1st Edition
Cultural Competence for Public Managers Managing Diversity in Today' s World
Our increasingly globalized society demands a higher level of sophistication when working cross-culturally and internationally in local, state, and federal governments; tribal corporations; and nonprofit organizations. Cultural Competence for Public Managers offers guidance on how to become a leader in developing cultural competence in your organization. It provides a conceptual foundation and successful examples for developing cultural competence, including competencies for international collaborations.
The authors clearly define terms and provide their own cultural competence model that will add significantly to the current field. They describe the rapidly changing worldwide demographics that are bringing new cultures into many countries and societies. They also examine the issues that culturally diverse landscapes create in the United States, Asia, Europe, Africa, and Latin America, highlighting the differences between assimilationist and the multicultural viewpoints. Drawing on a wide range of examples from universities; local, state, and federal governments; health care service providers; and nonprofit organizations, the book illustrates management practices that are then extended into the relevant cultural context. It also includes examples of cultural missteps and cultural competencies that have worked in practice.
Written in an accessible format and style, the book provides practical and useful standards and performance measures, proven coaching and mentoring guides, as well as templates, checklists, exercises, and guidelines. It includes downloadable resources with coaching guides, checklists. Organized thematically, the book defines the scope of cultural competencies, highlights best practices, and describes variations in responsibility for administering cultural competence for executives, managers, supervisors, and employees.
INTRODUCTION TO CULTURAL COMPETENCE: DO I REALLY NEED TO BE CULTURALLY COMPETENT?
Why Cultural Competence Is Important
Introduction to and Short History of Cultural Competence
Why Public Managers Need to Be Culturally Competent
Obstacles to Cultural Competence
Cultural Characteristics
Perceptions of Time
Other Dimensions of Culture
Questions That Need to Be Asked about Cultural Competence
Why a New Cultural Competence Model Is Needed
What Public Managers Need to Know about Cultural Competence as a Leadership Competence
Top 10 Reasons Why Cultural Competence Is Important
Summary and Conclusion
How Globalization and Immigration Are Changing the World
Introduction
The United
Central and Latin America
Africa
Additional Commentary on Generational Issues
Additional Commentary on International Cultural Issues
Summary and Conclusion
Defining Cultural Competence for Public Managers
Introduction
Research on Cultural Competence
Definitions of Cultural Competence
Cultural Intelligence and Its Contribution to Cultural Competence
Cultural Intelligence and Leadership
Understanding Diversity, Social Equity, and Cultural Competence
Summary and Conclusion
Cultural Competencies
Introduction
Developing the Foundation Cultural Competencies
Foundation Cultural Competencies
Respecting and Understanding Culture
Communicating with Culturally Diverse Employees
Creating Common Ground or a Shared Culture
Being Adaptable and Flexible
Inclusiveness as a Way to Create Effective Teams and Collaboration
Summary and Conclusion
CULTURAL COMPETENCE FOR EXECUTIVES, MANAGERS, SUPERVISORS, AND EMPLOYEES
Experiences from Successful Multicultural and Diversity Programs
Introduction
Cross-Cultural Lessons
The Multicultural Leadership Program
Examples of Public Sector Initiatives
Learning from the Private Sector and Public Sector Initiatives
Summary and Conclusion
Cultural Competencies for Executives
Introduction
Cultural Competencies for Executives
The Political Appointee and Career Civil Servants
Major Department Heads
Leveraging Diversity
Creating the Future by Leveraging Diversity as a Strategic Goal
Preparing the Organization to Be Culturally Competent: Shaping the Organizational Culture
Communicating to Inspire Diverse and Multicultural Employees
Developing and Mentoring Managers to Be Culturally Competent
Summary and Conclusion
Cultural Competencies for Middle Managers and Supervisors
Introduction
Cultural Competencies for Managers and Supervisors
Developing Culturally Competent Managers
Mentoring Multicultural Managers
Becoming a Culturally Competent Mentor
Mentoring Career Skills
Supervisors
Summary and Conclusion
Cultural Competencies for Employees
Introduction
Cultural Competencies for Employees
Establishing Leadership Cultural Competencies for Employees
Developing a Long-Term Career Plan
Creating a Long-Term Career in Diverse and Multicultural Organizations
Acquiring Diverse and Multicultural Mentors
Creating Relationships with Diverse and Multicultural Employees
Executive Protocols and Manners
Summary and Conclusion
BUILDING THE CULTURALLY COMPETENT ORGANIZATION
Establishing the Organizational Cultural Competence Framework
Introduction
The High-Performance Organization
How Current and Future Situations Set the Stage for Culturally Competent Practices
Reasons for Culturally Competent Policies
The Culturally Competent Organization
Defining Diversity
Creating Culturally Competent Practices
Creating a Supportive Organizational Climate
Summary and Conclusion
Human Resource Management and Cultural Competence
Introduction
The Evolving Field and Its Inattention to Diversity
Managing Diversity
Obstacles in Diversifying HRM Curricula: A Lack of Teacher Preparation and Coverage
Why Is HRM Curricular Reform Needed?
Elements of Diversity
Creating Culturally Competent Orientation Programs
Cultural Competence Organizational Measures
Human Resources as the Feedback Loop for Policy Development
Summary and Conclusion
Using Cultural Competence to Develop International Collaborations
Introduction: Cultural Competence in Context
Race Theory
What’s Up with Xenophobia?
The Recent Passage of Arizona’s Controversial Bills
International Collaborations for Public Managers
Creating International Opportunities
Developing International Relationships
Universities and International Collaborations
Working through Difficult Issues
Maintaining International Relationships
Summary and Conclusion
CASES IN CULTURAL COMPETENCE
Cultural Competence in Health Care
Introduction
The Federal Government’s Role in Developing Cultural Competence in Health Care
Delivery of Services
Culturally Competent Health Administration
Culturally Competent Hospital Administration
Culturally Competent Human Services Administration
Additional Resources on Cultural Competency in Health Care
Medical Tourism
Summary and Conclusion
Cultural Competence in Higher Education
Introduction
Reasons for Higher Education Cultural Competency Models
The Tilford Group Cultural Competence Model
Challenges in Building a Cultural Competency Curriculum
Overcoming Obstacles to Culturally Competent Faculty
Cultural Competence for University Administrators
Summary and Conclusion
Resolving Difficult Employee Issues
Introduction
Defining the Types of Employee Problems
Discovering the Real Problem or Issue
Working through Emotionally Charged Issues
Communicating to Resolve Issues
Moving beyond the Issues
Summary and Conclusion
The Human Resource Office: The Last Resort
Introduction
When to Use Human Resources in Troubleshooting Difficult Issues
Setting the Stage for Using Human Resources as an Impartial Mediator
Using Human Resources as an Early Warning System
Establishing a Long-Term Relationship with Human Resources
Summary and Conclusion
WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?
What the Future Holds: More Change
Introduction
What Tomorrow Will Look Like
The Changing Face of Organizations
Remaining a Step Ahead
Culturally Competent Leadership for Tomorrow
Appendix
References
Index
Biography
Espiridion Borrego, University of Texas Pan American, Edinburg, USA
Richard Gregory Johnson III, University of Vermont, Burlington, USA