Understanding Cultural Dimensions
As we work together on our common goal of team science, sometimes we encounter differing expectations based in our cultural backgrounds. Culture is the result of groups of people collectively prioritizing values and setting expectations — “the unwritten rules of the social game” [Hofstede]. Or, as NSD’s Augusto Macchiavelli put it, the relationship between people and culture is like the relationship between fundamental particles and the complex emergent properties of many-body nuclear physics.
It can be illuminating to consider cultural dimensions that are commonly studied in social psychology, and how they might come up in a workplace setting. These include (1) Individualism vs. Collectivism — whether the individual or the group are considered more important; (2) Power Distance — how much hierarchy or differences in power among people are accepted; and (3) Uncertainty Avoidance — how much the culture is comfortable with undefined situations. For example, when asking for feedback from others, those who come from a more individualistic culture may not have a problem speaking up directly, but those from more collectivist cultures might not be naturally predisposed to “rocking the boat” and would be more hesitant to share. Likewise, in mentoring or supervisory situations, a supervisor who comes from a low power-distance culture might have a “chummy” relationship with their advisee, but if the advisee comes from a higher power-distance culture they may interpret passing suggestions as commands. When communicating cross-culturally, such as when reading letters of recommendation, it is important to keep our own cultural context(s) and those of the other person in mind, so that we can calibrate our expectations and better hear what the other person is truly saying.
Recent DEI topics @ NSD Staff Meetings
August 20, 2021 Cultural Dimensions Part 2: Application to National Descriptions
July 27, 2021 Cultural Dimensions
July 13, 2021 A minute for IDEA: Bias
June 29, 2021 Burnout: Symptoms, Causes and Remedies
June 15, 2021 Physical Science Area’s Workplace Life Committee
Luminary Card Recipient
We’d like to remind everyone, as we continue to largely work remotely, that the Luminary Card program is virtual! You have the opportunity to recognize your co-workers with a virtual Luminary Card for any action fostering inclusion, diversity and equity within our LBNL community. Recipients who register their cards may choose to be named in this space in a future NSD newsletter.
