I begin with the assumption that most people want to get along, and that conflicts and misunderstandings often result because the rules of correct behavior vary from culture to culture. I think that most "rules" make sense, when you understand the social and environmental context in which they arose. Behaviors that lead to "success" often become cultural values, and take on the weight of tradition, even when circumstances change.
What I do in my workshops is help participants understand why people believe and act the way they do. I like to use case studies, because I think people respond best to stories. Points are much more easily understood and remembered when given a human context. I also like to use humor. It helps keep peoples' attention. If they're bored and not listening, they're not going to learn anything.Finally, I get people talking to each other. Healthcare staff in most areas come from a variety of different ethnic backgrounds. Learning from each other should be an on-going process; my job is to get it started.
