Diversity in Tourism Trainer's Handbook

DIVERSITY IN TOURISM Trainer’s Handbook Content 1 - Training summary 2 - Implementing this training 3 - Advice for trainers 4 - Training detailed content Table of contents General introduction: Why this handbook, and how to use it 3 Key concepts’ summary 4 Implementing this training in your comp...

DIVERSITY IN TOURISM Trainer’s Handbook Content 1 - Training summary 2 - Implementing this training 3 - Advice for trainers 4 - Training detailed content Table of contents General introduction: Why this handbook, and how to use it 3 Key concepts’ summary 4 Implementing this training in your company 5 Who should pick up this training? 5 Choosing goals that match your organization 5 Setting up a team - Finding and training Trainers 5 Designing the right training format for your company 6 General advice and tools for trainers 8 How do we learn about differences and ourselves? 12 The training’s detailed content 13 Day 1 13 Slide 1 - “The start” 13 Slide 2 - Context and Introduction 14 Slide 3 - Opening 15 Slide 5 - The notion of Diversity 17 Slide 6 - Gathering and sharing experiences 19 Slide 7 - Break 20 Slide 8 - Groups and Social Identity 21 Slide 9 - Types of culture 22 Slide 10 - What constitutes culture? 23 Slide 11 - No unity in cultures 24 Slide 12 - Tensions in an intercultural environment 25 Slide 13 - Cultural components at work 26 Slide 14 Communication 28 Slide 15 - From Sender to Receiver 29 Slide 16 - Aspects of communication 30 Slide 17 - Not only content… (optional) 31 Slide 18 - Intercultural Communication 32 Slide 19 - Leveraging diversity within the organization 33 Slide 20 End of Day 1 - Lunch 34 Day 2 35 Slide 21 - Launching Day 2 35 Slide 22 - The context of identity 36 Slide 23 Participants’ identities 37 Slide 24 - Discussing identities 38 Slide 25 - Further discussions 39 Slide 26 - Types of identities 40 Diversity training for tourism Project 2019-1-IS01-KA202-051161 1 Slide 27 - Primary and Secondary identities 41 Slide 28 - Break 42 Slide 29 - Identifying through groups 43 Slide 30 - Ingroup/outgroup 44 Slide 31 - looking for “Sameness” 45 Slide 32 - Unexpected commonness 46 Slide 33 - Guessing game 47 Slide 34 Categorization 48 Slide 35 - Leading to discrimination 49 Slide 36 - Discussing discrimination 50 Slide 37 - Minorities and Majority 51 Slide 38 - The notion of Privilege 52 Slide 39 - What about you ? 53 Slide 40 - At an organizational level 54 Slide 41 Closing and evaluation 55 EXTRA CONTENT / OPTIONS 56 Slide 42 - The onboarding process 56 Slide 43 and 44 Mapping the organization 57 Diversity training for tourism Project 2019-1-IS01-KA202-051161 2 General introduction: Why this handbook, and how to use it This handbook gathers everything a Tourism company needs, to set up training sessions on Diversity. It has been funded by the European Commission in the spirit of supporting companies and staff working in Tourism to discuss and learn about diversity and diversity management. Both its conceptual and practical approaches were developed within the framework of an Erasmus + project that involved training specialists and tourism companies, in Iceland and in Ireland. It is designed to tackle in depth the complex questions raised by a diverse work environment, and to propose a variety of options for companies that wish to explore them. The handbook is intended to be self sufficient, so that companies can pick it up and implement it 100% internally if they wish to. In this spirit, the following topics are covered : 1- Picking-up this training and choosing how to best implement it → Evaluate if the training matches your need and resources, and choose your overall goals 2- Preparing for the implementation → Choose the best training format and build a trainers’ team around your project 3- Delivering the training → Follow the format and content you chose and evaluate regularly 4- Following up with the training → Follow up activities, Dissemination and supporting new ideas and initiatives What is diversity and why does it matter? People’s mobility has increased in the recent decades, making globalization and migration a topic of even stronger relevance than before. It is particularity relevant within the tourism industry, which is directly exposed to a wide diversity of individuals, both customers and staff. While it comes as obvious that it is a key aspect of the industry, it is sometimes less clear as to why, or as to how to discuss it. Fears, taboos and generally lack of points of references can create hidden dynamics that can lead to difficulties. This training aims at providing some insights by answering various key questions: What is diversity ? Why and how is it important in the tourism industry? What space is given to these questions by the companies, and what can be done to better address them? How do these questions influence the company’s image and the spirit in which staff operate in them? Diversity does not only mean a country of origin. It can take many forms, from social background to gender or age. And yes, diversity can mean tensions, misunderstandings and conflicts. But it can also mean creativity and discovery, thanks to different approaches and points of view, that can be leveraged for a company. In all cases, it is a key component of the identity and of the daily life of many tourism organizations, from a new person’s first day to the overall company management. As such, it Diversity training for tourism Project 2019-1-IS01-KA202-051161 3 is a subject worth spending time on to understand it better. Key concepts’ summary The training is designed to be flexible and to adapt to each organization’s goals. However, two key aspects remain consistent, regardless of the format: 1- It should be agreed that discussing diversity is complex, and that it requires looking at some equally complex concepts. This training is not about generalizing about Asian people, Americans or Nordic people, it is about looking deeper and understanding better how diversity works as a whole. 2- Participants to any training session should be told that they are not expected to be right or to follow a “class-style” teaching. The goal is to be exposed to relevant and inspiring thoughts and then to create spaces to discuss the many aspects related to working in a highly diverse environment, and to look collectively at how to better address and leverage this context. It is ok to share difficulties and discomfort. It is key to do so in a general climate of trust, and a spirit of openness and acceptance of other people’s views. Key notions support this approach and are at the heart of the training’s theoretical content: The notion of culture, cultural elements and intercultural relations Culture is often brought forward to explain differences and tensions. It is a key aspect of “who people are”, and how they interact. It is also, however, an easy target to blame in case of misunderstandings and problems, leading to easy and harmful generalizations. This training aims at putting words on what culture is and how it plays a role in organizations. The notion of identity and identities Individuals identify with many things - some more openly than others. Our identities define “who we are”, regardless of how visible they are to others. One may easily attack someone else’s identity without meaning any harm, and yet trigger a strong reaction. Awareness of our own, and of others’ identities is key to better collaboration within diversity. The notion of group dynamics, group belonging and sameness Humans stick naturally to their peers. What is like us puts us spontaneously at ease. Collectively, it creates group dynamics that favors what some call our “sameness”. With no ill intention, groups can exclude differences. For a strong collaboration within diversity, from onboarding to management, we must be aware of these dynamics, in order to tackle them. The notions of stereotypes and discrimination The step to generalizing on “others” is never far from group dynamics. When it leads to a different behavior towards specific groups and individuals, it leads to discrimination. Giving a place to discuss this question with staff is key to ensure the quality of the workplace, and to design solutions to being more inclusive. The notion of privilege and personal biases All this is only possible if individuals look openly and honestly inward, and recognize their personal biases - everyone has them! This training aims to provide a supportive context to reflect on these questions. Finally, it is the essence of this training that it should be run using the knowledge and human diversity within each company. Outside facilitators are welcomed if the company wishes to, Diversity training for tourism Project 2019-1-IS01-KA202-051161 4 but internal staff should take part in it as much as possible. Implementing this training in your company Who should pick up this training? Any tourism organization interested in the question of Diversity can implement this training. There are however a few conditions that should be kept in mind: ● Discussing diversity requires a minimum amount of time and preparation. It cannot be a 15 minute pep talk. Nor can the training sessions be run without preparation. It is a time investment, flexible and adaptable, but that companies need to evaluate. ● Discussing diversity can trigger expectations. It is important to communicate well to staff regarding what is being and what will be done. If the sessions lead to news ideas to better address diversity, it must be ensured these ideas are indeed considered. ● This training should be supported by at least a few people inside the organization. Setting-up a “Diversity Training Team” seems like a good way to ensure success. ● Training’s format and goals should be chosen based on the size of your company and on issues you are facing or want to address. Choosing goals that match your organization This training can cover many goals: → Giving space to diversity, making it a topic of conversation within the company → Preventing or addressing tensions → Developing news ideas and solutions to better collaborate → Bringing people together around a common and inclusive organizational culture → Helping people discover eachother better Based on these goals, you can choose the format (length and topics) we want to implement. You can also choose who will deliver the training, and who will receive it. It can find a place in a wider HR policy, and should be discussed as part of an HR effort. It takes time and resources to gather staff for training sessions. Choosing the participants well is key, and depends on your goal - if you want to tackle a specific issue within one team, gather the whole team. If you want to “spread the word”, gather the managers, leaders or “influencers”. If you want to come up with new ideas, ask for volunteers or target specific individuals. The diversity within the participants’ group will match the value of your sessions. Setting up a team - Finding and training Trainers Setting up a team to support the project is key. It makes sense to include HR staff, but the group of Trainers should be diverse. It is possible to ask an outside trainer/facilitator to take part, but it is in the spirit of the training that it should mainly involve internal staff. Staff can become trainers, with no requirements of specific educational background. However, it is important that the trainers are chosen from a variety of backgrounds (for example; gender, age, job title), with communication skills, open-mindedness and interest towards the topic of diversity. Experience in education is obviously interesting but not mandatory. People that hold negative attitudes towards minority groups are not suitable to become trainers. Diversity training for tourism Project 2019-1-IS01-KA202-051161 5 The project team should meet and discuss the training’s implementation. The trainers should prepare and adapt each session, and feel comfortable with it scontent. They also should key aspects of “training others” (See “General advice for Trainers” and “Training’s content” below) Designing the right training format for your company The training content has originally been designed for a 2 half-days format. It is however a modular format that can be tailored according to the organization’s needs and resources. It can be subdivided in 5 sessions with different “Focuses”, or in 8 “blocks”, with 2 “extra blocks” that can be used additionally or to substitute some of the regular blocks. It can also be recomposed in any way the training team finds relevant. One of the first steps in implementing the training is therefore to decide on the content and the time/format that can be allocated to these sessions. An important aspect is to decide how much time is given to creating ideas and solutions for the company to better address the questions around diversity, through open questions and group work at the end of each session, or by running some of the “extra blocks”. This should be considered carefully, as these “ideation” sessions can be very productive, and therefore create expectations from participants for further developments. Training Overview Day 1- Diversity, Culture and Interculturality at the workplace Focus on discussing diversity Block 1 - Defining diversity Slides 1 to 8 - From defining diversity to identifying group culture Focus on culture : What is/are Culture(s) and why do we talk about it so much Block 2 - Culture(s) and their limits Slides 8 to 10 - From defining culture to acknowledging its paradox Block 3 - Cultural elements at the workplace Slides 11 + 12 - Identifying cultural elements at stake at the workplace, and why they are easy to blame Focus on communication : What we say, how we say it and was comes across Block 4 - Communicating in a highly diverse context Slides 13 to 18 - Various approaches to communication, and how its is affected by cultures Day 2- Identities, Group belonging, Discrimination and Inclusion Focus on identities and groups : What do people stick together ? Block 5 - Identity and Identities Slides 22 to 27 - Defining identities and their importance Block 6 - Group belonging and categorizing Slides 29 to 34 - Importance and limits of identifying through groups Focus on behavior and biases : how our actions are influenced, and for what result ? Block 7 Stereotypes and discrimination Slides 34 and 36 - from generalization to discrimination Block 8 - Minorities, Privilege and personal biais Diversity training for tourism Project 2019-1-IS01-KA202-051161 6 Slides 37 to 39 - Recognizing the uniqueness of minorities, privilege and personal bias Additional / modular blocks Block A - Welcoming and onboarding people (Slide 42) Block B - Group mapping of the organization (Slides 44 and 45) Possible Training Format Two half days (recommended): Day 1- Diversity, Culture and Interculturality at the workplace Key focuses Subtopics Support material Focus on discussing diversity Block 1 - Defining diversity Slides 1 to 8 - From defining diversity to identifying group culture Focus on culture : What is/are Culture(s) and why do we talk about it so much Block 2 - Culture(s) and their Slides 8 to 10 - From defining culture limits to acknowledging its paradox Block 3 - Cultural elements at Slides 11 + 12 - Identifying cultural the workplace elements at stake at the workplace, and why they are easy to blame Focus on communication : What we say, how we say it and was comes across Block 4 - Communicating in a Slides 13 to 18 - Various approaches highly diverse context to communication, and how its is affected by cultures Day 2- Identities, Group belonging, Discrimination and Inclusion Focus on identities and groups : What do people stick together ? Block 5 - Identity and Identities Slides 22 to 27 - Defining identities and their importance Block 6 - Group belonging and Slides 29 to 34 - Importance and categorizing limits of identifying through groups Focus on behavior and biases : how our actions are influenced, and for what result ? Block 7 Stereotypes and Slides 34 and 36 - from discrimination generalization to discrimination Block 8 - Minorities, Privilege Slides 37 to 39 - Recognizing the and personal biais uniqueness of minorities, privilege and personal bias Codesign of solutions Block A Slide 42 Welcoming and onboarding people Smaller formats can be set up, dividing in Blocks or in Focuses, with additional sections where they fit best for the trainers. Opening and closing sides must then be adapted, as well as the “ideation/call to action” slides, which question participants regarding “what can we do as an organization to better tackle” the topic. Trainers should adapt group talks (pairs, small groups, large groups, the whole group) based on the group size, the dynamic of the conversation and the will to have a certain variety within one session. Diversity training for tourism Project 2019-1-IS01-KA202-051161 7 Each session should be evaluated, even with a simple 5 minute “go around the table” exercise, where participants say how they feel. In case of multiple sessions, these evaluations can include feedback that will then be used by trainers for the future sessions. General advice and tools for trainers It is essential that the training content is adapted to each organization’s culture and reality, and that examples are drawn from real life cases to better illustrate the main training concepts. That is one of the reasons why it is key that trainers come, at least partially, from the company. Becoming part of this project can therefore mean becoming a trainer for colleagues. It is not always simple. It is important to keep in mind that being a trainer doesn’t mean being the boss, knowing everything or telling who is right. It is about supporting others to reflect on the subject by following a training framework and providing insights and framework. This section of the handbook is meant to support future trainers to find the right posture, the right approach and the right tools to conduct the sessions successfully.. Organizing the Sessions (Participants = People being trained - Trainer = People running the training) Selecting the trainers Trainers can come from any part of the organization. They should most importantly be motivated and interested in the subject of diversity, and in running a training. It is best if they volunteer, or at least if they can accept or decline the job. They can work as a team, together with the person supporting the initiative internally (HR, management…), and should be given autonomy in the training’s implementation and delivery. Selecting participants Participants’ group(s) should be between 8 and 15 people. It is important to keep a form of balance in terms of diversity within each group. That means a good balance between different cultures and origins, including “locals” and foreigners. It also means a balance between age, gender, experience and jobs. It is not a perfect calculation! It is only something to keep in mind. The question of the language in which the training is delivered is important. Natives or fluent speakers will be more comfortable discussing diversity, which can exclude individuals with more moderate language skills. It is possible to have translators, or to work in small groups with similar language ability, supported by a facilitator to help run the conversation. Logistics / Setting The training can take place in a single room. Preferably, the participants sit in a circle, and desks are optional. Participants do not need to bring anything to the training. They will be provided with pens/pencils and paper for notes in discussions and group works. Trainers arrive at least an hour before the training to make sure that: ● the computer system works ● there is sound available in the presentation Diversity training for tourism Project 2019-1-IS01-KA202-051161 8 ● there are enough chairs for the participants ● there is paper and pens for participants ● there is water and/or coffee/tee available for the participants Preparing the Sessions Getting familiar with this handbook - and adapting its content When the trainers have been selected, it is important to give them time to prepare. Preparation can be reading material (from this handbook, the training’s website, or any other source they identify). They can also take part in participants' selection. The trainers need to prepare notes for the discussions and group work beforehand. The training is divided into blocks, each with support slides. These slides are detailed in the next section of this handbook. For each slide, overall goals are described, together with a step by step to-do-list for trainers. There are also tips for trainers and additional content for most topics, including some “support questions” and a few examples trainers can rely on. You will need time to review the content and each slide in order to feel comfortable about the training. The content and structure, including the slides, can be modified if it feels more natural to you, as a trainer. It is a normal process of appropriation. Take also some time to make sure you understand the content and the key concepts around the training. You can try to explain them to one another or to other people before the training. You can also run the training on yourselves, as a test try. However, do not feel like you have to master every aspect of the subject: you are running a training to discuss and understand better diversity. It is not about mastering a technical subject. It is important to state that as you start the session with the participants: you support them and the organization, you are not teaching. Preparing examples and support questions For each key discussion, you will find support questions. They will allow you to go deeper into the subject, stimulate the conversation if you see it dry out, or bring the conversation back on track if it moves away from its original purpose. Do not hesitate to write more support questions ahead of the training, as you prepare. It is also very important that theoretical concepts are illustrated by examples. This handbook provides some examples, but they will come stronger if they reflect your experience, or the company’s reality. It is important to spend time coming up with as many examples of your own as you can, as you prepare the sessions. Slide 13 is a good support to prepare them. Preparing for Participants’ expectations and questions From the start, it is important to keep participants’ expectations in mind, and the image they may have of such a training. The way they are informed about the training is important, and should match organizational culture, in order to lower risks of rejections. It can be interesting to say that the training is not “formal education” and that it values taking time to discuss diversity, a complex subject. As you prepare and discover the training’s content, you will have your own questions and doubts. You will also imagine how some of your colleagues may react to some topics. It is important to anticipate “tough questions” and skepticism, and work as a team to find the best way to tackle them. Again, no need to “have an answer for everything”. It is ok to Diversity training for tourism Project 2019-1-IS01-KA202-051161 9 acknowledge the limits of a certain point, or the doubt some people will always have about it. But if you prepare yourselves for it, you will feel more secure and you will be more convincing. During the Sessions Being a trainer is not about knowing everything. It is about making others think and learn, through insights and content you provide, but also by using their own thoughts and exchanges. As a trainer, you are responsible for creating a space for discussion, and to set a direction you want the discussion to take. It's ok to say the subject is complicated (it is!). It is also ok to say people disagree, or that something is not unanimous. It is not ok, however, to have participants being disrespectful, to you or to other participants. You are in charge and can ask for someone to change their behavior, or even to leave. You can call for a break or change to the topic of the conversation if it is not going in a constructive direction. You pilot the talks. Facilitating the training’s flow As the session unfolds, you will conduct the conversation. Some people will speak more than others, and that’s ok. You can regulate the talks, by checking in with quieter people every now and then, or by politely but surely moving on if someone takes too much space. Some people won’t be very clear despite a lot of words! Others will speak little but be very ‘to the point’. You can paraphrase, reinterpret, go deeper with whomever you wish to. It is ok to insist on a question that you know better yourself, or that you find interesting. Be your own judge. One of the goals is to create a “safe space” for people to share difficulties and complex questions. Mention the need for trust and for confidentiality if someone doesn’t want their experience to be shared beyond the group. If you work as a group of trainers, you can divide roles, based on your personalities and interests, with someone making sure the balance is maintained between participants. You want to work as a “facilitator that brings up content”, to support the quality of the conversation. Tips on possible difficulties ● Losing track and control of the discussion It will happen! Discussions and time control are not perfect sciences when you discuss complex issues. From a participants’ example, or because of the way you asked a question, Diversity training for tourism Project 2019-1-IS01-KA202-051161 10 the conversation will go one way and not another. Keep the big picture in mind, don’t hesitate to reorientate debates, but also, don’t try to control the discussions too much. If you work in pairs, one trainer can lead and another can look for balance. ● Dealing with a difficult or an emotional situation Some subjects, like discrimination or group exclusion, can bring out emotional testimonies from participants. This training is a place for expressing and sharing. The trainers can support and encourage people to share, by showing interest, active listening and empathy. It does not mean trainers should provide an “answer” or approve of everything that is being said. Perhaps the group can be supportive simply by listening. It’s ok to listen fully to a story, and check if the person is ok. It’s also ok to move on afterward. ● Dealing with tough questions You can anticipate tough questions when you prepare. You will feel more safe and equipt when they come up. Yet not everything can be planned! If a question surprises you and sets you aback, don’t worry. You can try to acknowledge it (That’s a tough question!), paraphrase and ask for more (What you say is…, right? How about?), or engage the group with the question. It is not “your content” and again, it is ok not to know. ● Assumptions You know your organization and you know your colleague. Certain questions will bring assumptions from your end: “He says that because he wants to prove this or that…”. “He will answer that because I am the one who brought it up”, etc.. During the training, try to detach yourself from these assumptions. You are running a training, it is an important and complex topic and you are doing your best. Your questions are what they are, and so are your answers. ● Silence Sometimes, a remark brings silence. Don’t be afraid to let it sink. Silence can be intimidating, but facilitation is not a race, espacially when it is about discussing complex subjects. Sometimes a group will be generally silent - usually at the beginning of the session. It can be frustrating and intimidating for trainers. But remember, they are here to participate, too. This training is designed that way. Ask questions to the group, and wait. Ask someone specifically if you need to. Change methods, have the group divide up in smaller groups and discuss your questions. Take your time. You’ll find a way to make them talk! ● Conflict When discussing privilege, discrimination, minority / majority relationships and intercultural collaboration, tensions can arise. Some topics will be more unanimous, but for others, it is likely people have different views. It is normal to disagree, and some people’s positions will not move. The facilitators can acknowledge these disagreements, stating “we can agree to disagree”. It is part of diversity to carry different perspectives. Individuals can try to persuade others, but it is also ok to admit a divergent view, espacially after a few minutes talking. Unfortunately, these differences can sometimes lead, even unintentionally, to insulting or degrading statements. As a trainer, you are not responsible for these statements, but you have to decide what to do next. You can choose to act, by reinterpreting, using the conflict resolution model from the training (Slide 12) or showing a different perspective (how do you Diversity training for tourism Project 2019-1-IS01-KA202-051161 11 think you would feel if you were xx and heard what you’ve just said?). You can also choose to cut the tension / escalation, by calling a break or moving forward. And if the boundaries of respect have been crossed and insulting postures have been taken, you can also choose to be firm, pull someone back into line, or even ask them to leave. How do we learn about differences and ourselves? Talking about differences can be difficult for people. Therefore, it is important to discuss with participants the psychology of learning in a non-judgemental way. The training requires the participants to be ready to look within and face their own prejudice and negative attitude towards other groups or other characteristics in people. This can be very difficult and the trainer needs to be aware of the pedagogy of learning to prepare for these situations. To do so, it can be helpful for the trainers to get familiar with the conscious competence model.1 The conscious competence model or the four stages of competence relates to the psychology of the process from incompetence to competence in skills. The four stages are: ● Unconscious incompetence ○ An individual does not understand or know how to do something. Note, that sometimes people ovesaturate their competence and thus do not recognize the deficit. To be able to learn something new an individual must know and understand his basic knowledge on the topic. ● Conscious incompetence ○ An individual understands his deficit and knows the value of learning a new thing. ● Conscious competence ○ An individual understands or knows something. However, demonstrating the skill or knowledge requires concentration. ● Unconscious competence ○ An individual has so much practice with a skill that it has become, without the individual realizing, a competence. Finally, in general, it seems important that trainers link their own learning and questioning to their trainers’ position. It’s ok to involve participants in the fact that you, as a trainer, may struggle with certain situations involving diversity. The training is also about supporting participants and trainers alike to reflect on their own biases. Don’t be afraid to share unflattering examples or questions you’re afraid are silly or touchy. It will only set the tone and allow participants to open more freely. 1 Various scholars have written about the conscious model as Robinson, W. L. (1974) Conscious Competency, the Mark of a Competent Instructor. The Personnel Journal - Baltimore, 53, pp.538-539, Diversity training for tourism Project 2019-1-IS01-KA202-051161 12 The training’s detailed content To focus better on the content of each slide, this section of the handbook is based on the Two Half-days format of the training, proposed on page 6. Except for openings, conclusions and transitions, the content remains the same regardless of the format. Day 1 Slide 1 - “The start” It is open when participants come into the room When everyone is in the room the trainers start greeting the participants. It is good to break the ice with small talk and start creating a relationship. The trainers need to “read” the audience. To do this, ask questions to people - individually or in small groups - that make them feel comfortable - how they feel, their job, where they come from etc… It could take up to 10 minutes for everything to get ready before starting the training. During this time it would be good to have the participants make their own name tags, for example with tape, if they are not familiar with each other already. This depends on the size of the organization. They can sit anywhere they want, and enjoy coffee and snacks if there are some. Diversity training for tourism Project 2019-1-IS01-KA202-051161 13 Slide 2 - Context and Introduction Goal of slide 2: Recap of the context : the “why” and “how” of this training for the organization, and how it has been developed.. When the small talk is over and everyone is settled in the seat the trainers turn to slide two. In this slide it is important to explain why and how the company is running this training. It is also important to tell the story behind the training, and how it was developed. The trainers can use this story below as a script. It is also the moment to acknowledge that it is an important but complex topic, and that no simple answer will be provided. It is not a classroom like training, participants’ experience matters a lot. The history behind the training: The story begins in Iceland and in Ireland, at a time of a strong increase in tourism. Large tourist companies, developing fast, started to experience a variety of situations related to the diversity - in the relations with customers or among their own workforce, that they did not know how to solve. Customers came from all over the world and all sorts of backgrounds. Some employees belonged to very diverse groups of people, mainly due to migration. And there was no specific training available on diversity. That is the context in which a social anthropologist from Iceland, Eyrún Eyþórsdóttir and a diversity consultant from France, Simon Papet, started to work with two companies, Icelandia in Iceland and the EI Travel Group in Ireland, to develop a training that the companies could support and later facilitate themselves. The red threat of the training was to approach diversity in a positive way, but without looking away from the difficult conversations that needed to take place to discuss it. Another key aspect was not to “put people into boxes' ', by labeling them by the country, religion or culture of origin. People are more complex than that. The process of developing this training material involved multiple meetings and co-writing, in addition to pilot training sessions in Ireland and Iceland. The process took around three years, and led to the creation of the material presented in this handbook. Diversity training for tourism Project 2019-1-IS01-KA202-051161 14 Slide 3 and 4 can come in any order Slide 3 - Opening Goal of slide 3: The goal is to create a climate of trust and friendliness. It is also to position the trainers as facilitators, even if they are part of the organizations Trainers start the discussion with the participants on their background, by asking each of them to answer, in turn, to all the questions on the slide. The trainers can go first but it is not necessary. However, the trainers need to introduce themselves in the same way participants do. If you wish to proceed differently, we can have participants talk in pairs and interview one another with these questions, and then present each other to the group. This discussion is somewhat an icebreaker, that aims to create a climate of trust and friendliness but also to shed light on the diversity within the group itself. It is important to keep this discussion lively and effortless for participants. It is an easy and friendly conversation, humor is welcomed. Diversity training for tourism Project 2019-1-IS01-KA202-051161 15 Slide 4 - Working together well - Setting the common rules Goal of slide 4: Communs rules are set, espacially regarding respect, communication and divergence of opinion. Trainers set the stage for the training, and how to make it a productive moment of sharing and collective thinking. They can chose two approaches: ● Not to show this slide, and simply stating some rules ● Show this slide, and set collective rules - both from participants and for themselves. In this case, they prepare rules from themselves to share, that match the training needs and spirit. They can also mention their own needs. At least, the following rules for the training have to be set up: ● This is a safe space. You can share difficulties, misunderstanding, frustrations, questions that may seem silly or stupid at first. ● In order for that to work, all participants must show respect and let people express their thoughts. They must communicate without being rude, and be mindful of not being hurtful. Trainers can exclude someone who would become aggressive or insulting. ● Not everyone will agree on everything. It is ok to debate, to disagree, to express disagreement, and to recognize you think differently. If they wish so, trainers can also set their own rules, including practical aspects (be on time, ask, or don’t ask, before speaking, etc… If it is the case, they also can (should, if they are comfortable with it? ) share that they are not experienced trainers, and that they feel a bit nervous about running the session. They welcome constructive feedback, and will get the session running as planned. Diversity training for tourism Project 2019-1-IS01-KA202-051161 16 Slide 5 - The notion of Diversity Goal of slide 5: Diversity can mean different things to different people. The goal here is not to decide on one type of diversity but to embrace the multiple dimensions of the concept. As a group, participant answer the two questions above. Tell the participants that there are no right or wrong answers as this is a matter of personal views and opinions. Possible support questions: ● What are the various aspects of diversity ? What can diversity mean beyond nationality/geographical or ethnic origins? ● What aspects of your work life are in touch with diversity ? ● How does diversity influence your day to day life at work? ● What would it change if diversity was no longer part of your work life? ● Do you think it is a topic that people understand well in your organization? Why? Some of the points that can be covered in the discussion are the following : ● Diversity also means diversity of social background, of gender, of sexual orientation, of political views, of professional background, of behaviors, of interests etc… ● Diversity can lead to learning, enjoyable experience, misunderstanding and tensions. ● Diversity doesn’t “just work”, it requires to be somewhat understood ● Diversity mean thinking in terms of group, but putting people into boxes is not great ● Diversity is complicated - is it hard to define ● People want to do well in this subject, but in practice it is sometimes difficult. There can be a difficulty or a taboo to discuss issues related to diversity, because “it’s bad” and because don’t always know how to say certain things and address the question Diversity training for tourism Project 2019-1-IS01-KA202-051161 17 It is likely certain topics will come up more than others, both regarding “types of diversity” and type of ways it influences worklife. It is also likely relationships with customers and relationships with co-workers are not discussed in similar lengths and ways. It is not a problem. This part is very useful because it creates a first series of common discussions and common examples, that can then be referred to during the rest of the sessions. It’s ok at this point to leave questions unanswered and to have a part of the group that is not 100% on board. Some people may feel intimidated by the subject, and will need more time to make it concrete. Others may find it irrelevant, or a “fashionable” topic. The more anecdotes, stories and examples will be shared, the more they will feel connected to the subject. Discussing diversity can lead to strong opinion differences. It is important to say that, and to establish that it is ok to disagree, even strongly, but that everyone has to be mindful of how their opinion affects others, and that it must be expressed in a respectful way. No violence will be allowed. Some situations or issues may come up as unsolvable. They can be kept in mind for the future sessions, to see how the group can then come up with a new view of the problem, and possibly some solutions. Diversity training for tourism Project 2019-1-IS01-KA202-051161 18 Slide 6 - Gathering and sharing experiences Goal of slide 6: Support participants to reflect on their own experiences, based on their ideas of diversity from the slide before. Trainers ask the participants to reflect individually on these questions, then to discuss them in pairs for 10 to 15 minutes. Pairs can be made with people who do not know each other. After this time, ask participants to share with the whole group either : ● All the examples they came up with. Begin with question one, then two and last question three. ● One example that they find the most relevant when it comes to exploring the notion of diversity ● Something they learned from their discussion regarding diversity - something in common between their examples, or something that sticks out as an important factor to better understand diversity As the participants share their examples, you can use some support questions: ● Why were you surprised? What was the real element of surprise? ● Looking back, do you understand why you reacted in this way? Do you see the situation differently? What was at stake? ● Is there something you wish you knew/had known then? ● Did you learn things / acquired skills from working in a diverse environment? ● What elements were unhelpful / interfered in that situation? Diversity training for tourism Project 2019-1-IS01-KA202-051161 19 To make the conversation flowing, don’t hesitate to switch participants often, to ask support questions that match each story and to regularly ask the group to join in (did you experience similar situations? How would you have reacted?) The conversation may split into generalization and stereotypes, espacially when it comes to certain groups of customers. It makes sense, and this training provides insights to better read and tackle these situations. You can anticipate certain slides and share content as a reaction to one example. You can also mention that “we will come back to your example later”. You can anticipate Slide 12 about analyzing tension if it helps. You should stop the conversation if it leads too much to generalizing about one country “Customers for X or Y”, especially if it gets picked up by several people in the group. Then maybe you can come back to that example during the training. Possible examples to illustrate While traveling to China, a European tourist may find customers to be rude to waiters in restaurants. They may also find waiters equally rude to customers. A quick conclusion may be to say that Chinese people are rude in restaurants, but another, more empathic approach, will lead you to realize that it is a question of expectations. No one expects a different attitude in that context. Traveling abroad, it is normal that people start acting as they usually do in a given context. They are mindful of being in a different environment, but don’t always know what it implies. They are not being careless about another way of doing things, they are clueless about what is done differently and what is not. While traveling in Japan, a European couple enters a traditional restaurant.As they enter, the waiting staff shows them to wait, and gathers to discuss. They can’t communicate in Japanese, though they understand two words they have learned: “English Menu” - and there seems to be none. The tourists are ready to try to communicate with their hands and work something out, but they can’t say that. After a few minutes, a waiter comes out of the group and shows them out, saying “sorry”, with a smile. The tourists end up on the street with no further explanation, very surprised! Later, they discuss with a Japanese friend, who explains: the waiting staff concluded that there was no way to provide them with a satisfactory experience. It was better for everyone to stop it there. This clashes with the idea that customers should always be accommodated, a very clear idea in a European mind. Slide 7 - Break Can also be taken after Slide 8, if the timing works better Diversity training for tourism Project 2019-1-IS01-KA202-051161 20 Slide 8 - Groups and Social Identity Goal of slide 8: To make participants understand the process of groups belonging and what are the elements that glue groups together. Show the slide, then explain. Participants will react or not. Discussing diversity leads us to the question of groups. It is, in a way, how we express diversity: people with differences, belonging to different groups put together; Here, these groups meet because of a tourism activity (customer-staff relation) or because they work in the same company (staff-staff relation) Groups create a form of social identity, a feeling of belonging to a collective, a community, even small. Members of that group share norms and habits that we call a “Culture”. That culture is not defined clearly, but it is an important way to identify oneself to the group. Intercultural, so between-culture encounters are the bases of social interactions in a context of high-diversity. Understanding them is key to work better in this context. If you move on to the next slide, you can stay only briefly on this one. If this is the end of your session, you can conclude by asking each about thoughts and learnings from the session. You can introduce future sessions if they are planned. You can also show slide 19, and open to a group talk about “what can we do as an organization to work better in diversity. Diversity training for tourism Project 2019-1-IS01-KA202-051161 21 Slide 9 - Types of culture Goal of slide 9: To highlight the existence and the importance of the different types of culture, beyond the ‘origins/country" vision of culture. You can either show the slide and explain, or ask participants to reflect on the types of cultures and then show it. In this case, you may ask, “When we talk about cultures, we often think of “a country of origin”. But there are many more types of cultures. What are they ?” Culture is not only geographical, a “country of origin”. It can be different things, for instance: ● A regional / local culture, that can sometimes be stronger than a “country culture” ● Organizational, or “company culture”, is key in a professional context. One can do the exact same job in 2 different companies and have a completely different experience. ● Social or Class culture, which is funded on our socio-economic background, and sometimes education too. People share references and experience based on where they come from, and sometimes show these origines to others in their daily behavior. It can translate in living standard differences, that reinforce cultural belonging, through sharing habits, practices and norms. ● An “occupational culture”, related to a profession. Doctors, lawyers, accountants, people in sales or logistics, drivers, catering staff, hotel staff, our job creates a group with common references, habits and attitudes. It can also create a way others may see us. It is a key concept at the workplace ● The place people live is a form of culture: districts/parts of town but also city/countryside or capital city / smaller towns can lead to strong cultural differences. All these, and more, are at play at the workplace in tourism, being in the customer-staff relations or within the staff. Staff/Customers relations can be very different from one country to another, based on the fact that each group belongs to different cultures (occupational and social). At the workplace, occupational culture can collaborate or clash based on various aspects of their respective culture. It is therefore key to understand what we put behind culture and culture dynamics. Diversity training for tourism Project 2019-1-IS01-KA202-051161 22 Slide 10 - What constitutes culture? Goal of slide 10: To illustrate and structure what is part of a culture, and to show the key aspects are not as visible as the superficial ones. Participants only see the question on the slide. They are invited to give examples of what elements constitute a culture. Trainers write their answers down on a large paper/flip chart. Without telling participants, they organize their answers: on top, the more superficial / practical aspects of cultures and habits. Below, the deeper aspects. Once a substantial amount of ideas has been shared, trainers draw a line between superficial aspects and deeper aspects. If they come up, “Communication” and “Language” can be written on the side, vertically. They are transversal aspects. As well, “Habits”, “Norms” and “Values” can be written in different colors. “Habits” on top, “Norms” in the middle, below the line. “Values” at the very bottom. Trainers then show the design, and explain the iceberg model: Culture is similar to an iceberg, in the sense that certain aspects are visible at first, and others are buried deeper down. Certains aspects, for example the ones related to values, require a lot of time to discover and understand. We often see, and judge, a culture by its more visible aspects, while they are usually consequences on the deeper aspects. People dress, eat or speak a certain way because of norms, contexts and values. If we judge superficial aspects of another culture by our norms and values, we will not understand why people behave differently. Only by understanding their norms and values can we reach that understanding. Diversity training for tourism Project 2019-1-IS01-KA202-051161 23 Slide 11 - No unity in cultures Goal of slide 11: To show the paradox around culture: they exist, but have no clear limits, and no one represents 100% their culture. Start this slide with explaining the double-bell model. You can close the explanation by asking openly the questions “are you typical?” to the group, and close the discussion. You can also ask more precise questions and enter the subject in detail. The double bell model shows that in any given culture, or for any cultural component within a culture (how loud one speaks, how feedback is given, how you accept a gift, how you eat, anything…), people will act more “typically’ than others. Cultural groups are diverse internally. Some individuals will even be part of a cultural group and be proud to be different for certain aspects. If you compare cultural aspects between two cultures, it may be that a member of culture A is more like members of culture B for certain things. Also, no one is 100% typical of one culture. Everyone differs from the group’s norm one way or another. Complete unity inside a cultural group is a myth. If you want to go further, you can ask the support questions: - In which way are you typical of a culture you belong to? - In which way are you not typical? - Has it happened to you that people assumed you would act in a certain way because you belong to a cultural group, while your behavior is different? Further readings Some researchers have developed the notion of “cultural dimensions”, that can be compared from one culture to another. It is the case of Hofstede, who developed various tools in this sense. It doesn’t include diversity within a culture, but it remains interesting. Diversity training for tourism Project 2019-1-IS01-KA202-051161 24 Slide 12 - Tensions in an intercultural environment Goal of slide 12: To show how several aspects play a role in conflicts, and why culture is easy to blame. Trainers present the Analyzing Tensions model. Then they ask the group “Why is culture so easy to blame?”. They can add support questions if they wish to go deeper in the subject. The Analyzing Tensions model proposes a grid of reading to explain better any reaction in a given situation. It differentiates what comes from the person (what is unique to them), from the context (what was the situation at the time?) and what is culturally related. All three elements are linked: ● Individuals are unique and have their own reactions, regardless of context and culture ● Context can trigger memories and posture questions, related to a person’s history ● Individuals and the way they read a context in culturally influenced But by taking each perspective in turn, we can see a tension situation from different angles. It is interesting to illustrate this with an example, either from trainers or from a participant who wishes to share a conflictual situation they experienced or a misunderstanding that lead to an unspoken tension. Trainers can chose to go deeper using support questions: ● Looking back, are there any intercultural situations you think you could have handled differently ? ● Can you look at the examples of tension you discussed before (Slide 5) and see what was caused by the individual, the context and the culture ? Finally, trainers ask the group why culture is so easily blamed in such situations. Answers can include the fact the culture is blurry enough that it doesn't require to be precise, that culture is sometimes not fully understood, creating a feeling of fear, or that if the person’s culture is different from your own, you can’t be involved in the blame. It usually avoids the need to question everyone’s attitude to pin the tension on one person’s difference. Diversity training for tourism Project 2019-1-IS01-KA202-051161 25 Slide 13 - Cultural components at work Goal of slide 13: Highlight and Illustrate some of the most frequent cultural elements at stake at the workplace. Trainers show only the title of the slide, and ask participants “What kind of cultural components play a role in work-relationships (staff to staff). They can write down answers or not, and ask participants to illustrate their ideas with examples. Then they show the list on the slide (one by one) and say these are topics that have been identified as important factors. For each, they explain and come up with examples to illustrate. - Time management What does it mean to “be on time”? There can be different ideas about what it means to be punctual and what is acceptable in being late. There are also different approaches to planning, anticipating and organizing ahead. Some cultures favor preparation and anticipation. To an extent, that can lead to self-censorship or reducing spontaneous actions. Others favor “on the spot” reactions and last minute flexibility, leading sometimes to problems, and people in need of guidance to an unpleasant position. - Sense of urgency What does it mean for “something to be urgent”? Should you drop everything and do it, or should you just move up on your priority list? How do you communicate urgent things? In some organizations, the culture will be to send an email with [urgent] in the subject. In others, it will be to call or to meet : “email is for day-to -day stuff, important matters are discussed in person.” - Limits Any rule creates limits. How rules are followed, and to what degree of precision is a key cultural element. In some cases, being too loose of the rules seems unprofessional. In others, being too precise will seem childish and a waste of time. “At what speed above the limit are you really in violation of the speed limit ?” Not so obvious. Diversity training for tourism Project 2019-1-IS01-KA202-051161 26 - Uncertainty and need for structure. How do you handle risk? How do you plan ahead? Is initiative going away from your duty, or something you should be doing? What can managers do about it? - Expectations from work Many things influence the way our work matters to us. It can be a variable part of people’s identity. Do you work to live, or do you live to work? Do you work somewhere in order to return somewhere else ? What does it mean to “act professional”? Most importantly, what are the consequences on work connections and perspectives if people have a different way to see and talk about work? - Relation to hierarchy and rules What do people expect from a boss? How much should they communicate, stay in touch, ask for permission, be independent? All these questions are related to culture. Do you expect everything to be asked and clear, or do you expect a possibility for initiative. Should you ask for promotions, and should you wait for them? Also, how does gender play in hierarchy? Some people have different reactions to a male or to a female boss. - Managing and expressing opposition and feedback Different cultures will approach opposition differently. The same is true with giving feedback and expressing critical thinking. And expressing these thoughts can be more or less direct, confrontational or mentioned using segways and analogies. Too direct or too Indirect a feedback can be surprising. A direct approach can create tension or be taken personally. An indirect approach can seem unclear or simply not being noticed. One can also think they are expected to be critical to be good professionals, as others may wait until they are being asked. Some cultures also strongly differentiate professional feedback from personal judgment, and therefore be very critical of a specific project - hurting others with a different approach. - Expectations from colleagues in work actions : Do you expect your new / young colleague to watch? To ask? To try? To wait? As a new staff member, do you think others will support you spontaneously, or wait for you to ask in order not to show superiority? Peer relations is very culturally related, as it touches notions like autonomy, professionalism and also pride and humility. - Expectations from colleagues in relationships In some firms, jobs or countries, it is customary to frequent your colleague outside of work, or to be friendly at the workplace. Other contexts can have a different norm, where work and personal life are kept separate. When onboard a new staff member, it can quickly become a key issue if expectations are mismatched. ⇒ Many norms are culturally influenced, so there are 2 things to keep in mind : ● What is normal and obvious for me is not necessarily normal and obvious to you. There is no “right way” of, for example, being on time. ● Cultural awareness and communication are key to setting a common norm that any group needs to function. It will be easier for those spontaneously closer to that norm, espacially is that norm if the one of the dominant culture - for exemple, the culture of the country the company operates in. It is therefore harder for people who are different. The question becomes, how does the company support them? Diversity training for tourism Project 2019-1-IS01-KA202-051161 27 Slide 14 - Communication Goals of slide 14: Understand that communication styles can both vary between individuals but also between groups, f.e. cultural groups. Trainers explain to participants that there are different ways of communication and remind the participants that messages sent are not always the mes