Welcome!

1. Welcome! Cultural Competency Key Considerations for an Inclusive VA Workforce

2. Key Considerations • Examine: Branding, External/Internal Factors • Recognize: Psychological Safety, Implicit Association • Identify: Incivility, Bullying Behaviors • Recommend: Survival Tips & VA Leadership Considerations

4. ICARE CORE VALUES • Enhances our aspirant culture of respect, civility and high performance • Provide baseline for the standards of behavior • Remind us about choosing “the harder right instead of the easier wrong,” and performing our duties to the very best of our abilities.

5. Leading by Putting Your Followers First “People like to work for leaders who operate with a clear and consistent purpose. The leader’s job is to understand and enable the purpose and dreams of his or her employees. In this sense the task of the leader becomes a calling, a profession, but not a job.” Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert A. McDonald October 1, 2014

6. Diversity • State of being - what makes us unique • Full spectrum of differences

7. Primary Dimensions of Diversity

8. Secondary Dimensions of Diversity

9. Workplace Inclusion • Everybody counts and everybody knows they count • Ability to contribute at full capacity of talents • Ability to leverage diversity and unleash talent

10. Internal/External FactorBranding • Integrity • Reputation • Recoverability

11. From Road Rage to Desk Rage Texter 69% (55%) Tailgater 60% Multitasker 54% Crawler 39% Flipped Off 69% (17%) Expedia Road Rage Report, 2014

12. External Factors • Work-Life balance disruptions, unemployment • Negative news, i.e., VA, Ebola, ISIS, etc. • Financial, Marital, Medical • Elderly parent/child care • Student Loans

13. Examining Internal Factors • Single most important factor - current supervisor • Job assignments, co-workers, telework • Shift, overtime, resources and training

14. Internal FactorPsychological Safety • Free expressions of ideas/recommendations • Zero retaliation for conflicting ideas/opinions • *“When organizations empower individuals to think differently and drive change from the bottom up, we are all engaged.” • *Sarah Schott, VP, Northwest Mutual • October 14, , 2014

15. Organizational Psychological Safety • Freedom to experiment, take risks, make decisions • Empowered employees are fully engaged Take the test at http://goodbadboss.com/

16. Internal Factor • Appreciation & Respect • Assume the best intentions of employees • Never have a “dull” place to work • Thank you, great job! • Have fun and show some humor

17. Implicit Association Hardwired for negative interactions Broken Bones – Broken Hearts Decisions impacted Overlook key information Hard to reverse perceptions

18. Branding’s Importance

19. System Two Thinking “Slow Brain” Pre-Frontal Neocortex System One Thinking “Fast Brain” Amygdala

20. Perceptions Interpretations Preferences Selective Attention 11 million pieces of information at any one time 40-50 pieces of information get absorbed

23. Incivility • Rules of Civility and Decent Behaviour - In company and conversation • George Washington, 1748 • Building a Civilized Workplace and Surviving One That Isn’t • Definitive guide to working with and surviving bullies, jerks, backstabbers who are doing their best to destroy you • Dr. Robert Sutton, 2007

24. “Smart” Phone Useor Reading in Meetings?Historical Incivility 86% think it’s inappropriate to answer calls 84% think it’s inappropriate to write texts/emails “Read no letters, books, or papers in company; but when there is necessity for the doing of it, you must ask leave.” USC Marshall School of Business Study (2014) George Washington’s Rules of Civility & Decent Behaviour in Company and Conversation (1748)

25. Jerk Detector • Identify people who persistently leave others feeling demeaned and de-energized. • Look to see if their victims usually have less power and social standing than their tormentors.

26. Bulling and Incivility Workplace Impact • 17.1 average encounters of incivility in a 7-day week, or 2.4 times per day (online/offline) • 63% lost work time avoiding the offender • 66% performance declined • 25% admitted taking frustration out on customers • 78% commitment to the organization declined • Civility in America Poll (5/12/2013)

27. IncivilityCommon everyday actions that Incivil Jerks use • Personal insults • Invading one’s “personal territory” • Uninvited physical contact • Threats/intimidation; both verbal and nonverbal • Dirty looks and stare downs • “Sarcastic jokes” and teasing used as insult delivery systems

28. Incivility - Dirty (Baker’s) Dozen • Withering e-mail flames • Status slaps intended to humiliate their victims • Public shaming or “status” degradation rituals • Rude interruptions • Two-faced attacks • Treating people as if they are invisible • Cyber-bullying – social media, texts, internet forum posts, twitter, etc.

29. Bullying • Harasser ranked higher (Boss) 72% • Target and Harasser peers – 18% • Men vs.Women Bullies – 60/40% • Bullies are typically intentional jerks • Protective shield due to being well connected with the organization • Targets are empathetic, just, and fair people • 55% bullied are non supervisors, 35% supervisors, 5% senior executives, 5% temps The Bully at Work: What you can do to stop the hurt and reclaim your dignity on the job, Gary & Ruth Namie, PhD (2009)

30. Top Ten Bullying Tactics Don’t back down for the sharks and bullies in life. Go right after them and stand up for yourself.

31. Awareness of Behaviors • Guardians of Peers – Outdo one another in showing honor and respect • Treat behavior as an emotional contagion • Even compassionate people can become one • Studies show modeling “jerk” behavior, i.e., frowning/glaring…..spreads • A swarm becomes a “civility vacuum”

32. Tips for Survival Taking refuge – Limit exposure Supportive colleagues can buffer stress Build pockets of safety, support & sanity Indifference and emotional detachment Lower expectations – Listen to your health

33. Behavioral Change • Your employees are not here because of you; but as leaders, you are here because of them • It is not like you pull a switch and change everything like stopping Incivil behavior… • Or can you?

34. Taking on the ChallengeToday’s VA Leaders • Must have the respect of their followers • Must operate from a foundation of values; or words become hollow • Lack credibility = An ineffective Leader

35. Leadership Considerations • Acknowledge the reality of your influence • A real open door • Stop bullying or Incivil behavior in its tracks • All employees’ perception of VA – not the same • Have your employees’ back with resolve • Give credit, take responsibility • You must be your very best in the darkest moment

36. Cultural Competence VA Workplace A blending of separate cultures, varying educational levels and different social backgrounds is possible in an unselfish atmosphere of common goals, aspirations, and mutual understanding.

37. The Only Easy Day Was Yesterday

38. Summary of Key Considerations • Branding, External/Internal Factors • Psychological Safety, Implicit Association • Incivility, Bullying Behaviors and Awareness • Incivility, Bullying, Leadership Considerations

39. Department of Veterans AffairsOffice of Diversity and Inclusion John Fuller, Ed.D. Chief Diversity Educator Office of Diversity and Inclusion John.Fuller2@va.gov 202-491-5969