| Employees of the modern era consist of a | | | | department.Working in a diverse workplace |
| community with different ethnic backgrounds | | | | also has its fair share of pitfalls. Many of |
| which has led to new techniques for managing | | | | today's companies will make sure that they |
| a diverse workforce. Not too long ago, the | | | | have a person on staff that speaks another |
| high profile projects were reserved for a | | | | language in addition to English. Sometimes |
| select few people from a common background. | | | | people that are descendents of foreign |
| Today, both men and women are equally | | | | nationals have not had formal training in the |
| represented and today's new corporate | | | | language they have grown up speaking in their |
| employees are from places all over the world. | | | | homes. They have learned the language in |
| New management techniques must be learned in | | | | their house speaking with their parents, |
| order to ensure success. Ross Perot's old | | | | brothers and sisters but they do not have a |
| company, EDS, talks of using its experience | | | | formal education in that language in order to |
| in handling workplace diversity as a way of | | | | have good linguistic skills for reading and |
| better understanding a globally diverse | | | | writing. This is not meant to imply that |
| marketplace, and sees its CCI as part of such | | | | everybody who learns a language at home is |
| successful management (Grayson, 1993).A | | | | not an adequate interpreter, but this is |
| manager in the modern corporate world must be | | | | meant to raise awareness of this possibility. |
| skilled in knowing how to deal with the | | | | (multilangual planet, 2006) This is just one |
| issues of a diverse workplace. In a small | | | | example of a pitfall that many organizations |
| group, each employee may be from a different | | | | succumb to in the modern era.There are a wide |
| background so communication can be difficult. | | | | number of sources of barriers that can enter |
| Communication is the essential tool to | | | | into the communication process. This can |
| create and build a work team that can carry | | | | occur when people don't know each other very |
| out both the values and instructions of your | | | | well. In a work setting, it is even more |
| organization. Translating materials to | | | | common since interactions involve people who |
| include this employee population is not just | | | | not only don't have years of experience with |
| good business, its essential to success. | | | | each other, but communication is complicated |
| Cultural differences could lead to | | | | by the complex and often confliction |
| miscommunication. For example, looking at a | | | | relationships that exist at work. |
| person from an Asian cultural background | | | | (interperator, 2006) It is important for a |
| directly in the eye is disrespectful, and | | | | manager to understand when two or more |
| therefore the Asian person will look and | | | | employees may not be suitable to work in the |
| focus at a different point or object other | | | | same department or team together. This does |
| than your face. (multilangual planet, 2006) | | | | not mean that one employee has to be let go |
| A manager in today's workplace must be | | | | because both may be of equal value to the |
| skilled in knowing how to communicate with | | | | organization. In most cases, good employees |
| employees who are from different parts of the | | | | who may not be amiable towards each other at |
| world. This form of effective communication | | | | first will still understand to have a respect |
| is valuable because a department may have | | | | towards each other after some time. |
| different employees from all over the world. | | | | Howerver, understanding that there maybe a |
| Making a mistake in understanding | | | | cultural or personality difference between |
| communication could prove to be disasterous | | | | different groups of employees is important to |
| to the employee-manager relationship.The | | | | the health of the organization.In order to |
| specific word, diversity, was rarely used | | | | have a successful workplace, management |
| when people described their best, favorite, | | | | should ensure that these techniques are |
| or most effective manager. However, fairness, | | | | practiced. One important quality of |
| respect, objectiveness, and listening | | | | management success is being a person that |
| recurred frequently. These attributes | | | | others want to follow. Every action you take |
| describe an effective manager and leader | | | | during your career in an organization helps |
| (Harris, 2006). Learning the professional | | | | determine whether people will one day want to |
| goals of all your team members, creating | | | | follow you. The key to successful managing is |
| opportunism for your employees to be exposed | | | | effective communication. Effective |
| to corporate leaders they may not often get a | | | | communication is an essential component of |
| chance to work with, fair delegation and | | | | organizational success at any level. It is |
| objective performance evaluations are a few | | | | critical to understand and be aware of the |
| essential management practices. Some other | | | | potential sources of errors and constantly |
| excellent practices include making time to | | | | counteract these tendencies by making an |
| talk privately with each of your employees, | | | | effort to make sure there is a minimal loss |
| asking your staff in private how they would | | | | of meaning in your conversation. |
| like to be managed and spending some | | | | |
| recreational time to talk to your staff | | | | It is also very important to understand that |
| during their lunch break. Taking some time | | | | a majoring of communication is non-verbal. |
| to have a friendly exchange with an employee | | | | Mastering some of these techniques will make |
| who may be under your supervision is a key | | | | it easier for successful management in a |
| element to building a succesful relationship | | | | diverse workplace. |
| between the manager and employee. These | | | | |
| small interactons over a period of time shows | | | | CCI: The Strategic Management Tool, |
| the employee that the manager is interested | | | | Grayson, David. Management Development |
| in his life of a personal level. It is also | | | | Review. Bradford: 1993.Vol.6, Iss. 3; pg. 3, |
| importanat to know that it is not necessary | | | | 4 pgs2. Leadership & Management in |
| to go out after work with the employees but a | | | | Engineering; Oct2002, Vol. 2 Issue 4, p28, |
| simple friendly exchange during the day will | | | | 3p3. Public Personnel Management; Summer98, |
| still go a long way to building a succesful | | | | Vol. 27 Issue 2, p187, 14p, 2 charts4. |