Describe your experience working with a diverse group of people.
"At my current employer it is a very diverse company, but oddly not our department, However, at one point in college, I worked at a store in a very diverse neighborhood. That was a pretty exciting experience in that everyone from different walks of life worked under one roof. It was probably the most dynamic and innovative crew I've ever worked with. Everything was outside-of-the-box. We were a pretty great team. I still swing by and take the time to say hello when I'm in the area."
Communicating cultural competence when answering questions about diversity is essential. On even the most inherently human level, we are all driven by the same basic needs. So focus on the unifiers of diversity, on a general acceptance of the human experience with sensitivity when answering this question. Demonstrate empathy and acceptance.
Conveying cultural competence requires interest, openness, and curiosity. Non verbal indicators for these emotions are leaning in, tilting your head as you speak, smiling and making eye contact. Signs of discomfort and avoidance could be interpreted as indicators of negative bias and antipathy. Such nonverbal cues include decreased positivity, less eye contact and more gaze aversion, fewer smiles, greater interpersonal distance, and increased blinking. Consider these points when planning your answer.
Often when a person recalls a conflict situation, the emotions of that moment rise to the surface and be re-experienced. This will cause them to narrow their eyes, fold their arms, and furrow their brow. The assessment vendor's algorithm will study you for any such defensive cues while you recall your experience with a conflict at work. You'll want to come across as emotionally mature and not regress into the emotion of that conflict when reflecting upon it. So avoid any defensive behavior, posturing, movements, or gestures that could be interpreted as insecure, closed-off, unapproachable, hostile, or disinterested. Therefore, you want to come across as confident and relaxed.
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