In Celebration of American Indian/Alaska Native Heritage Month. Indian Giver Definition- A person who takes a gift back after giving it to someone. Historical Context- To Native people, the giving of gifts should be reciprocated with a gift of something of greater value. Europeans interpreted these “gifts” as things that required no commensurate or biggerRead… Read more »
American Indian and Alaska Native peoples and governments have been an integral part of the North American landscape. Against tremendous odds, they have endured great hardship and tragedy and yet remain a viable cultural, political, social and moral presence. They have taught the world diversity and inclusion values that are now ingrained in the humanRead… Read more »
It is unanimously accepted in effective employee motivation space that managers who positively reinforce their employees drive high levels of engagement. Unfortunately, much of the positive feedback employees receive is simply recognition for a job well done. While recognition has its place in the workplace, appreciation has much greater impact on job performance. Our country’sRead… Read more »
I have hundreds of conversations with managers and employees around diversity and inclusion issues every year. One of their most frequent questions is “What is the biggest barrier to diversity and inclusion?” The answer is “the knowing and doing gap.” We know a lot about diversity and inclusion. Unfortunately, like most of the world, weRead… Read more »
Why does the federal government, a supposedly national symbol for diversity, continue to celebrate Columbus Day? This holiday does little to promote diversity and inclusion for American Indians/Alaska Natives. It celebrates the legacy of a man, Christopher Columbus, who committed egregious atrocities against Indigenous people. Could this be a contributing factor to American Indian/Alaska NativeRead… Read more »
As I negotiate inclusion trainings with busy supervisors and managers in the federal government, I am often asked, “Boil inclusion down to a couple of talking points for me.” Know Yourself This is often the most difficult first step. Most of us go through life without fully know ourselves by identifying our personal beliefs, biasesRead… Read more »
Walking in Two Worlds The biggest challenge is negotiating two distinct cultures. The federal government culture is heavily dependent on individual achievement and competition. I was raised in a Native culture with emphasis on group success and cooperation. Individual progress was measured on how well the group fared. One person’s good fortune should cause everyone’sRead… Read more »