Inclusive Leadership: The Power of Workplace Diversity (Coursera)

Employees are expecting - if not demanding - equal opportunities and work/life balance. They want to work in environments where others value and respect their unique skills and experiences. They seek contexts where they have a strong sense of belonging, where they can “be themselves.” They want their distinct perspective to be heard. As researchers Bernadette Dillon and Juliet Bourke asserted, meeting those expectations necessitates “a new capability that is vital to the way leadership is executed.” That capability is inclusive leadership, which this course defines as “Processes of social influence that strive to value and respect everyone involved in achieving a goal.” Everyone includes members of non-dominant and dominant groups. You will learn six signature traits of inclusive leadership: Commitment, Courage, Cognizance of Bias, Curiosity, Cultural Intelligence, and Collaboration. These traits are based on groundbreaking global leadership studies by Deloitte University researchers Bernadette Dillon and Juliet Bourke. You will explore a wide range of traditional and timely topics. Examples include listening, feedback, inclusive meetings, emotional intelligence, belonging, microaggressions, and micro-affirmations.

The course is designed for current or aspiring leaders in ANY type of organization or institution – working in formal or informal roles, to achieve ANY type of goal. In addition, four Spotlights illuminate these special topics: The Workplace, Privilege, Implicit Bias, and Power. Each module has video lessons, a quiz, and a summary of key concepts. Each lesson includes 1-2 discussion prompts, self-reflections, assigned materials, and optional materials that allow you to delve more deeply into the lesson. In addition, a Resources section for the course shares a wealth of information and insight to further expand your learning.

I’m so glad that you chose this course. Best wishes for a productive and enjoyable learning experience.

Syllabus

WEEK 1

Inclusion Matters

In this module, you will learn perspectives on inclusion. We will explore the meanings of inclusion and why inclusion is important for promoting workplace diversity. The lessons will provide a foundation for becoming a highly inclusive leader. The first lesson offers a definition of inclusion. The second and third lessons deepen this definition by describing and giving examples of four factors of inclusion (belonging, uniqueness, equity, and non-discrimination). The fourth lesson explains how organizations benefit from inclusion. It also defines diversity in the workplace. And, it discusses the relationship between inclusion and diversity. The module concludes with a Spotlight on The Workplace. Please note that the Resources section of our course has a glossary of key concepts from this module.

WEEK 2

Inclusive Leadership Matters

In this module, you will learn perspectives on inclusive leadership. The first lesson reviews traditional theories of leadership and offers the definition of leadership that we will use in our course. The second lesson explains how we define inclusive leadership. The next two lessons delve into self-awareness, a crucial aspect of inclusive leadership. The module concludes with a lesson on the benefits of inclusive leadership and a Spotlight on Privilege. Please note that the Resources section of our course has a glossary of key concepts from this module.

WEEK 3

Six Signature Traits of Highly Inclusive Leaders

In this module, we will explore six signature traits of inclusive leadership. Researchers Bernadette Dillon and Juliet Bourke conducted a large-scale international project to study how leaders around the world were responding to changes related to inclusion. They identified six signature traits of highly inclusive leaders. The first lesson provides an overview of the six traits. The next lessons offer an overview of each trait and explain how inclusive leaders enact those traits. The module concludes with a Spotlight on Implicit Bias. Please note that the Resources section of our course has a glossary of key concepts from this module.

WEEK 4

Communication and Inclusive Leadership

In this module, we’re going to explore a variety of communication practices related to the six signature traits of inclusive leaders. Communication refers to the wide variety of ways that humans share meaning with one another, including communicating with oneself! Each lesson in this module provides information and ideas for how to communicate inclusively - how to show others that they are valued and respected. In the first lesson, we will explore a few communication topics that are especially relevant to members of non-dominant groups in the workplace. The following lessons delve into various communication topics, including intrapersonal communication, listening, microaggressions, micro-affirmations, feedback, and inclusive meetings. The module concludes with a Spotlight on Power. Please note that the Resources section of our course has a glossary of key concepts from this module.