I certainly do because even though empirical support is typically mixed, they provide a way to think about processes that are often messy and hard to define. A couple of my favorites are Piaget’s theory of cognitive development, Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, and Martha Beck’s four phases of change.
Another worthy of mention is Bennett’s Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity or DMIS.
The DMIS is a framework for considering the evolution of understanding cultural differences. It is a scale comprised of these six steps:
1. Denial – your culture is the only culture
2. Defense – your culture is the best; others are inferior and stereotyped
3. Minimization – you are aware of differences but dismiss them because ‘we are all the same’
4. Acceptance – you recognize differences and are actively trying to learn more about other cultures
5. Adaptation – you use empathy to understand the viewpoint and experiences of other cultures
6. Integration – you deeply understand more than one culture and each is part of your identity which is continuously developing
Over the years, I have become more interested in learning of and understanding other cultures and now realize it is an ongoing process and that I’ll always be a student. The DMIS gives me some perspective as to where I am along this journey.
A final thought: As the world grows smaller and our communities and workplaces grow more diverse, understanding cultural differences is more and more important to career and leadership success.
Does the DMIS resonate with you? Do you have a favorite developmental continuum? Would love to know what you’re thinking. Comment below or shoot me an e-mail at laura@laurawolfephd.com.
Thanks for reading.
Do you know you?
A coaching truism: self-awareness is the starting point for development. Indeed, this applies to career and leadership development.
Unfortunately, most people are so busy cramming each day with work, family, leisure, and life-maintenance tasks that we rarely take the time to reflect on who we really are right now.
Many of us look back at ourselves in high school and college, or during our twenties or thirties and have a laugh or think of that gospel lyric ‘thank God I’m not like I used to be’.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful to know your current self so that in twenty years you don’t reflect on this time and cringe? The good news is, that with awareness, you can make changes to start living and working more as the person you hope to be. However, Daniel Goleman does warn us to not become obsessed with knowing ourselves.
But, how do you get to know you? Fortunately, feedback is all around.
A shift in perspective about daily encounters is one way to gather feedback. Think about your interactions and relationships with friends, family, co-workers, employees, customers, grocery store cashiers, your postman, etc. Monitor how they react to you as therein are clues. Defensive behavior, excuses, and more may also provide insight.
Another way to get information is to ask people what they think. Others may not be comfortable giving feedback about your perceived weaknesses but usually will share with you perceived strengths. Being clear on strengths is just as valuable as clarity around our weaknesses. A way to put a little structure into this is to do your own version of the Reflected Best Self exercise.
Traditional feedback includes the formal performance discussion at work and also data from personality inventories or 360 degree feedback instruments. Reliable and valid assessments provide another snapshot of you. If your employer does assessments, ask to participate. If not, consider finding a coach that provides these services.
Self-awareness is an ongoing process worthy of consideration every so often.
What techniques do you use to know yourself? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Music.Is.Powerful.
It is once again that most wonderful time of the year – Jazz Fest!!!
To celebrate and for the benefit of new subscribers and since I’m constantly adding to it, here’s a re-run of my change playlist.
Because we live in a world of constant and rapid change, chances are good you are / have been recently / or soon will be re-inventing.
You can harness the inspirational power of music to support and fuel transition. How? First, stop listening to anything that reminds you of the situation you are leaving – whatever you’re done with. Next, listen to something different. Does not have to be new music, just new to you. It is amazing how powerfully certain songs bring up memories and the associated feelings. Not listening to those particular triggers frees you up to think about your future. Create a vision for your new life and link it to some different tunes.
Below is my always growing list of songs about change. Make yourself a change playlist and then listen to it a lot.
And, don’t stop thinking about tomorrow…
- A Change Would Do You Good – Sheryl Crow
- Roll the Bones – RUSH
- Don’t Stop – Fleetwood Mac (especially the version on The Dance featuring the USC marching band)
- I Won’t Back Down – Tom Petty
- The Power of Goodbye – Madonna
- Owner of a Lonely Heart – Yes
- Uprising – Muse
- Sing the Changes – The Fireman
- Roll with the Changes – REO Speedwagon
- I Will Not Be Broken – Bonnie Raitt
- Fly One Time – Ben Harper and Relentless7
- Above the Bones – Mishka
- Changed – Rascal Flatts
- Brand New Day – Sting
- Cool Change – Little River Band
- Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth) – George Harrison
- Dog Days are Over – Florence + Machine
- Changes – David Bowie
- Hold On – Wilson Phillips
- Big Girls Don’t Cry – Fergie
- Burning Down the House – Talking Heads
- Feeling Good – Nina Simone
- Already Gone – Sugarland
- You Get Knocked Down – Chumbawumba
- Should I Stay or Should I Go? – The Clash
- You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet – Lisa Marie Presley
- Changes IV – Cat Stevens
- Everybody’s Changing – Keane
- Ramble On – Led Zeppelin
- Girl on Fire – Alicia Keys
- Turn! Turn! Turn! – The Byrds
- Head Full of Doubt, Road Full of Promise – Avett Brothers
- A Change is Gonna Come – Sam Cooke
- What Doesn’t Kill You – Kelly Clarkson
- Not Ready to Make Nice – Dixie Chicks
- Move From the Hood – Luther Allison
- The Climb – Miley Cyrus
- Fly Away – Lenny Kravitz
- Tomorrow – from the musical “Annie”
- We Gotta Get Out of This Place – The Animals
- How Do You Like Me Now? – Toby Keith
- Dream On – Trombone Shorty
- Let It Go – Idina Menzel
- Pink Floyd – Learning To Fly
Check out Pandora, Spotify, and Milk Music as low cost, no cost sources for new and different music.
NPR featured songs about change in a story awhile back. And for a wonderful, thought-provoking music-reinvention analogy, check out Christopher Bowe’s blog post for HBR.
Would love to know your favorite songs of change. Please share in the comments below.
Somebody Else Will
Grammy award winning blues* artist Dr. John closed his 2014 French Quarter Fest show last Friday with the hit, Such A Night.
The chorus is:
If I don’t do it, you know somebody else will
If I don’t do it, you know somebody else will
If I don’t do it, you know somebody else will
Of course, the words and that tune stayed with me for days. The song is about going for the girl, but those lyrics apply to going for any opportunity – whether it’s romance, a creative endeavor, or an entrepreneurial venture.
Got me thinking about what Baton Rouge native Dr. Paul Judge, a serial entrepreneur and creator of 30 patent and patent-pending computer security technologies, said during BREW 2013. He told the audience that he regularly gets pitched by entrepreneurs who think their idea is unique. In reality, a lot of people out there have the same or similar ideas and Judge said that what really matters is the execution.
Then, just last night, I came across this story about a pitch event where Ashton Kutcher, now a venture capitalist, basically says the same thing about ideas. He goes on to say that those who succeed have grit, a trait developed through “hardship, humiliation, and failure early on.” Grit is elsewhere described as “passion and commitment for a particular long term goal” and as being related to resilience, hardiness, and persistence.
Do you have an idea for a startup, a project, a book, a creative offering, or a new business? If you don’t do it, you know somebody else will.
Get gritty and execute. (and for a little extra motivation, listen to Dr. John because you won’t be able to get that chorus out of your head!)
*I call him a blues artist here but his music really defies categorization.
Would love to hear how you’ve gone for it, executed, and kept it gritty.
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