photo credit: Leonard John Matthews
Global Diversity Compared
I was having a discussion with somebody about diversity and he pointed out that it seems diversity in general seems to be focused on countries like the USA, Canada, UK and other countries where the predominant population is white with increasing immigration of ethnic cultures. He claimed that other countries like many African and Asian countries do not seem to put much emphasis on diversity in within their borders. This individual did have a certain point about global diversity compared to diversity in America and Canada.
It is true that in China for example, diversity is not exactly something that is openly embraced, at least not like it is encouraged here in North America. In fact, a country like China might be viewed as one that discourages diversity as they seem to censor a lot of things trying to infiltrate their borders.
Diversity In America And Canada
This is in complete contrast to diversity in America and Canada where open respect and acceptance of all cultures and customs (within legal limits of course) is promoted. So does this mean that global diversity elsewhere is completely opposite to what we are doing here in North America?
In my view, countries like China has been taking steps to develop their own diversity skills. Diversity skills involve being able to interact well with others who are different.
Diversity Developed For Beijing Olympics
When the Chinese were preparing for the huge influx of visitors from around the world for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, they went on a massive training campaign for everyone from the volunteers to the taxi drivers on how to interact with foreigners on a welcoming and friendly manner. They wanted to have something that they had not really been known for in the past which is good customer service, especially with foreigners.
This training campaign was apparently quite successful as the vast majority of people who went to China during the Olympic games were quite happy with their experiences there. The entire act of this training campaign can be thought of as a development of diversity skills.
If China and other countries want to continue to be successful with other countries around the world, they will have to continue on this progress with global diversity. So they are slowly catching up in some ways. They probably won’t be at the point of the way diversity in America or Canada is viewed anytime soon but as they become more exposed to how we approach diversity here, they will get the idea eventually.
Countries who do not develop their global diversity skills will be left behind as they become further isolated and less competitive on an international scale.
See Premiere Video On Diversity
If you missed my premiere episode of Motivational WebTV where I first introduced diversity skills as a concept for success, check it out at Diversity Skills For Success.
To see descriptions of my diversity talks, see my Speaking Programs section.
