Ethnocentrism and Management Training
The main problem in coping with different cultures is summed up within the phrase, ethnocentrism. We generally tend to guage others by way of the lens of our personal tradition, our personal expertise. It’s pure, in fact, to check new experiences with our personal historical past. The tough half is to be taught to take action with out making ethical judgments concerning the new experiences. That’s, seeing one thing new or totally different and concluding that it’s dangerous as a result of it’s not the identical as my previous expertise. Taken to its excessive, that may result in a very closed system. That’s the root of extremely dogmatic, closed-minded, even bigoted considering. I’m not suggesting that we must be worthless or judgment-free. However we must always study how we go about judging different folks and experiences. It shouldn’t be automated. Typically, I imagine that we’re happier, more healthy folks if we decide every individual and every expertise by itself benefit, not merely whether or not in conforms to these issues I’ve already skilled. Being clear about this idea is essential in any workshop that offers with communication abilities however vital in management training.
Ethnocentrism is, in some methods, automated. That’s, it occurs with out considering. So, bringing it to at least one’s consideration may cause that individual to reevaluate their considering and presumably make an effort to keep away from it or, at the least, to mitigate the results of it. On a go to to Seoul, I used to be reluctant to eat kimchi (A Korean dish fabricated from fermented greens – often cabbage) that’s served with virtually each Korean meal. My host inspired me to attempt it by saying, “People don’t have anything prefer it. So, how might you not prefer it with out ever actually making an attempt it?” I had tasted some however couldn’t actually say that I had actually tried kimchi as a meal or as a aspect dish. I used to be then educated about its historical past and the numerous varieties (There are lots of of varieties). As is commonly the case, I found that I actually appreciated some varieties however not others. I made a decision to say to myself, “How can I decide to love or dislike one thing I do know nothing about? Am I simply avoiding it as a result of I’ve nothing in my very own weight loss program to check it with?” Had my host not inspired the exploration and had I not made a aware determination to attempt somethin
