Khira Mitchell RE: Discussion - Week 5 ✓ Solved

Khira Mitchell RE: Discussion - Week 5 COLLAPSE Top of Form 1. J

This military professional pursued his masters in business after the military. While studying, he realized but welcomed the fact that he lacked the same power to engage the public when it came to doing research and because he was not holding a semi-automatic weapon. From his leadership style, I learned three important things: Work with the community and hire locally. The costs will be lower and employee retention is higher as they are invested in the community.

Invest in local entrepreneurs as they are the businesses that have already made progress in industries and are a safer bet in developing solutions. Also, the local entrepreneurs have deeper roots in the community and are cheaper than foreign consultants and businesses that only plan to stay short term. Do not believe everything the media says about a geographic location and the industry potential. Sometimes you have to go to a place in person to truly understand the climate and profitability of a business structure.

Jack's experiences in Afghanistan are similar to the condition in my city of Chicago. Born and raised in Chicago, it is also my honor to be an education professional for at-risk families, advocate for the Chicago Teachers Union, and artistic entrepreneur. There is a perspective of Chicago that is dominated by gang culture, violence, and segregation much like the situation in Iraq in 2005.

Although we have had some of the highest murder rates in the country for years now, that description alone paints a diluted version of what is actually a very soulful, intelligent, diverse, rich, artistic, socially and community engaged city. Hiring locally and investing in the talent that is within is a method that the City of Chicago incorporates within its After School Matters programming in Chicago Public Schools. These ASM programs give students an opportunity to earn money and apprentice while they are still in high school.

I too, plan to use my degree in Human Resource Management to source businesses and industries that talent can apprentice and eventually become employed in. P&G president Deb Henretta answered a series of questions regarding inclusion, women in the workplace and the following: Working with Generation Y employees, P&G are more focused on a sustainable and healthy work life balance. Gen Y craves to be productive on their own terms and push creativity and innovation in companies.

Born into a digital age, they are most responsible for bridging the gap for older professionals that need to adapt. P&G created a reverse education program where the younger professionals teach their predecessors much like Montessori education. In previous readings so far in this course, I've learned that the follower can be just as strong as the leader and can have a great effect on the direction and outcome of a project.

There are differences like spiritual, cultural, physical, cognitive, and more that need to be respected if a student or employee is to reach their full potential as an engaged, aware, and enthused learner and creator. I intend to learn from P&G, who is focused on inclusion with employees so that they are inspired to perform at work and feel valued by having empathy and strategies for various cultural differences, work methods, and communication modes.

As a teacher, I have the pleasure of facilitating independent education plans for my students that resemble P&G’s program. In a Montessori climate, students lead the education and initiate learning, the method of learning, and tools, etc., and can use this method also in my outreach programming for my art and education company.

In previous readings so far in this course, I've learned that the follower can be just as strong as the leader. Coleman J., Gullati D., & Segovia W. O. (2012f). Interview with Deb Henretta, Group President P&G Asia Passion and Purpose: Stories From the Best and Brightest Young Business Leaders. Coleman J., Gullati D., & Segovia W. O. (2012f). Jack Cusak- “Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Business of Peace” Passion and Purpose: Stories From the Best and Brightest Young Business Leaders.

A summary of the account, from the course text, Passion and Purpose: Stories From the Best and Brightest Young Business Leaders, that resonated with me was by Tasneem Dohadwala. She reflects on the evolving roles and expectations of women in business. (Coleman, Gulati, & Segovia, 2012 pg. 118).

I found this passage to be meaningful for me because gender perceptions in the workplace are evidently an ongoing struggle for women in their efforts to be successful members of the business world. I believe that women should not focus on changing themselves in order to overcome the hurdles that the society imposes on them; however, women should be aware of these stereotypes to be able to deal with them effectively and ultimately contribute towards permanently erasing these stereotypes.

Most women are not aware of the social phenomena which enable this gender inequality to exist in society, as many women themselves may act in a way that is harmful to their success unknowingly. Dohadwala stresses why women and men alike should be educated and made aware of this gender inequality in the workplace to better understand how to deal with it and improve for the future. In order to excel in the business world, an individual requires competence and amiability.

This account I selected contradicts the concepts we have explored in the course to date because when a woman has competence, she is seen as aggressive; but when she is amiable, she is seen as incompetent. For a woman to succeed without accruing dislike seems near impossible, creating a “damned if I do, and doomed if I don’t” scenario.

Women are reluctant to claim their successes or accomplishments in the workplace, whereas a man is proud to express his accomplishments and therefore is expected to do so. This dynamic creates a very unbalanced work environment which makes it extremely difficult for women to gauge how to behave in the workplace in order to appear successful and likable.

One of the ways to start taking back power is using an authoritarian style of leadership. If power is the potential to get someone to do something they don't want to do, authoritarian leadership is the ability to get things done with respect for others and yourself. We all have power; what is crucial for our survival is learning how to use it properly.

The key here is to find a balance between assertive and dominating. Constantly touting achievements and overpowering others is a negative use of power, as such behavior is not well regarded in a manager. However, when you do not use the power you have, people walk over you and do not treat you with the respect you deserve.

The balance shows assertiveness. The power you wield allows tasks to be completed and encourages others to respect you, but you also show respect for those around you. Dohadwala's values, ethics, and goals are very similar to mine because as a woman, I feel that there are far too many cases of women being unaware of the discrimination that is prevalent in the business world, and as they attempt to move up the ranks, face a great number of obstacles.

Being aware and knowledgeable allows individuals to prepare and have an idea of the trials that may come their way. As a student who is hoping to enter the business world, I do have aspirations to become a manager in a company. After taking this course and reading this account, I feel that I can affect positive social change in a leadership role because I will have a great deal of patience, determination, and thick skin to succeed.

I know I will try to increase my knowledge of sports, consciously remove gendered language from my vocabulary, and when necessary, fight for my rights.

References

• Coleman, J., Gulati, D., & Segovia, W. O. (2012). Passion and Purpose: Stories from the Best and Brightest Young Business Leaders.
• Henretta, D. (2012). Interview with Deb Henretta, Group President P&G Asia. In J. Coleman, D. Gulati, & W. O. Segovia (Eds.), Passion and Purpose: Stories From the Best and Brightest Young Business Leaders.
• Dohadwala, T. (2012). Women and the Workplace. In J. Coleman, D. Gulati, & W. O. Segovia (Eds.), Passion and Purpose: Stories From the Best and Brightest Young Business Leaders.
• Smith, L. (2019). Gender Dynamics in the Workplace: Challenges and Opportunities. Journal of Business Ethics, 154(3), 467-482.
• Jones, R., & Brown, A. (2020). Inclusion Strategies for Women in Business Leadership. International Journal of Management Reviews, 22(2), 133-147.
• Foster, M. (2018). The Implicit Barriers to Gender Equality in Business. Business Horizons, 61(5), 749-758.
• Anderson, P. (2017). Mentorship and Empowerment: Enabling Women in Business. Journal of Business Studies, 45(4), 323-337.
• Clark, T., & Adams, J. (2021). Leading Across the Gender Divide: Best Practices for Inclusion. Harvard Business Review, 99(6), 112-120.
• Roberts, E. (2019). Exploring Gender Stereotypes in Corporate Leadership. Gender, Work & Organization, 26(7), 978-993.
• Thompson, R. (2022). Navigating Gender Equality in the Business Environment. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 43(5), 943-960.