Frequently Asked Questions
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What are MCDC Frequently Asked Questions?
Over the years, MCDC has received hundreds of requests from companies and organizations who have had questions and needed assistance at various levels of their diversity process. We have compiled these Frequently Asked Questions and are sharing them online with you so that you might learn from others with similar experiences, gain knowledge and build your competencies.
Sample Frequently Asked Question
All Frequently Asked Questions
These are all the questions currently in our datatbase.
Diversity Awareness
- Why are companies designing and implementing diversity training and development initiatives?
- What do I need to keep in mind while conducting my first diversity initiative?
- What is Diversity and what is Culture?
Diversity Strategies and Process
- What are the best strategies for making diversity work in your organization?
- What are the Important Elements of a Diversity Strategy?
- Where can I find examples of and information about inclusive language?
- What racial categories can I use to track demographic information in my organization?
Diversity Training
- How do I hire a diversity consultant?
- Which questions should we ask when choosing a Diversity Professional?
Cultural Competence
- What is the definition of Culture?
- What are some definitions that I should know relating to Culture and Cultural understanding?
- What is cultural knowledge?
- What is cultural awareness?
- What is cultural sensitivity?
- What is cultural competence?
- Should I allow my Hmong employee to take sick leave to bring her daughter to a shaman?
- How can I communicate with and understand new immigrants with limited English skills?
- What should I do when Hmong employees insist on speaking their language at work?
- Why should my company be interested in hiring Somali employees?
- Why are there so many Somali people coming to the US; specifically to Minnesota?
- A Hmong boy came to school with triangular-shaped packets pinned inside his jacket. Are they medicinal?
Business Case for Diversity
- What data is available that supports the business case for diversity?
Cross-Cultural Information
- Do people from other cultures only want to work with or buy from someone from their own culture?
- Do multicultural people have more superstitions and beliefs than Americans?
- Are some people from outside the US less ethical than Americans?
- Why are people from other cultures so secretive when it comes to divulging personal information?
- Why are people from outside the US so unreasonable when it comes to negotiating?
- Do you think people from other cultures are just too much trouble to bother with?
- Do people really want to talk about their culture?
- Should a speaker do anything different when presenting a program overseas?
- What is bias? Is it the same as stereotyping or prejudice?
- I tend to think of biases as something only fully-abled white people have. Is that true?
- How can you tell if a given act is indeed a bias?
- What is a Powwow?
- What does a powwow look like?
- What goes on at a powwow?
- What are the different dances at a powwow?
- What is powwow etiquette?
- Why do some Somali employees classify themselves as White on EEO/AA forms?
Sexual Orientation
- How can I approach my employer about my companys sexual orientation policy?
- How can I manage two of my employees who refuse to work together due to sexual orientation issues?
- What exactly is a "domestic partnership?"
Spirituality and the Workplace
- How can my company create a meditation room where people from all faiths can pray?
- How can I encourage Muslim employees to take advantage of our 401(k) program?
- How can assure Muslim employees that we do not serve pork in the cafeteria?
- What can I do about Muslim employees on an assembly line who want to pray together?
- What is spirituality?
- What do you mean by a "spiritual center?"
- What does the word "spiritual" mean?
- Is there a difference between spirituality and religion?
- What is the relationship between spirituality and work life?
- How does spirituality show up in the workplace?
- What are workers experiencing that requires spirituality as a work force necessity?
- What is the relationship between spirituality and the workplace?
- What is the role of leadership in promoting spirituality?
- What do you do in a workplace where spiritual principles are not valued or practiced?
- How do individuals who accept spiritual values lead teams that have not moved into this realm?
- Are the differences between spiritual goals and organizational goals compatible?
- How often is someone of the Hindu faith required to pray during the day? Are there set times of the day?