The Four Skills of Cultural Diversity Competence

Book excerpt: Providing students with a step-by-step format for entering into and developing cultural competence, Hogan's text helps students acquire the skills necessary to become culturally competent practitioners. The process this book sets forth draws strongly on the author's twenty years of cultural diversity work, as well as the fundamental premise that cultural competence is an ongoing and multi-layered process involving personal, interpersonal, and organization-wide levels. The book is divided into four skills: the first two skills increase cultural awareness and understanding, while the third and fourth skills foster effective interpersonal techniques and organization change strategies. Each chapter combines both cognitive and experiential learning.