Leading Diverse Teams & Organizations

Go to Course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/leading-diverse-teams-and-organizations

Introduction

### Course Review: Leading Diverse Teams & Organizations on Coursera In the modern workplace, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are not mere buzzwords; they are essential elements for fostering a productive and innovative environment. The Coursera course **Leading Diverse Teams & Organizations** addresses these critical issues head-on, offering a robust curriculum that combines evidence-based knowledge and practical tools to empower leaders across various settings. #### Course Overview Developed to accommodate learners from diverse backgrounds, this course provides a comprehensive understanding of how to design and lead diverse teams that thrive on inclusion and equity. Regardless of your previous experience with DEI concepts, you will find actionable insights to aid in your personal and professional growth in leading diverse organizations. #### Syllabus Breakdown **Week 1: Diversity and Our Mindset** The course kicks off by introducing core concepts related to DEI. In this foundational week, participants learn to recognize their own biases and develop a growth mindset that is crucial for engaging with DEI. The emphasis on self-reflection is a pivotal step; understanding your own behavior lays the groundwork for advocating change within broader organizational contexts. **Week 2: Personal Diversity Challenges** Building upon the first week, the second module dives deeper into the personal implications of biases. It sheds light on how small, often unintentional actions can perpetuate stereotypes and systemic discrimination. Participants are equipped with strategies to become 'anti-bias' in their daily lives and to initiate critical conversations around these topics with peers. This week reinforces the idea that personal growth precedes systemic change, a core principle in effective leadership. **Week 3: Organizational Equity** The focus shifts to the structural aspects of equity in organizations. Here, participants explore how to build equity through comprehensive diversity policies and ensuring accountability in personnel decisions. This week is particularly useful for leaders who are involved in hiring, team composition, or organizational planning, providing practical frameworks for embedding DEI into every level of an organization. **Week 4: Team Inclusion** In the final week, the course highlights the significance of inclusion, a necessity for any successful team. Learners delve into the science behind inclusive practices and are guided in identifying their own inclusive behaviors. The course concludes with actionable steps to foster a culture of inclusion in their teams, emphasizing that genuine inclusion is a continuous effort that begins with personal accountability. #### Course Recommendation **Leading Diverse Teams & Organizations** is a must-take for anyone in a leadership role or aspiring to one. Whether you are a business manager, a team leader, or simply passionate about promoting diversity in your workplace, this course provides the much-needed tools and insights. It’s structured in a way that accommodates various learning styles and backgrounds, making it accessible and relatable to a wide audience. The interactive elements and real-life application scenarios ensure that learners do not merely absorb knowledge but are encouraged to implement what they learn into their professional environments. The focus on self-awareness and continuous improvement resonates deeply, making this course a valuable resource for personal and organizational development. In summary, invest time in **Leading Diverse Teams & Organizations** on Coursera to not only enhance your leadership capabilities but also to contribute positively to the diverse world in which we live and work. By engaging in this transformative learning experience, you will be better positioned to lead with empathy and effectiveness, fostering an inclusive culture that values every individual.

Syllabus

Week 1 Diversity and Our Mindset

In the first week of this MOOC on DEI, you will get an introduction to DEI, including definitions of the terms and a first understanding of the mindsets we have around these topics. To fully process the learning of this week, it’s important to have a growth mindset on these topics and be open to really looking at yourself and your own behavior. Bias is something all of us struggle with, and something all of us can and should work on every day! Without developing a growth mindset around our own biases, it’s hard to convincingly make changes in broader organizational policies and practices on DEI.

In the second week of this MOOC on DEI, we will do a deep dive into why checking and correcting our own biases matters - why it’s important to be anti-bias in our daily lives. Namely, we’ll explore the structural inequalities that exist because of daily small, and often unintentional behaviors, that propagate certain stereotypes and lead to the systemic discrimination of some groups compared to others. We’ll then explore the first steps you can take to be ‘anti-bias’ in your personal life, including how to have conversations with close others about these topics. Once we’ve helped you get the tools to grow your own mindset around DEI, in the second half of this course we’ll then explore the strategies you can take to help your organization improve on these topics. To fully process the learning of this week on diversity mindsets, it’s important to have a growth mindset on these topics and be open to really looking at yourself and your own behavior. Bias is something all of us struggle with, and something all of us can and should work on every day! Again, without developing a growth mindset around our own biases, it’s hard to convincingly make changes in broader organizational policies and practices on DEI!

In the third week of this MOOC on DEI, we will gain insight into organizational practices and policies which can create equity. Namely, we’ll explore how equity is created in diversity policies, ideologies, and statements. We’ll then get very practical in how equity can be created in personnel decisions, such as hiring and job ads, and we will then look at how DEI can be systematically built into all structures of organizations in ways in which accountability and impact will be more likely.

In the fourth and final week of this MOOC on DEI, we will explore the meaning of inclusion and how to create it in our workplaces. Namely, we’ll explore the science behind inclusion, and get really clear by what is (and isn’t meant) by inclusion. We’ll then explore the first steps you can take to be a more inclusive leader and lead more inclusive teams. As always, to fully process the learning of this week, it’s important to have a growth mindset on these topics and be open to really looking at yourself and your own behavior. Inclusion starts with our own behavior, and is something all of us can and should work on every day. Again, without showing inclusive behaviors ourselves, it’s hard to convincingly make changes in broader organizational policies and practices on DEI!