Case Study: Building an Organization that Recognizes Everyone’s Uniqueness
Case study: Building an Organization that Recognizes Everyone’s Uniqueness
The chosen case study is about the Herman Miller Company, a Michigan-based company
that produces high-class and innovatively designed office furniture. At Herman Miller, team-
learning practices were used to support change in the organization through valuing and
appreciating the uniqueness that each member of staff brought to the organization. Herman
Miller Company made an effort to understand diversity and to assist individuals work together
more effectively. A number of workshops were held to talk about pertinent issues on diversity.
Several managers from Herman Miller attended a seminar to learn skills and concepts of
diversity, quality, and change. The organization also designed workshops that are focused on
offering a process for common understanding as well as creating a common language. The
discussions were kept personal and gross generalizations and gross stereotypes were avoided.
According to Hunt (n.d), the pattern of thinking and expression of every person is unique and if
everybody wants to work effectively, then they have to learn to communicate with those who
have dissimilar patterns. During one exercise, a group of African Americans, or a group of men
was pulled out and placed inside a circle to discuss their experiences as others listened. Such an
exercise helped to create awareness and to convey issues of the group. In workshops, the subject
of gender balance was also covered. It is imperative to avoid to stereotype since women and men
are not different when talking. In the workshops, Herman Miller’s staffs talked about the
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differences in communication styles between men and women and this was effective in
supporting change in the organization (Hunt, n.d).
The useful methods to experiment with my organization include holding workshops that
focus on offering a process for mutual understanding as well as creation of a common language,
and to encourage Latino women and Native Americans who work in the company to come
forward and talk about their experiences as others listen. This will help to create awareness of
their experiences and to bring to light issues that they face. The other method to experiment is to
hold a meeting to discuss differences in communication styles between male and female
employees in my organization. This will help to improve communication between men and
women and avoid stereotyping basing on gender.
Two questions that I have about this assignment are:
- How does this assignment help in understanding issues of gender in the workplace?
- How does this assignment bring to light ways of resolving issues regarding stereotyping
different groups of people?
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References
Hunt, M. (n.d). Building an Organization that Recognizes Everyone’s Uniqueness. Team
Learning.
