
Doing business where Global & Southern Connect. Join the American Diversity Report for a community workshop with ........
1.) Hayley Hovious: TN Trade Director, TN Dept. of Economic & Community Development
2.) Sharyn Moreland: Director, TN Small Business Development Center/Chattanooga
3.) Guenther Scherelis: General Manager of Communications, Volkswagen Chattanooga
4.) Yuri Cunza: President, Hispanic Chamber of Commerce/Nashville
5.) Terry Olsen: Attorney of Olsen Law Firm; Incoming Chair of Immigration Section/TN Bar Association
6.) Dr. Ken Goldsmith: Prof. of Global Legal Studies, Chattanooga State Community College
7.) Deborah Levine: Award-winning cultural diversity expert, trainer & author!
EARLY BIRD REGISTER by May 31......
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Do you recall the first time you stepped into an international business reception at a major hotel and found yourself amidst a sea of Asian faces? If so, you may also have noticed a diversity of Asian cultures and conversations in some incomprehensible languages: Cantonese Chinese, Hindi, Korean, Malay, Mandarin Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese, and perhaps others.
<< MORE >>To many of us, the idea of using two sticks with one hand to pick up a piece of chicken or vegetable from a plate or bowl and putting that same piece of chicken or vegetable into our mouth without dropping it is beyond one’s imagination. However, this is what one out of every five people in the world does at mealtime on a daily basis. These people with such dexterity with chopsticks live in what we call “chopsticks nations” such as China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam.
Globally, not all Asians use chopsticks as their eating utensils. For example, Asian Indians, Pakistanis, Sri Lankans, Nepalese, Tibetans, Mongolians, Filipinos, and Indonesians generally do not use chopsticks, unless they learn to use them.
<< MORE >>There are two basic motivations of the entrepreneurial spirit. The first is the business side of the endeavor and its bottom line, otherwise known as ‘show me the money.’ The second motivation is self-fulfillment. Some refer to this element of entrepreneurship as ‘personal satisfaction.’ At the core of the vague term ‘personal satisfaction’ is what is best described as a spiritual sense of purpose. This spirituality is sometimes linked to one’s faith tradition, but is not necessarily so. Rather, there is a commonality in this spiritual sense that translates across the boundaries of specific religions.
<< MORE >>Mother's Day and Father's Day are great American traditions, but I'm not sure I like them. Unhappily, I have a really big problem with these days because I don’t have the goods. My mother and grandmother who were such loving figures in my life are gone. My father, who I take after in so many ways, is gone, too. I’m not that old and I feel a bit sorry for myself.
<< MORE >>Some of us have extra-sharp hearing, and others begin to lose their hearing at different times. For the first time in history, 20% of those in their late teens and early 20's are reporting signs of a hearing loss - a problem that will cause major challenges for commerce and industry. (One cause for this is loud music played through earbuds for too long.)
Presbycusis, hearing loss caused by age, is another challenge, and often starts in the late 50's or early 60's. By age 65, one third of Americans experience this problem.
There are simple, practical strategies that can help. Here are three taken from the e-book, "What did you say?" (http://www.businessspeechimprovement.com/impairment).
First, reduce or eliminate competing noises.
<< MORE >>About Asian Americans
While we usually focus on the outstanding success in school or business of Asian Americans, their remarkable achievements were often matched by young Asian immigrants for whom English was a second language. Part of their success story has been the old-world ethics of their parents, who often left their Asian homes without any material possessions and who had to work very hard to achieve their goals.
Beyond their common struggles for success in a very different world, the various Asian American ethnic groups should not be lumped together as if they were homogeneous. Their cultures are distinct, and each of these ethnic groups came to the United States under widely varying circumstances.
<< MORE >>Bythat eye-catching title, I've just named the proverbial 900 pound "pink elephant in the room" that everyone knows is there but doesn't dare talk about, publicly at least. Here’s the deal. About halfway through writing my diversity and inclusion column, layoffs struck. And the fact is that layoffs don’t discriminate when it comes to the many dimensions of diversity. Now to my three wishes:
• I wish I had a magic wand to wave to help those who have been laid off… but I don't.
<< MORE >>Perched in a tree
With a stretch, I yawn
The world is calm
Eight minutes till dawn
No wonders have I seen
From a view such as this
The trees provide shade
Nothing is amiss
Down near the lake
Lay a wolf and a fawn
The world is at peace
Eight minutes till dawn
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