Respect for, and responsiveness to, individual differences are critical to developing and maintaining effective relationships in the workplace. Our focus on workforce diversity does not lessen the importance of demonstrating respect for individual differences, such as personal styles, work habits, physical characteristics and life circumstances.

It is also important to realize that many people have had experiences as members of groups, which have fundamentally shaped their individual identities. For these people, separating their sense of individual identity from their sense of group membership may not be easy, as the two are closely connected.

In this exercise, the questions below provide you the opportunity to reflect on those things that you feel shape your own sense of identity—who you are.

1. What three things about you most represent who you are?

2. What are the three things that others notice about you most often?

3. How are your answers to questions 1 and 2 similar? How are they different?
Why is it useful for you to think about this?

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This reflection exercise has been taken from the M.E.E.T. on Common Ground™ Self-Study Guide.
Learn more about the M.E.E.T. on Common Ground™ training program. ©2008 VisionPoint^®