| Effectively managing a multicultural
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| | belief that our success or lack of it
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| business requires at least a basic
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| | depends solely on the choices we make and
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| knowledge of your employee's culture and
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| | the hard work we put into it.
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| traditions. Familiarity with both is
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| | Nationalism: Nationalism is deeply
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| essential because each has a bearing on
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| | ingrained in Hispanics. This is a fact
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| an employee's every day behavior.
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| | that most Americans don't realize fully.
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| Our cultural identity helps us feel like
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| | When we see a person speaking Spanish,
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| we are "part" of the society around us.
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| | many automatically assume that the person
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| It keeps us from feeling isolated and
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| | is Mexican. Often that just isn't true.
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| sometimes it even helps us know how to
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| | Spanish is spoken over a wide geographic
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| react. For example, as Americans, we know
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| | area that includes many very different
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| it's appropriate to stand and place our
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| | countries.
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| hands over our hearts when we hear "The
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| | All of us are deeply proud of our roots.
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| Star Spangled Banner" because it's part
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| | Latin Americans have deep attachments to
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| of our culture.
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| | their homelands and the unique culture
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| Traditions involving family, religion,
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| | that comes with that. Because you speak
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| education, and nationalism play a large
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| | English, would you like to be mistaken
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| role in anyone's life. Personal
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| | for a Canadian instead of an American?
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| appearance, ethics, and etiquette are
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| | Probably not!
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| also factors to be considered.
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| | It's savvy management for employers to
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| Whether we realize it or not, culture and
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| | know which countries their employees come
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| tradition are powerful principles we
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| | from. Getting to know individual
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| always carry with us. It's almost like
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| | employees is a basic feature in
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| carrying a cell phone. We take it for
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| | successful Latin American management
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| granted that our phone is in out pocket,
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| | strategies. The boss becomes personally
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| but we don't think about it until it
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| | acquainted with each employee and knows a
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| rings. Culture is like that. It's always
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| | bit about his family. This is called
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| with us even though we are unaware of it.
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| | "personalizmo" and it's very important to
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| What rings your cultural bell?
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| | workplace attitudes.
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| Even tough it's hard to make broad
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| | When "el jefe" or "el supervisor"
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| generalizations about culture, many
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| | recognizes an individual employee, he
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| studies have been conducted over the
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| | feels more respected and valued. That
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| years on its importance to Hispanics.
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| | increases his loyalty to the company and
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| There are certain basic principles about
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| | to its leadership.
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| Latino culture and tradition that make
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| | Etiquette: Basic etiquette and social
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| good survival skills for all American
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| | skills are valued by Latin Americans.
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| employers.
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| | Good manners are a sign of solid
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| Family: Nuclear families are the
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| | upbringing. Training begins at the home
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| foundation of Hispanic society. An
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| | and continues in school. Great emphasis
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| intense love of family is a strong
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| | is attached to shaking hands and greeting
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| feature in Latinos employees.
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| | the staff each morning in the workplace.
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| To most, the family and its needs are
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| | Not only is this sort of etiquette valued
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| even more important than work. Work is
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| | in face to face interactions, it's also a
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| often seen as a "necessary evil" done for
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| | part of good telephone communication. In
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| the purpose of earning enough money to
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| | a Latin American's eyes it's rude to "cut
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| satisfy the needs of the family.
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| | to the chase" on the telephone and
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| As managers, we must also take into
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| | immediately begin to discuss business
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| consideration the fact that many Hispanic
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| | without first asking how the person is
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| employees have left close members of
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| | that you are talking to. Next, to be
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| their families in Latin America. This is
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| | truly polite you should ask how the
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| true for both first and second generation
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| | family is doing.
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| Hispanic employees.
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| | Etiquette is so important on the job many
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| Personal sacrifice in Hispanic families
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| | think "por favor" and "gracias" are the
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| is the rule, not the exception. The
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| | two most important phrases in the Spanish
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| estrangement and isolation that comes
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| | language. These are definitely words that
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| with being separated from parents, wives
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| | will help you get the job done.
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| and children can be devastating. This
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| | Strategies for Success: There's no doubt
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| causes severe depression, isolation and
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| | that America's Hispanic workforce is
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| even substance abuse. Each of these
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| | going to become even more important to
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| becomes high risk factors for on the job
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| | our country's economic growth and
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| accidents.
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| | success. Now that you understand some of
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| Children: Children in Latino families are
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| | the basic attitudes your Hispanic
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| cherished, protected and loved. A typical
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| | workforce has, it's time to plot a course
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| weekend is spent enjoying time together,
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| | for your success in a multicultural
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| preparing meals, visiting friends, or
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| | environment.
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| extended family. Children are more
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| | 1. Work aggressively to overcome the
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| heavily influenced by their parents and
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| | language barrier. Obviously, this means
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| extended family members rather than by
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| | learning to speak some Spanish. You don't
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| those outside the family.
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| | have to be fluent to be successful.
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| Religion: Religion and spirituality are
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| | 2. Make every effort to learn about the
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| also deeply rooted in Latin American
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| | culture of your employees. This will help
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| culture. Almost 90% Latin Americans are
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| | you build trusting relationships that
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| Roman Catholic and most observe basic
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| | Latinos value.
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| religious traditions, even though they
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| | 3. Develop an open culture in your
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| might not attend church on a regular
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| | workplace that accepts and appreciates
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| basis.
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| | the differences individual employees
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| Throughout Latin America religious
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| | bring to your organization.
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| practices play a more visible role in the
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| | 4. Establish employment policies
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| workplace than they do in the US. Many
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| | carefully and communicate them so all
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| Hispanic managers feel these practices
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| | employees understand your expectations
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| make a valuable contribution to overall
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| | for appropriate conduct on the job.
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| worker morale.
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| | 5. Acknowledge your employee's strong
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| An unusual feature of Latin American
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| | family ties and desire to return home
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| spirituality is an indefinable fatalism
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| | periodically. Make every effort to
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| or fatalismo which is pervasive in the
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| | develop staffing that is flexible enough
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| culture. Many Latinos have the underlying
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| | to allow employees to return home for a
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| sense that their lives are controlled by
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| | period of time to visit their families
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| fate; consequently, whatever success or
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| | and then return to the job.
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| tragedy befalls them is no result of
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| | Learning these simple, common-sense
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| their own actions. Whatever is supposed
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| | practices and principles will give you a
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| to happen, will happen.
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| | positive edge in managing your
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| This is almost opposite of the American
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| | multicultural work place.
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