Status Updates From What if I Say the Wrong Thi...

"Real progress usually begins when we humble ourselves to learn what we don't know" (116).

Cultural effectiveness helps people perform at their highest potential by acknowledging and validating how different people contribute.

Possible to employ soft expectations towards yourself? Is it soft if it helps you maintain sanity? I understand the point that everyone should be held to the same standards

"carry these issues into the job until she is undone by them" (105).

"the sincerity of the compliment & the director's view of him as a contributor to the firm's future success that made the associate think more seriously about committing to a future with the firm" (99). I would appreciate the director calling me articulate too whether I were a guy or girl. Respond to the spirit of the compliment and the intention.

"Many of us are more interested in replicating ourselves than in growing diversity" (72).

"If you speak from your heart, what you say will naturally carry the power & credibility to open the hearts & minds of others" (78).

Will use "I don't think I'm the right audience" (78). Dislike the response that "some of us white folks can be..." because it's generalizing on race in the opposite direction (79).

Conspicuous invisibility is new to me, standing out from the crowd, yet not from each other. I felt it studying abroad, lumped with other American exchange students. I appreciated the camaraderie when I was homesick.

An area to be growth-minded & lean into acknowledge one's identity or lighten with humor instead of the natural reaction to recoil (55).

"Protective disengagement" isn't reserved for minorities (55).

"taking a liberty you haven't earned" w/ endearing intentions, I have an apology to make (30).

"We were looking at the same person, yet we had completely different reactions" (32).

"I was inside a different culture... sign of superiority to plop down... & expect to be comfortable" (36, 38). Learning to rely on kind intentions & common humanity, as well as common sense, eased fear & uncertainty in new environments.

"the advantage of being a majority & a concern for how well they will fit in w/ an increasingly multicultural world" (27). An opportunity to acknowledge the reality of other people's feelings is better than guilt-tripping.

"The resumes w/ ethnic sounding names received 50% fewer callbacks" (28).