The Guidelines for a Multicultural Process
The Guidelines for a Multicultural Process have become one of the most personal and powerful tools in my multicultural work. They are not rules handed down from above—they are invitations I’ve carried into rooms filled with tension, hope, and possibility.
I’ve used these guidelines to create containers for courageous conversations, where discomfort is welcomed as a sign of growth and where individuals can explore their own cultural conditioning.
They’ve helped me hold space for men confronting their biases, for teams navigating power dynamics, and for communities seeking healing across lines of difference.
These principles have shaped my own journey. They’ve taught me to speak from the “I,” to stay in self-focus, and to listen with resilience. They’ve reminded me that impact matters more than intent, and that asking permission before offering feedback is an act of respect.
The guidelines are there for us to risk going deeper in our relationships, but it starts with you.
They can also be a good way to look at our relationships. I’ve found it helpful to notice when I wasn’t playing by the rules and ask myself why. You can process yourself against the guidelines.
These guidelines may vary from circle to circle, but there are some common themes and even definitions. And the group begins by negotiating each one so that a reasonable consensus can happen in order to proceed.
Here are the core elements I return to again and again:
Confidentiality
Self-Focus
Try-On
No Shame / No Blame
Be aware of both Process and Content
Intent vs. Impact
Personal Responsibility (to get what I want and to take care of myself)
These guidelines are especially powerful in multicultural settings, where historical and systemic inequities may shape interactions.
They’ve helped me move groups beyond surface-level diversity and into authentic transformation. They’ve become a practice—a way of being—that supports the long-term work of multicultural change.
I don’t just teach these guidelines. I try to live them. And they continue to teach me.
— Michael Rath