1. Discuss the impact of bias, privilege, and inequality on organizational effectiveness.

What I have learned is that no one is immune from bias, we all must check ourselves for
unconscious bias, confirmation bias and the list go on. Bias in addition to privilege, and
inequality have varying effects on organizations depending on the degree of which of the three
are in play. The fact remains that it requires an honest self-appraisal from everyone involved to
recognize, become aware, learn, and strive for advocacy for others. We are selfish beings by
default, we often only think of ourselves most of the time. To combat bias, privilege, and
inequality we must tear ourselves from this mantra and command ourselves to be others
centered. It is not only the just thing to do, but a requirement for transformational empathetic
leadership.
After all change starts at the top, leaders should be able to spot and address any incidents of
inequality and aim to create an environment where inclusivity is at the foundation of the
company’s mission and values.
The impact alone can have devastating consequences, beyond just the legal aspect. Productivity
will suffer, conflict will increase, and people won't feel seen and heard. When you have people
who aren't represented nothing else can function at optimal levels. Which is why, the change
must come from the top, there must be standards in place to address these concerns and ensure
that no one is left behind.

2. Discuss how culture influences leadership styles and the competencies needed to
effectively lead diverse organizations.
Culture has a dramatic impact on how we show up as individuals, leadership is quality that
considers multiple factors including culture. How we solve problems changes based off how we
view the problems. Leaders from different cultures all provide value to an organization, most
especially because their unique perspective will draw conclusions that may have otherwise not
been considered. Each leader should immerse themselves in cultures different from their own,
finding ways to grow their CQ and to become a global leader. When leaders stick with their own
circle, thought and actions can become blended and group think will be created. To be an
effective leader you must know yourself first, then you must seek to understand your neighbor,
then continue seeking to understand what is different. A leader with a high degree of CQ will
seek opportunities that are unfamiliar to them, they will ask for help, and they will look for
solutions that involve the input from others around them.

3. Discuss the relationship between inclusive leadership and organizational effectiveness.

No one wants to feel like they are alone and not seen. Having already discussed the impacts of
bias, privilege, and inequality on organizations, I will add that organizational cultures which
exclude people whether knowingly or not create an unhealthy balance. Inclusive leadership like
many other DEI approaches begins with the individual. Knowing where, when, and how you can
create an open environment where everyone is welcome is the start. Knowing where your own
inadequacies exist and taking steps to change those behaviors. The fact remains, you cannot be
an inclusive leader if you yourself are not acting with an inclusive mindset. Organizations that
operate with DEI at the forefront of their mission and values attract the top talent, have higher
rates of tenure and lower rates of turnover. People are drawn to companies where values aren't
just writing on the wall, but they are lived through the people who up the organization.
Organizational culture isn't something that can be created overnight be rewriting a set of values,
they must be lived through one’s actions. These actions must be verified and addressed if they
don't align, if there isn't accountability for not living a company’s values then the culture suffers,
and people leave. It is often said that people quit bosses not organizations, leaders set the tone for
inclusive leadership. It starts at the top.

4. Describe insights or reminders gained from this course. Be specific to demonstrate your
engagement with the course materials by connecting the material to your organizational
life (past, present). Do not simply summarize or regurgitate the materials. In a
thoughtful, sensitive response highlight what you learned from the class. Balance global
statements with being specific and relating to class concepts/vocabulary.
Focus on these issues:
What did you learn about individual diversity?
What did you learn about diversity in organizations?
What did you learn about leading diverse teams?
This class reaffirmed the need for further change. While the efforts of DEI may seem like recent
headlines, they have been hard at work for the past 100 years. Organizations used to be immune
to this type of leadership, everything was about the bottom line. Now we are seeing that inclusive
leadership is better for business which might be the selling point for more organizations to foster
inclusive cultures. What I would stress is that it isn't about quantity, but rather quality. Diversity
should be representative, too often it appears that inclusive leadership is just for the show of
things but that behind closed doors it back to the status quo. This is what this class has shown
me, that it begins with the next generation of leaders who must continue to forge a new path
toward equity for all.
I have mentioned this before a few times, but I will continue to hammer these points, leading
diverse teams begins with having the right leader who first is open and honest with themselves
about their own short comings. Then takes aim to address and amend these behaviors. As a
leader myself of almost two decades, I have learned much about the importance of leading
diverse teams, further I have learned much from this class on why my pursuit to understand more
will never end. There isn't a destination but rather an evolving journey that everyone must endure
to reach for better outcomes for all. Leadership is not for the faint of heart though, it is a
challenge that is often uncomfortable.