The fifth core competency put in place by NASPAA is the ability to communicate and interact productively with a diverse and changing workforce and citizenry. This includes developing an understanding of the needs and values of specific communities in the United States and around the globe; developing an understanding of and commitment to the values of representative bureaucracy; having respect for the views and experience of all members of a public or non-profit organizations; and gaining experience in interacting with diverse individuals and groups. In order to illustrate this competency, I've chosen the following coursework:
Leading Discussions of Diversity:
The fifth competency notes the importance of communicating and interacting with a diverse group of people. In November of 2019, I designed and co-facilitated a workshop entitled The Leadership Compass: Appreciating Diverse Workstyles hosted by Auburn University Outreach. The workshop is an adaptation of this activity posted by the Bonner Curriculum. This workshop was attended by nonprofit leaders, community partners, and other University Outreach professionals. Through this experience, I was able to lead discussions about differences and how these differences in leadership styles can result in building a more balanced team. The conversations were centered around self-awareness; in order to help participants understand this concept, we designed an assessment for the purpose figuring out participants’ dominant leadership style. Next, we discussed how each working style is useful on a team. The artifacts associated with this event shows I am able to facilitate and lead discussions, design tools for self-assessment, and promote the use of strategic planning when developing teams.
Engaging Intentionally with Citizens
This competency focuses on understanding the needs and values of different communities in the US and around the globe. The Cultural Competency Memo assignment gave me an opportunity to explore just how important it is to interact with citizens while maintaining an open mind. How individuals identify play an integral role in the pursuit of cultural competency. Some of the main categories of identification include, but are not limited to: race, ethnicity, age, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, religion, ability, education level, and health status. Gaining cultural competency goes beyond simply knowing an individual's identifying characteristics; it extends to understanding how those identities impact their day to day experiences, how the world interacts with them, and how they interact with the world. This is especially important for the dominant culture of a given organization or community. The members of that culture must become aware that their world view is not the only world view and that their experiences are not the only relevant experience. In doing this, we show citizens and collogues that we see them as a person; not just as a vote, donor, or employee.