. 2019 Oct 18;12(4):805–809. doi: 10.1007/s40617-019-00343-8

Table 1.

Individual and Organizational Questions to Assess Cultural Humility

	Essential questions for critical self-reflection	Essential questions to address power imbalances
Individual level	• What are my cultural identities? • How do my cultural identities shape my world view? • How does my own background help or hinder my connection to clients/communities? • What are my initial reactions to clients, specifically to those that are culturally different than me? • How much do I value input from my clients? • How do I make space in my practice for clients to name their own identities? • What do I learn about myself through listening to clients who are different than me?	• What social and economic barriers affect a client’s ability to receive effective care? • What specific experiences are my clients having that are related to oppression and/or large systemic issues? • How do my practice behaviors actively challenge power imbalances and involve marginalized communities? • How do I extend my responsibility beyond individual clients and advocate for changes in local, state and national policies and practices?
Institutional level	• How do we organizationally define culture? Diversity? • Does our organization’s culture encourage respectful, substantive discussions about difference, oppression and inclusion? • How does our hiring process reflect a commitment to a diverse staff and leadership? • Do we monitor hiring practices to ensure active recruitment, hiring and retention of diverse staff? • Does our staff reflect the communities we serve? • Is our leadership reflective of the population/ communities we serve?	• How do we actively address inequalities both internally (i.e., policies and procedures) and externally (i.e., legislative advocacy)? • How do we define and live out the core social work value of social justice? • What are the organizational structures we have that encourage action to address inequalities? • What training and professional development opportunities do we offer that address inequalities and encourage active self-reflection about power and privilege? • How do we engage with the larger community to ensure community voice in our work? What organizations are already doing this well?

Essential questions for critical self-reflection

Essential questions to address power imbalances

Individual level

• What are my cultural identities?

• How do my cultural identities shape my world view?

• How does my own background help or hinder my connection to clients/communities?

• What are my initial reactions to clients, specifically to those that are culturally different than me?

• How much do I value input from my clients?

• How do I make space in my practice for clients to name their own identities?

• What do I learn about myself through listening to clients who are different than me?

• What social and economic barriers affect a client’s ability to receive effective care?

• What specific experiences are my clients having that are related to oppression and/or large systemic issues?

• How do my practice behaviors actively challenge power imbalances and involve marginalized communities?

• How do I extend my responsibility beyond individual clients and advocate for changes in local, state and national policies and practices?

Institutional level

• How do we organizationally define culture? Diversity?

• Does our organization’s culture encourage respectful, substantive discussions about difference, oppression and inclusion?

• How does our hiring process reflect a commitment to a diverse staff and leadership?

• Do we monitor hiring practices to ensure active recruitment, hiring and retention of diverse staff?

• Does our staff reflect the communities we serve?

• Is our leadership reflective of the population/ communities we serve?

• How do we actively address inequalities both internally (i.e., policies and procedures) and externally (i.e., legislative advocacy)?

• How do we define and live out the core social work value of social justice?

• What are the organizational structures we have that encourage action to address inequalities?

• What training and professional development opportunities do we offer that address inequalities and encourage active self-reflection about power and privilege?

• How do we engage with the larger community to ensure community voice in our work? What organizations are already doing this well?

Note. Reprinted from “Mastery to Accountability: Cultural Humility as an Alternative to Cultural Competence,” by M. Fisher-Borne, J. Caine, and S. Martin, 2015, Social Work Education, 34, p. 176