RESPONDING TO CROSS-CULTURAL CONFLICT
• Step 1 - Keep calm, try not to respond emotionally.
• Step 2 - Tell the instigator promptly, clearly and calmly that you find their actions upsetting.
• The important thing to remember here is that the person understands you find their actions, not them offensive. A good response would be: ‘Please do not say that to me, I find it offensive and upsetting’. This response is clear, direct, and does not attack the person. It addresses the action. If your response is directed to the person, they are likely to get defensive, a situation not likely to work in your favour.
• Step 3 - If the person apologises, accept their apology.
• Step 4 - If they don't apologise, let it go once.
• Step 5 - If the offensive behaviour happens again, action needs to be taken.
• Step 6 - The action taken will depend on the parties involved. It will change depending on who is involved in the conflict situation. We will now look at responses for the range of possible parties in the workplace