What work experience do you have relating to people with backgrounds different from your own?

"I've worked with people who have faced all sorts of physical and mental challenges. I've befriended individuals from different socio-economic backgrounds and am related to people from all walks of life and perspectives. I've suffered, but I've learned not to compare my experience to others. Some of us feel comfortable going for a run late at night or walking alone in an empty parking garage, and others do not. I approach everyone with heightened sensitivity, understanding that everyone's situation is unique. I do my best to avoid presumption at all costs. I am as empathetic as anyone I know, if not more so. I treat everyone as I would a friend or a family member, with sensitivity and an eagerness to learn about them more deeply, should they choose to share. I do my best to show that I genuinely care."

Most companies have a clear understanding that fostering innovation in an ever-changing world requires drawing talent across boundaries. This requires everyone within their organization to have a high degree of cultural competence. Diversity questions are one way to determine your cultural competence.