Workplace Diversity and Stereotypes
Question 1
Individual identity often affects other people’s perceptions of different issues. Some of the vital identity elements include gender, ethnicity, and age. People expect masculine traits from men and feminine approaches to problems from women. My gender is the primary identity element, followed by age and ethnicity. Gender and age are a sign of my masculine potential and come handy on issues such as negotiation and choice of duties both at home and work. Besides, being Russian triggers the assumption that I should be pursuing a technical rather than a business course among peers. However, my laid back personality contradicts the common assumption that Russians are outspoken and sometimes too blunt with their opinions.
Question 2
Being from a diverse ethnic background has shaped my perception of personal and cultural background. California, my home state, has a minority-majority populace, thus, making elected leaders reflect the diverse backgrounds. However, individual representatives emulate the diversity of the population and pursue their needs. Elected officials in California exhibit specific similarities that reflect the population structure in the state. First, a majority of the leaders are Spanish speakers, which is the most spoken language in the region. Being from minority groups also encourages them to fight for minority rights, and the results are evident through various campaigns for minority rights such as the LGBT community rights and call against police brutality on African Americans.
Question 3
Individuals and organizations have embraced diversity and are working towards creating a just and fair environment for all to thrive. However, some people still hold on to stereotypes, thus influencing the organizational decision-making process. For instance, some companies may have specific positions reserved for a particular gender based on either masculinity or feminine traits attributed to their success. Institutions can employ various strategies to investigate and act on existing inconsistencies undermining diversity within an organization. First, making success and failure information explicit other than attributing it to stereotypes. Secondly, it is essential to monitor activities to ensure fairness. Besides, corporations should hold individuals accountable for their decisions to discourage them from expressing their biasness at the expense of a company’s wellbeing. It is also vital to allow decision-makers enough time to evaluate their options to avoid influence from stereotypes. Thus, organizations should lay down strategies to discourage stereotypes and rely on factual information to make decisions.
Question 4
Being a man is often considered a member of the dominant group unless in a woman-dominated profession or area of specialization. For instance, I experienced the minority side during a volunteer program on early childhood development that worked with kindergartens in Africa. Women dominate the early-childhood education sector and the entire teaching fraternity; thus, men become a minority group in the industry. Being a member of the minority group, creating a sense of inferiority, where I often held back my views during meetings. Besides, a majority of the women working with children were very confident from their social experiences. Thus, raising a contrary opinion was cliché since based on my limited expertise and education on early childhood development. However, despite the common minority’s experiences of unequal treatment, my work team was supportive and offered guidance on issues to ensure optimal utilization of my potential and draw my interest in the area of specialization. Besides, being a Russian in America identifies as a minority group, and I have encountered harsh treatment from African Americans who assume I am white and categorize me as a racist despite my discrimination from Americans who stereotype Russians as hardcore criminals. Exposure to minority treatment raises concerns to encourage equal treatment of individuals by understanding and respecting diversity.