Each of us is different from one another. We obviously see differences that include, gender, race, height, weight, and physical abilities. There are many other differences that are not so obvious, such as family size, religion, intelligence, nationality, birth order, sexual orientation, etc., etc. To the extent we emphasize or ignore the differences, they can be obstacles to communication and productivity.

We are all a product of our history and experience and yet we come to a common work environment and need to communicate and work together. Most of us have been the victim of preconceived ideas and similarly most of us have victimized others. Whether the discriminating behavior was intentional or not, the results are the same. Most often, the action was based on a set of assumptions. There are times when the assumptions are correct, but it doesn’t make much difference to the victim.

There are likely examples of these thoughtless behaviors in your past. Think about the first time you entered a classroom after moving to a new school, a visit to someone’s home for the first time, or the first day on the job. Did you do something that wasn’t quite right? Didn’t meet the expectations of those who had been there for some time? Did it feel a little uncomfortable until you learned how to “fit in”?

Turn it around and think about the last time a new person showed up on the job, someone was a first-time guest in your home, or the new employee reported for duty. Did you find their behavior a little off or did you find yourself telling them how “it should be done”?

The emotions fly in both directions from the one whose expectations were not met, to the one who violated the norm. The truth is that the “norm” was established by us and those around us. Our customs, practices, beliefs, and even procedures, largely developed out of our experience and the experiences of those who preceded us. These customs, beliefs and practices are called culture and most of us are culturally influenced throughout our lives. These differences in culture can serve as drivers of divisiveness or they can enrich and educate us.

Culture actually evolved from solving problems. While different groups had the same problems, they developed unique ways of solving them. Repeating the solutions combined with a system of beliefs is what we call culture.

When a couple marries, they bring together two different cultures and when successful, they merge them and develop their own set of beliefs, customs and practices that make their family unique. The same is true in the work world. We all come together having been raised in or having developed our own unique set of cultural beliefs and behaviors. The policies and procedures (beliefs and practices) that result reflect the rainbow of cultures. When successful, the array of thinking benefits the work and all are enriched.