Explain why it is important to incorporate culture into your development plan and outline factors that can be considered and implemented to support culture change.
Culture strongly influences our thoughts, beliefs, attitudes and behaviours. It impacts on the way we relate to others, the way we care for ourselves and our loved ones, the way we dress, eat, speak, write and live our lives. For this reason, a little cultural understanding can go a long way when dealing with people from a background different to ours. Cultures are constantly changing and developing over time. They are strongly influenced by:
• local environment, for example: o weather: hot or cold, dry or wet o geography: mountainous, near the sea, in the desert o location: urban …show more content…
These may be misunderstandings to do with ineffective communication or it may have to do with differences in cross-cultural communication. If you sense a conflict brewing, do not allow it to fester—resolve it early. Be direct and courteous. Develop a plan of action to address the problem with your co-worker and then work together toward resolving it.
Treat all co-workers with respect
It is important to be fair towards all your co-workers, regardless of who they are and how different they may be from you, be this in cultural and linguistic background or some other area (eg, age, gender, lifestyle, disability, position in the organisation).
Treating all workers equally means being inclusive, eg, including them in the conversation. It means being respectful by paying attention, listening carefully, and responding appropriately. It means being courteous and professional and being open and honest about your feelings and giving others the opportunity to do the same.
Share information about cultural practices
You and your co-workers might share aspects of your culture and religion and, if relevant, experiences (eg, growing up in Australia or migrant/refugee experiences). Look for common interests—you might find that you have as many differences as