well done
@KateDoskocilova
I agree with everything that you said here. :)
@KateDoskocilova
Well said !
@KateDoskocilova
AMAZING answer!!!