Running head: INTERCULTURAL LEADERSHIP 1

Intercultural Leadership

Ashley North

OGL 350: Diversity and Organizations

Dr. Hirshorn

April 14, 2021

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Intercultural Leadership

It is common knowledge that animals are unable to communicate their wants and needs;

therefore, they rely on their owners to have their best interests. With that said, in the pet industry,

it is imperative to have thorough communication in order to help pet parents determine

nutritional needs. Thus, being aware of cultural differences and diversity can aid in the

company's growth. In this paper, we will be discussing my ambitions, future approach to

diversity, in addition to my increased diversity awareness.

Starting out at a young age I’ve been devoted to the welfare of animals. I’ve worked at

doggy daycares becoming familiar with breeds and at various pet retailers broadening my

understanding of holistic approaches. In working for a holistic pet store, I learned there are

various approaches to health issues that don’t involve over-the-counter medication. I’ve seen

numerous miracles happen for pets. Often times all it requires is a small allergy test followed by

supplements and diet alterations. In gaining knowledge of pet nutrition and operating a couple of

pet retail locations, I decided that my new goal is to open a specialized pet shop. Every pet

parents want longevity for their animal; therefore, I will offer natural products and quality dog

food.

In running my company I plan on promoting an inclusive environment while

implementing training to increase diversity and cultural awareness. I’ve learned that “the longer

you wait to build a diverse workforce and inclusive culture, the harder it will be in the future”

(Kim, 2020). According to “What An Inclusive Workplace Actually Looks Like, And Seven

Ways To Achieve It”, by Laura Hamill (2019), by having an inclusive work environment, the

company is “six times more likely to be innovative and twice as likely to meet or surpass

financial goals”. In addition, an inclusive workplace that enables individuals to express their
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uniqueness is able to retain 42% of its employees for another year (Hamill, 2019). To build an

inclusive workplace, training programs will be implemented. Training programs will consist of

an assortment of educational material such as handouts, readings, TED talks, podcasts, and

simulations. In building a diverse environment I believe both customers and team members will

feel more comfortable and welcomed.

In approaching this business I plan on bringing my true identity and individual diversity.

With that said, I hope all my employees will do the same. It is known that with cultural and

individual diversity comes confrontation; however, I plan on implementing a few tools to

improve diversity. First, I will be conducting blind screenings to reduce unconscious biases

during the resume reviewing process. Second, modifications must be made to create a

gender-neutral environment. All job descriptions will be changed to a gender-neutral language

and new bathroom signs will be placed stating “for those who identify as” (Kim, 2020). This

ensures no individual feels excluded or unseen. Next, I plan on including diversity and inclusion

in the performance conversations. This enables individuals to communicate with me directly

about possible concerns. With that said, I will also encourage the celebration of all “holidays and

events for underrepresented groups” (Kim, 2020). Lastly, to assure a happy and healthy

environment, the sick leave policy will be updated to cover mental health days. It is imperative to

take employee wellbeing into consideration. Simultaneously, changing the policy will prevent

loss of productivity and burnout.

At the beginning of this course, I developed a pie chart that identified group affiliations I

found significant. These affiliations were both surface-level and deep-level dimensions of

diversity. In completing my pie chart I found deep-level dimensions to be significantly more

important than surface-level dimensions. While my awareness and knowledge of diversity and
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culture have expanded, I did not feel the need to adjust my pie chart. I understand there are many

aspects to take into consideration when hiring an individual; however, I believe that no

surface-level characteristics should be considered when seeking a position. The most important

dimension of an individual is their uniqueness and ability to complete the tasks at hand. “We

must unleash all talent and, in the process, create more profit, equity, and a better world”

(Jain-Link et. al., 2020).

To get a better understanding of my advancement throughout this course, I retook the test

to observe my cultural intelligence. In the beginning, my cultural intelligence was slim to none. I

had a mere score of 74 points, nearly half the points possible. It was obvious I had significant

room for growth and education. Given a few weeks to soak up the information provided, my

score has increased by 56 points to 130. Initially, there were many questions I had answered

disagreeing or somewhat disagree; however this time around I was confident in agreeing to

nearly all the questions asked. I did select “agree somewhat” on a couple of questions as I was

being true to myself that I still have much to learn about other cultures. There is much to be

explored about various cultures arts, crafts, and economic systems. My areas of improvement

include, but are not limited to: rules of different languages, cultural values, religious beliefs, and

nonverbal behaviors.

Summary

In conclusion, my ambition is to create a place of work where all individuals feel

comfortable expressing their uniqueness. To build diversity throughout the business I plan to do

the following: reduce unconscious biases by way of blind screenings, create a gender-neutral

environment, implement diversity and inclusion in the performance conversations, and update

the sick leave policy. Through various training programs, employees have the ability to develop a
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universal understanding of diversity. Altogether, having awareness of cultural differences and

diversity can aid in the company's growth.

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References

Bethea, A., & Brown, B. (2021, April 22). Creating transformative Cultures. Retrieved April 22,

2021, from

https://brenebrown.com/podcast/brene-with-aiko-bethea-on-creating-transformative-cultu

res/

Hamill, L. (2019, February 04). Council post: What an inclusive workplace actually looks like,

and seven ways to achieve it. Retrieved April 21, 2021, from

https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbeshumanresourcescouncil/2019/02/04/what-an-inclusiv

e-workplace-actually-looks-like-and-seven-ways-to-achieve-it/?sh=156ae399316b

Jain-Link, P., Taylor Kennedy, J., & Bourgeois, T. (2020, January 13). 5 strategies for creating an

inclusive workplace. Retrieved April 21, 2021, from

https://hbr.org/2020/01/5-strategies-for-creating-an-inclusive-workplace

Johnson, S., & Stachowiak, D. (2021, January 03). How to be more inclusive. Retrieved April

22, 2021, from

https://coachingforleaders.com/podcast/be-more-inclusive-stefanie-johnson/

Kim, J. (2020, September 15). 50+ ideas for Cultivating diversity and inclusion at your company.

Retrieved April 21, 2021, from

https://business.linkedin.com/talent-solutions/blog/diversity/2020/50-plus-ideas-for-cultiv

ating-diversity-and-inclusion