Course Syllabus

Course Year,
Leveraging Diverse Teams 2020-21, Fall
Name: Term:

Course Instructor
RSM 1165HF.L0108 Working remotely due to COVID19
Code: Office:

Instructor
Instructor: John Oesch By appointment
Office Hrs:

Instructor
Phone: n/a oesch@rotman.utoronto.ca
email:

TA TA
n/a n/a
name(s): email(s):

Course Description
Course Scope and Mission
Increasingly, organizations face complicated problems that require people to work together to come up
with solutions. But working in teams can be difficult. Although team members may have different life
experiences, ways of thinking, ways of communicating, and professional training, they still need to find
a way to work effectively as a team. We all have been parts of teams – sometimes the experience is
rewarding and sometimes it is terrible. When things go well, teams become more than the sum of their
parts and can achieve great things. However, when things go poorly, teams struggle to accomplish
even basic tasks. So what accounts for this variation in team performance? This course is an
opportunity to explore why and how teams succeed or fail.

This course presents an overview of theory and research that shows how people can leverage the
advantages of diverse teams, while minimizing the challenges. Moreover, it provides you with an
opportunity to practice your team skills through exercises, case discussions, interactive lectures,
videos, and assignments. By engaging with the course material, you will gain insight into your own
behaviour on teams and have the chance for self-development; you will learn how to work more
effectively in the study teams you will be part of at Rotman; and, going forward, you will be better
equipped to contribute to your teams and to lead teams in organizations.

Course Content
This course is designed to bring issues related to diverse teams to life. It includes case discussions that
illustrate how concepts operate in real business situations, lectures that explain theories and empirical
findings, and in-class exercises and assessment tools that apply the course concepts in a personally
relevant manner. This course is structured in two parts. Part 1 (Sessions 1-3) explores factors that lead
to different ways of thinking and communicating within and across teams, including cognitive diversity,
functional diversity, and cultural diversity. Part 2 (Sessions 4-6) examines how diversity impacts team
dynamics, focusing on team decision making and team performance.
RSM 1165HF.L0108 Leveraging Diverse Teams - 2020-21 Fall

Part 1: Diversity in and across teams

In the first three sessions, we will build our mental model of managing diversity in and across teams.

In Session 1, we start with a discussion of a real-world example of diverse teams in action. Using a
Harvard Business School case about the 2010 Chilean Mining disaster, we will examine how cross-
functional and cross-cultural teams can work together to accomplish a difficult goal: the rescue of
trapped miners. This case illustrates some of the challenges that people face in diverse teams,
especially around how to integrate different ways of thinking that stem from different professional and
cultural backgrounds.

In Session 2, we examine the challenges inherent in cross-cultural communication through a computer

simulation. This simulation enlightens our learning of perspective taking – to view the world from others’
perspective; further, it enhances our skills in communicating across culturally.

In Session 3, we will discuss cultivating a growth mindset around diversity and inclusion and discuss
strategies for embracing and navigating differences in teams.

Part 2: The impact of diversity on team dynamics

Having explored various facets of diversity in Part 1, we turn now to an examination of how diversity
can affect team dynamics.

In Session 4, we do a deeper dive into the challenges and benefits of teamwork with an in-class
exercise. Through this exercise, we develop a more nuanced understanding of what work is best done
by teams versus individuals, as well as the importance of creating a psychological safe environment for
team effectiveness.

In Session 5, we examine the influence of diversity on team decision making by engaging in an

interactive class exercise. This exercise illustrates different ways that teams can make decisions, with
key takeaways about how to improve team decision making.

In Session 6, we integrate learnings from the previous sections and consider the challenges of
managing diverse teams in virtual settings, with students sharing key takeaways from their team
charter.

Course Learning Outcomes

Students will be able to:
1. describe and explain course concepts related to participating in and managing diverse teams
2. identify practical strategies for leveraging the advantages of diverse teams, while minimizing the
challenges
3. create a Team Charter to improve their effectiveness in working in study teams, individually and
collectively

2
RSM 1165HF.L0108 Leveraging Diverse Teams - 2020-21 Fall

Course Grade Components

The final course grade reflects your level of demonstrated achievement of the Course Learning
Outcomes listed above. Deliverables provide feedback on your progress towards the course grade.
Given the unique nature of this course, with significant focus on collaboration and team-based work,
RSM1165 uses an alternate grading scheme: Credit/No Credit. Note: Deliverables that are to be
submitted in class are due at the beginning of class unless otherwise noted.
For situations in which students are not granted an academic accommodation for a missed or late
deliverable, the missed or late deliverable will be accepted with the following penalty: reduced grade at
the instructor’s discretion; generally, late submissions will be penalized 2% per day that the submission
is late.

Item Wt % Due Date /Time Delivery Turnitin

Team charter 50 Before class, Fri Aug 29 Quercus 

Team case analysis Mon Aug 31, 11:59pm Quercus 

50

Turnitin.com
Normally, students will be required to submit their course essays to Turnitin.com for a review of textual
similarity and detection of possible plagiarism. In doing so, students will allow their essays to be
included as source documents in the Turnitin.com reference database, where they will be used solely
for the purpose of detecting plagiarism. The terms that apply to the University’s use of the Turnitin.com
service are described on the Turnitin.com website.

Deliverables Descriptions
Further details may be found on Quercus.

Team Charter (50% of the final grade)

This is a team assignment; each team will submit one copy of their paper. When you submit your
assignment, please use the Group Assignment Cover Page available on Quercus, which all members
of your Study Team must sign.

The goal of your Team Charter is to apply the conceptual knowledge we have learned throughout the
course to develop an action plan to enhance the effectiveness of your virtual study team. In this written
assignment you need to:

3
RSM 1165HF.L0108 Leveraging Diverse Teams - 2020-21 Fall

(1) present the shared perspective, among your team members, regarding “What makes an excellent
study team?” Describe the specific goals that you set collectively for your study team;
(2) discuss the Do’s – “What our study team will do”. Present the specific behavioral norms that the
team has developed, and analyze why such norms would facilitate team effectiveness as well as
individual development. Use concrete examples to justify your analysis; and support your analysis with
course concepts;
(3) discuss the “Don’ts” – “What our study team will not do.” Present specific examples of individual
behavior that your team will not tolerate; and examples of team dysfunctional characteristics that your
team will avoid having;
(4) provide a plan for contingent actions – “If something in the ‘Don’ts’ category happens, how will we
repair it? Provide concrete action plans of how to resolve conflicts and reinforce team norms etc., and
(5) complete the Team Charter with a precise and concise conclusion.

The Team Charter is not just an academic assignment. More importantly, it is the guide for your team
development. Therefore, everything presented in the Team Charter must be based on extensive
discussions and agreement reached by all members in the team. Please consider the virtual context in
your development of the Charter, and ensure that the Charter is feasible and that your team is
committed to it.

This Team Charter analysis should be no longer than 1,500 words (roughly 6-7 double-spaced pages)
including everything (e.g., headings, tables, appendices, figures, headers, footers, etc.). Please include
the word count at the bottom of your document. Any text in excess of 1,500 words will not contribute to
your grade.

Team Case Analysis (50% of the final grade)

The final assignment for this course (due August 31 at 11:59pm) is a case analysis where you will work
with your team to demonstrate your knowledge of course concepts by applying them to a set of
questions related to a mini-case involving diverse teams. More detail will be provided in class about this
assignment.

This team case analysis should be no longer than 1,200 words (roughly 5-6 double-spaced pages)
including everything (e.g., headings, tables, appendices, figures, headers, footers, etc.). Please include
the word count at the bottom of your document. Any text in excess of 1,200 words will not contribute to
your grade.

Readings and Materials

Additional materials may be posted on Quercus.

Item Title Required? Location

Reading Digital coursepack Required Link is on Quercus
package

4
RSM 1165HF.L0108 Leveraging Diverse Teams - 2020-21 Fall

Schedule

Class
Date Topics Deliverables Course content
#
1 Aug 27, Teaming - Review pre-class videos and
2020 materials
- Case: Chilean Mining (A)
Note - it is essential that you
come to class ready to
discuss the Chilean mining
case

2 Aug 27, Communicating Work on team charter - Review pre-class materials

2020 cross-culturally questions
- In-class computer simulation
(no preparation required)

3 Aug 28, Embracing Work on team charter - Review pre-class materials

2020 differences in teams questions
- In-class discussion about bias
and privilege

4 Aug 28, Exploring the Work on team charter In-class exercise (no preparation
2020 benefits and questions required)
challenges of
teamwork
5 Aug 29, Making decisions in Team charter due In-class exercise (no preparation
2020 teams before class begins on required)
August 29th

6 Aug 29, Working in virtual Case for case analysis In-class presentations about key
2020 teams will be released after team learnings
class on August 29

Final Aug 31, Team case analysis

paper 2020 due 11:59pm

The University of Toronto is committed to equity, human rights and respect for diversity. All members of
the learning environment in this course should strive to create an atmosphere of mutual respect where
all members of our community can express themselves, engage with each other, and respect one
another’s differences. U of T does not condone discrimination or harassment against any persons or
communities.

5
RSM 1165HF.L0108 Leveraging Diverse Teams - 2020-21 Fall

Class Recordings
Regardless of the statements on recordings below, the instructor may at any time decide to suspend
class recording for any reason, including privacy concerns, intellectual property issues, lack of
attendance, or pedagogical preference.
Recordings by Rotman
All classes are recorded by Rotman and posted to course page
If Rotman recordings are provided, they are only for the exclusive use of enrolled students, for
personal learning, and not to be shared in any way. Rotman recordings require two business days
before becoming available.

Recordings by Student
You may not record class meetings with your own device(s). This prohibition includes taking pictures of
slides and the whiteboard.

Standard Policies
The following are policies students should assume are in force with all Rotman courses. Full details for
each of these policies can be found on the Registrar’s Office website:
1. Academic Accommodations
2. Academic Integrity
3. Accessibility Services
4. Assignment Cover Sheet
5. Class Attendance
6. Code of Behaviour on Academic Matters
7. Course Drop Deadline Policy, for MBA electives dates check relevant course schedules
8. Grading Policies
9. Group Work and Behaviour
10. Scent-Free Environment
11. Use of Technology

COURSE OUTLINE INDEX

Course Description
Course Learning Outcomes
Course Grade Components
Turnitin.com

6
RSM 1165HF.L0108 Leveraging Diverse Teams - 2020-21 Fall

Deliverables Descriptions
Readings and Materials
Schedule
Class Participation
Class Recordings
Other
Standard Policies