HOW TO IMPROVE NETWORKING SKILLS

THROUGH DIVERSITY

Thomas R. Easley

GROUND RULES

• Here to learn and share• No one is a bad person• Release yourself of guilt• Be Open• Don’t be afraid to discuss• Use the word “and” to welcome many truths• Try It Once

What are we going to do?

• Talk about Diversity

• A new way of thinking about diversity

• Apply it to yourself

• Talk about networking

DIVERSITY

What is it?

DIFFERENCEHow to Value Diversity?

ME

• Birmingham, AL• Alabama A&M

University • University of

Georgia• Iowa State

University• Forestry • Teacher

• Forest Service• Counselor• Urban Forestry• Genetics• NC State • Diversity Director• Homeowner• Christian

UP DOWNSBorrowed from National

Coalition for Building Institute

SOCIETY’S EYES

• Race• Religious Affiliation• Sexual Orientation• Age• Employment• Education• Health• Socioeconomic• Family Background• Language

• African American• Christian• Heterosexual• 27• Employed• College graduate• Abled• Middle Class• Traditional Family• English

Get into pairings and make your own list

Groups• Operates in our society

• Based on a hierarchy

• Value is placed on groups

• We are born into groups: Others we join, some are dominant and some excluded

• Privileges- rights granted to the groups

Privileges

• MaleI can go to the restrooms without standing in line

When I hear comments at meeting I always shear you guys, so I'm connected to the facilitator

I can pursue women even if I'm in a relationship, but not married because its the nature of man

I was able to get a lot from my mother unlike my sister

I don’t get questioned about where I go.

I don’t have think about where I walk at night

I was given access to a wider world because I’m a man

Access to more opportunities

I don’t get challenged about my decisions

ChristianI get all holidays off Little remarks like Oh Lord or Oh My God don't offend meMost people in the workplace that I work in are Christian so people talk about

GodI get Sundays off I can use church as an excuse not to workMarriage is easy issue because the of what people perceive from the Bible

(Man and Woman)I can list my involvement in Christian activities on my resume and it be counted

in my evaluationI can purchase cards for celebration in the malls and storesI can watch church shows on TV on Sunday and have church at home also the

radioOur entire legal system is founded on Christian beliefs

• HeterosexualNo problem with marriage I still get all the benefitsI can bring my female out to any formal functionI don’t have to change what feels natural for you in terms of behavior or

mannerisms to feel safeI can go to any clubI can be a leader in the churchI can be a leader in a businessWhen I talk about my partner people will assume its a woman (I can safely talk

about my partner) The privilege is the assumptions about my sexuality are correct.

I can walk down the street with my girlfriend without fear of getting beat up, killed, or hearing offensive comments

I can get Health insurance for my familyEvery time I turn on the TV there is a reinforcement of who I am

Dominator

• Agents keep it in place

• They feel guilt and pity; learn a false sense of superiority

• Kept in place by well-meaning people

• We are taught not to see it

Castania, K and Garcia Mathewson, B. 2004

Excluded

• Do not have access to resources

• Socialized to be a victim

• Internalize negative messages against our better judgment

POWER• Power with-exercised cooperatively among

equals• Power within- one’s own centeredness, one’s

grounding in one’s own beliefs, wisdom, knowledge, skill, culture, and community

• Authority- wisdom, creativity, or expression of a group’s energy by an individuals that is recognized and agreed to by others as right at a certain time

Oppression• Systemic Inertia around a belief system• WE keep it in place• We don’t talk about things• HUSH!• You repeat it• Puts us in competition with one another,

making us distrust and distance ourselves from each other

• We are moving to empowered and unlearning our roles

• Understand you did not individually bring the situation about and good will is not going to solve it

• Not to decide is to decide• Doing nothing is maintaining the status quo• Need allies from members in the dominant groups • Need to learn how to be allies• Need people from excluded group to teach us

NETWORKING

Allies

• Sense of connection to other people

• Collective responsibility

• Lack individualistic stance and ego

• Accept the struggle

• Knowledge of their own roots

• Good intentions do not matter is there is not action against oppression

NETWORKING

• Ask questions, do not always offer criticisms

• Go where there are those different from you

• Do not exclude yourself• Be willing to learn from others• Develop relationships with others. • Be creative

Partner With• We need to partner with others • Difference is neither judged or measured• Win-Win thinking• Respect and dignity • Power is dependent on personal

responsibility• Requires dedication and commitment

LEARN MORENational Coalition For Building Institute http://www.ncsu.edu/equal_op/ncbi/ Opening Doors: A Professional and

Personal Journey Harvey Lineberry

Harvey_lineberry@ncsu.edu Dr. Brenda Alston-Mills Bpam@ncsu.edu