Description
Developed by Jorge Vasquez, JD/MBA, MA Urban Affairs for Oak Knowledge School
Licensed New York Real Estate Instructor
Purpose: This 3.75 hour course is designed to comply with new 2022 continuing education requirements for real estate brokers and salespersons, effective September 2022.
Part 1: What is Cultural Competency? (1 Hour)
• According to NY Law, which requires this course of all real estate licensees, cultural competency means “understanding cultural norms, preferences and challenges within our diverse communities.”
• Expanded definition: How language and culture shape our community
Better awareness of cultural differences
Review marketing materials, organize home showings,
how to reach out to clients at their comfort level, and
build positive business and professional relationships.
• Some basic definitions:
1. What is culture?
2. What is cultural competence?
3. What is stereotyping?
4. What is ethnocentrism?
5. What is parochialism?
Why might # 4, 5 & 6 the results of being culturally Unaware and insensitive?
What is the cultural lenses through which we view the world?
• Personality
• Gender
• Race
• Age
• Socio-economic standing
• Educational attainment
• Sexual orientation
• Life experiences
• Religion
• Era in history in which we were born and grew up
Part 2: Who IS the World? (1 Hour)
From: D. Meadows, “If the World Were a Village”
If the world were a village of 100 people:
52 female, 48 male, 33 children, 6 over 65
58 would be Asian
79 would be people of color
30 would be Christian
6 would own half the village’s wealth; they would all be US citizens
9 would speak English
50 would suffer from malnutrition
80 would love in sub-standard housing
66 would not have access to clean, safe drinking water
10 would be lesbian, gay or bisexual
1 would have a college education.
What does that tell us about the world, and how we relate to it?
Use videos: “If the Whole World Were a Village of 100 People” – YouTube
“Cultures of the World/A Fun Overview of the World Cultures” – LearnBright –
YouTube.
Our Changing Demographics (Census Bureau, 2000 Census)
15% of US residents over 5 speak a language other than English at home
Latinos are the largest growing minority group in the US
Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are the fastest growing segment of the US population
Ethnic minorities will account for 47% of the US population. 85% of people entering the workforce are women, people of color and immigrants.
Brief Class Exercise: In person students will pair up, online students will be put into two-person breakout rooms to discuss: (.25 Hours)
• Given name and its meaning
• Where your family immigrated from
• Languages spoken in your family back to your grandparent’s generation
• “Cultural norms” that you think are different from the “Average American”
Part 3: How the norms of differing cultures can lead to confusion and misunderstandings in business and personal relationships: (1.5 hours)
We differ in how we:
• Greet each other when we meet
• How and when we eat
• How we dress
• In emotional situations, are we demonstrative or do we show few feelings
• Maintaining our bodies and our hygiene
• Our marriage customs
• When and how we work
• Our religious ceremonies
• Our leisure pursuits
(Adapted from “The Invisible Elephant, Exploring Cultural Awareness” by Dr. Tom Verghese.) Dr. Vergese’s analysis, “The Cultural Mirror”
• Relationship vs. Task
• Harmony vs. Control
• Shame vs. Guilt
• Collectivism vs. Individualism
• Religious vs. Secular
• Hierarchical vs. Equality
• Polychronic vs. Monochronic Time Orientation
• High vs. Low Context Communication
• Masculine vs. Feminine
Class examination and discussion of several cultures utilizing the above framework and how misperceptions could occur.
In some cultures: these behaviors may be seen as offensive and can lead to misunderstandings:
• Shaking hands
• Staring, direct eye contact
• Direct questioning
• Getting right down to business, without getting to know the other parties.
Video: Cultural Awareness: Video 1 – What is cultural awareness? Dress for Success Sydney (YouTube)
Stages of Cultural Competency:
• Denial – Only what I think and believe matters
• Defense – I have the only real/good cultural. What others believe is a threat
• Minimization – We minimize the differences between cultures and believe that similarities outweigh any differences
• Acceptance – Become curious and recognize different cultural values
• Adaptation – You purposely change your behavior to adapt to and communicate better with those of other cultures
• Integration – We value other cultures and define our identity in conjunction with those cultures.
How Do We Achieve Cultural Competence?
Awareness:
• Increased awareness of other cultural perspectives
• Consider their values, problem solving techniques, lifestyles
• Compare it to your own culture
• Reflect on biases and prejudices you have learned about other cultures Knowledge:
• Learn about historical, societal, political and religious influences that impact the world view of people from other cultures
• Distinguish between individual traits of the person you are dealing with vs. traits of that group or community
• Share information about yourself so others can understand you and your culture
Skills:
• Sharpen your awareness/increase your knowledge
• Integrate them into your encounters with other people
• Develop culture-specific appropriate responses
Before we can understand the cultures of others, we need to understand our own culture!
