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General Education Committee Guide on Diversity & Teamwork

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What are Diversity and Teamwork?

             The term “diversity” is used in personnel decisions of many businesses, government agencies, and schools to justify selecting members of underrepresented groups. The term has never acquired a precise meaning, however, and could be applied to select disabled persons, homosexuals, ethic groups, or any group not represented among existing employees at a job site or among students at an educational institution. In general, the term has assumed positive connotations, suggesting everything from tolerance to cultural pluralism.

 Haas, M. (2015). Diversity. Salem Press Encyclopedia, Retrieved from www.ebsco.com.

Teamwork is defined as collaboration by a group of people to achieve a common purpose. Teamwork is often a feature of day-today working, and is increasingly used to accomplish specific projects, in which case it may bring together people from different functions, departments, or disciplines. A team should ideally consist of people with complementary skills.

Teamwork. (2011). In Business: The ultimate resource. London, United Kingdom: A&C Black. Retrieved from www.credoreference.com.

Diversity Wheel

John Hopkins University. (n.d.). Diversity Wheel. Retrieved from https://web.jhu.edu/dlc/resources/diversity_wheel/

Diversity and Teamwork Keynote video

Thought Diversity in the Workplace

Griswold, A. (2013, September 27). Why 'thought diversity' is the future of the workplace. Retrieved from https://www.businessinsider.com/the-future-of-workplace-diversity-is-here-2013-9

Teams Accomplish Things Individual Can't

Cmoeinc. (2009, February 12). Understanding the importance of team work: Ants building a farm over a two week period [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKucprXVGMU 

The Diversity of Ideas: Memes & Temes

Blackmore, S. (2008, February). Memes and "temes" [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/talks/susan_blackmore_on_memes_and_temes