GCAS 06
Purposive Communication
Project – Preliminary Period
Name: Maximo, Roland Jr. D. Class Schedule: TTH 9:00-10:30 AM
Group no: 1. Group Leader: Alexa Estiller
I. Instructions: Read the article “Dealing with Cultural Sensitivity in the Workplace”
from the Journey to Leadership blog using the link below:
1. What is “cultural sensitivity”? List two key attributes mentioned.
Open-mindedness -Willing to listen, to learn, and to try to understand people of a
different culture than your own.
Showing empathy and respect -Kindness towards others, appreciation of their
background, and not being judgmental.
2. Why do the authors believe cultural sensitivity is important for leaders?
The authors feel that cultural sensitivity is important for a leader because it can help him
or her make the workplace a safe, respectful, and valuable place for everyone. In their
opinion, if leaders comprehend and appreciate cultural differences, people
communicate better, trust grows, and teamwork goes more smoothly. It also opens up
new ideas since people with different perspectives are sought after rather than ignored.
Overall, a culturally sensitive leader has better relationships and evokes the best from
within a diversified team.
3. Describe one real workplace example where lack of cultural sensitivity might
cause friction.
Picture a scenario during a team meeting when a manager interrupts a less vocal
employee who belongs to a culture that teaches to speak only when invited. The
manager assumes that the person has “nothing to say,” while the employee feels
disrespected and ignored. This miscommunication is not related to the employee’s
capabilities it is just a matter of different communication styles. Gradually, the employee
might withdraw even more, and the manager might wrongly conclude that they are
disengaged, leading to the buildup of tension and the erosion of the team’s trust and
collaboration.
4. Explain how understanding different reactions to conflict or problem-solving
relates to cultural sensitivity.
The fact that conflicts and solutions are approached in various ways depending on the
individual’s culture is a sign of being culturally sensitive. Such reactions are usually
influenced by the person’s history and experiences. The author elaborates on this when
mentioning that cultural sensitivity requires spending time to find out a person’s origin so
as to comprehend the reasons for their way of communication or behavior. Direct
confrontation is the method of dealing with issues for some, while others prefer to stay
away from conflicts in order to maintain peace.
II. Instructions: Choose ONE of the scenarios below and respond:
Scenario 2:
During a public presentation, you use informal humor, but it accidentally offends
someone from a culture that values formal respect in workplace settings.
Why Scenario 2 is the better option since it explicitly demonstrates the influence of
communication via culture in the public place where one remark can have
consequences for a large group. The inappropriate use of informal humor which
unintentionally hurts someone’s feelings also points out the necessity of being cognizant
of cultural standards especially in the areas of politeness and formality. This, in turn,
makes it straightforward to link the situation to moral norms, for instance, the Golden
Rule, the Golden Rule means: treat others the way you want to be treated, showing
respect, kindness, and fairness in your words and actions.
and to propose sound ways to change communication such as employing neutral
humor, being attentive to audience reactions, and wrapping messages in a respectful
manner.
For your selected scenario, answer:
1. Type of communication involved (intrapersonal, interpersonal, small group,
public, or mass)
Communication type: Public communication the speaker presents to the
audience.
2. Purpose of communication (inform, persuade, entertain)
Communication aim: To amuse (while educating) – the use of humor to draw the
audience’s attention.
3. Ethical considerations – identify what went wrong or could be improved per the
Golden Rule ("Treat others as you wish to be treated")
Moral factors: The joke inadvertently hurt someone’s feelings and revealed a lack
of understanding of the culture. The Golden Rule states that we should treat
others as we would like to be treated, which means that humor should not offend
anyone or cause harm.
4. How could you adapt your communication to better align with cultural
sensitivity?
Various ways to support for cultural sensitivity
Get to know your audience’s cultural practices when it comes to formality and
humor.
Try to make use of humor that is non-offensive, neutral and inclusive.
Keep an eye on the audience’s reactions and be prepared to apologize if
necessary.
Be respectful in your approach, but still, keep it captivating.