Question:
Review and reflect on the Diverse Working Environments Discussion Board. Based on your review and reflection of new learning in this course, write at least 350-450 words on the following:
Read the below peer response in order to answer the Questions. When answering the question please only use numbers, do not include the questions.
" I have had both positive and negative experiences working with people of different backgrounds. The positive experiences were working with and for people of different ethnicities and/or religions. We respected each other's differences. We also enjoyed discussing the different aspects of our cultures and religions and used the dialogue as a learning experience.
A couple of years ago I had my first negative experience working for an individual that was from another country and practiced a different religion.
For ten years I had worked as the office manager at a successful dental office. The dentist who owned the practice had spent over 30 years building his practice. The patients who came to the office were considered the who's-who of the city and surrounding area. When the dentist was ready to retire he sold the practice. The new owner hired me as his office manager at the same salary as I had been making; however, he cut the medical benefits for the entire staff. He also insisted that I change my management style. He did not want me to be friends with the other staff members even though we had all been close friends and vacationed together. The new owner also advised me to be less friendly with the patients. Under his ownership the focus of the practice was to increase production by pushing services on the patients that they did not need or desire. This man had a very low opinion of women and it showed in the manner in which he spoke to the staff and to his wife. I worked for this individual for six months but found his method of practicing dentistry to be unethical so I looked for a position at another dental office. A dentist who was from another country hired me and it turned out to be a wonderful experience. I respected his culture and he embraced the American culture.
I handled the negative experience by being as professional as possible. I knew that I had to include this position on my resume so I did not want to burn any bridges; however, I had to leave on short notice because I had seen him immediately dismiss other employees when they gave him their two-week notice. I handled the positive experience by being very professional. Six months after this dentist hired me my husband received a job offer requiring us to relocate. I gave this employer a 30-day notice so that he would have time to hire and train my replacement.
I did not receive any support from the negative employer. He had never been a dentist so did not understand the relationship between the providers and staff members and their patients. This man frequently mentioned that he had an MBA in business so therefore he was qualified to run a dental practice. What he did not comprehend was the trust factor between health care professionals and their patients. If a patient does not trust their provider, they will find someone that they can trust. Under his ownership the practice lost over 2/3 of the patient base.
I received a lot of support from the positive employer. He was in the process of remodeling his waiting room and took my advice into consideration. Together we found new seating for the patients and an activity table for the children. This dentist believed that providers should focus on their patients without pushing production. He told me that as a dental practice grows so will production and profit, but owners need to give this growth time.
Both of these experiences were valuable in my professional development. The negative experience taught me that I do not have to remain at a workplace where I do not agree with the owner's values. I am competent enough in my field that I can be of value to a dentist that values patient care over high profits. The positive experience strengthened my managerial skills and showed me that my style of leadership works even though the negative employer did not agree with me.
My recommendation to others with regard to working in diverse environments is to be open-minded. If a coworker practices a different religion or culture try to learn about their beliefs so that you can better understand them. I found that when I tell people that I am interested in learning about different religions and cultures they speak candidly about their lives. This has forged strong work relationships and friendships between me and my coworkers. "
What have you learned from others'' responses?
What were the most compelling points from the interaction with your fellow students?
How does understanding leadership and diversity help you lead others through challenges associated with typical discriminatory behaviors in the workforce?
How did participating in this discussion help in your understanding of the Discussion Board task?
What approaches could have yielded additional valuable information in the students'' networking?
What is still unclear after the discussion with your classmates that needs to be clarified?