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Culturally Competent Managers Create Cultures of Belonging

Published Mon Aug 01 2022

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Workplaces are getting more diverse, but that doesn’t mean that inclusion will follow as a matter of course. Creating a culture of belonging takes intention—it doesn’t happen organically. What is a culture of belonging, exactly? There are three hallmarks. One, everyone appreciates their colleagues for what they bring to the group. Two, there is a genuine desire to form meaningful relationships. Three, differences are appreciated. Simply put, a culture of belonging has to do with feeling needed. To accomplish this, managers need to demonstrate what medical anthropologist Geri-Ann Galanti calls “cultural competence.” The term originally referred to delivering patient care to diverse populations, but now the concept is more related to enhancing managerial awareness and the ability to care for others while appreciating the differences in people and cultures and embracing the opportunities and challenges that arise because of them. More simply put, culturally competent managers help create an environment that makes everyone feel like they’re “in it together.”

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