Leading Across Differences

3 units

Given the challenges that we face locally both nationally and globally, managers need to develop the necessary skills to thrive socially and professionally in diverse contexts and communities. Most successful managers are able to incorporate and capitalize on the diversity of their employee population. However, by its nature, diversity means that we have different points of view, different values, different understandings and ways of knowing, different cultures and nationalities, and different ideas about how to measure and implement success and other factors in our organizations. Failure to incorporate and value those diverse voices can lead to conflict, negative press, turnover and poor performance in organizations and leave us paralyzed. Alternatively, we can capitalize on our diversity instead of letting it divide us. In so doing, we incorporate more points of view in our thought processes, consider novel alternatives, enhance creativity and performance, and incorporate all of our human assets by focusing on the basic values of equity, equality and inclusion. In this course, we will explore the impact of diverse organizational and multicultural contexts, with topics relevant to the workplace and our interactions, perceptions, and outcomes by exploring difference in terms of nationality, ethnicity, age, cultural values, gender differences, sexual orientation and different abilities. We take an interdisciplinary approach to the topic of diversity and inclusion. We will highlight diversity, equity and inclusion from the perspective of areas within business, law, and sociology. As we cover each topic area, we will juxtapose specific business practices and their impact (or lack thereof) on members of a diverse organization. We will also attend to the impact of different perspectives in terms of how business practices may be viewed by diverse employees, customers and stockholders. Our agenda will be accomplished in discipline-specific segments, where we examine a specific topic/business practice and its impact on various constituencies, identities and organizational outcomes. Students can expect discussions that at times involve conflicting ideas and positions. These discussions should be approached with humility and respect, and students should be courteous and professional.