Optimizing Diversity on Teams

About this course: By drawing on social science perspectives, this course enables you to learn what diversity is, and how to use it to maximize team performance, innovation and creativity. You also learn how to draw out the collective wisdom of diverse teams, handle conflict and establish common ground rules through real-world cases and peer-to-peer discussions. In addition, you discover how to overcome common biases faced in diverse teams. Systems of power, reward and rhetoric are discussed to help you create prosperous teams where differences flourish.

Created by:  University of Pennsylvania

• Taught by:  Dr. Aviva Legatt, Affiliated Faculty

  Organizational Dynamics

• Taught by:  Derek Newberry, Ph.D., Lecturer

  Organizational Dynamics

Basic Info Course 3 of 5 in the Culture-Driven Team Building Specialization Level Beginner Commitment 4 weeks of study, 2-4 hours/week Language English How To Pass Pass all graded assignments to complete the course. User Ratings 3.8 stars Average User Rating 3.8See what learners said Coursework

Each course is like an interactive textbook, featuring pre-recorded videos, quizzes and projects.

Help from your peers

Connect with thousands of other learners and debate ideas, discuss course material, and get help mastering concepts.

Certificates

Earn official recognition for your work, and share your success with friends, colleagues, and employers.

University of Pennsylvania The University of Pennsylvania (commonly referred to as Penn) is a private university, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. A member of the Ivy League, Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States, and considers itself to be the first university in the United States with both undergraduate and graduate studies.

Syllabus


WEEK 1


Promoting Diversity in the Workplace



This module is all about the hidden barriers that can prevent you from promoting and leveraging the benefits of diversity on your team. We will learn specific strategies to get buy-in for diversity initiatives. We will learn about the biases that can harm these efforts, and discuss effective means of identifying and reducing these biases. Towards the end of the module, you will hear from two diversity experts. The first is Arjun Shankar, Co-Director of the Center for Curiosity at the University of Pennsylvania. In this role, he has studied cultural barriers to inclusion in organizations and offers insights based on his research. The second expert is Stanford Thompson, Executive Director of the music education non-profit, Play On, Philly! Stanford advises symphony orchestras nationally on how to improve their diversity, and will offer practical advice on making any team more inclusive. By the end of the module, you will be better positioned to develop diversity initiatives that go beyond compliance and make inclusion a core strength of your team.


8 videos, 2 readings expand

1. Video: Intro of Derek Newberry
2. Video: The Hidden Diversity Problem
3. Video: Promoting Diversity
4. Video: Managing Rewards Systems
5. Video: Managing Personal Bias
6. Video: Being A Good Ally
7. Video: Interview with Arjun Shankar
8. Video: Interview with Stanford Thompson
9. Reading: How to Manage Cultural Differences in Global Teams (“4 minute read”)
10. Reading: Fostering Innovation Through a Diverse Workforce
11. Discussion Prompt: Module 1 Forum Prompts

Graded: Module 1 Quiz
Graded: Module 1 Assignment

WEEK 2


Team Diversity Basics
In the first module, you will learn the essentials of why diversity matters for teams, and why it can be difficult to build diverse teams. We will overview basic concepts of difference, bias, and conflict that will serve as a foundation for later modules.


14 videos, 4 readings expand

1. Video: Personal Introduction
2. Video: Diversity Matters and So Do Our Biases
3. Reading: Social Identity Theory
4. Reading: Examples of Microaggressions
5. Video: Intro of Torian Richardson
6. Video: Diversity and Inclusion Issues on International Teams
7. Video: Strategies for Adapting to a New Team Culture
8. Video: Cases of Strategic Focus on Diversity and Inclusion
9. Video: Addressing a Critical Situation of Bias
10. Video: Cultivating the Right Mindset to Manage Diversity and Inclusion Issues
11. Reading: Andrés Castro Samayoa Biography
12. Video: Interview with Andrés Castro Samayoa
13. Video: Interview with Ann Tiao
14. Reading: Harvey Floyd II Biography
15. Video: Intro of Harvey Floyd II
16. Video: Strategies for Reducing Bias
17. Video: Questions that Help You Create a Diverse and Inclusive Team
18. Video: Frameworks for Managing Difficult Conversations
19. Discussion Prompt: Module 2 Forum Prompts

Graded: Module 2 Quiz
Graded: Module 2 peer-review

WEEK 3


Managing Conflict



In this module, we will move from promoting diversity to looking at the conflicts that can arise in diverse work environments. You will learn about why conflicts occur and how you can develop norms to address them. By the end of the module, you will be able to have better conversations related to diversity issues in the workplace.


8 videos, 2 readings expand

1. Video: M3 Overview
2. Video: Why Conflicts Occur
3. Video: Conflict Types and Origins
4. Video: Addressing Representational Gaps
5. Video: Conflict Resolution Strategies
6. Video: Addressing Oppression-Based Conflict
7. Video: Interview with Marybeth Gasman
8. Video: M3 Recap
9. Reading: 5 Keys To Dealing with Workplace Conflict by Mike Myatt (3 pages)
10. Reading: Representational Gaps, Information Processing and Conflict in Functionally Diverse Teams (14 pages)
11. Discussion Prompt: Module 3 Forum Prompts

Graded: Module 3 Quiz
Graded: Module 3 peer-review

WEEK 4


Diversity Case Study



In this module, you will get a practical perspective on managing diversity in teams by looking at real life cases of companies creating a more inclusive workplace. Looking at the experience of Google, Nike and UnitedHealthcare, you will see how major businesses are applying specific strategies and techniques for overcoming barriers to inclusion.


9 videos, 1 reading expand

1. Video: M4_ Intro to Case Study Module
2. Video: High Performance on Diverse Teams
3. Video: Creating Inclusion Through Participation
4. Video: Nike Introduction
5. Video: Nike Goals
6. Video: Nike Roles
7. Video: Nike Norms
8. Video: Interview with Jacqui Barton
9. Video: M4 Recap
10. Reading: Global Leadership: Working Across Borders

Graded: Module 4 Quiz
Graded: Module 4 Assignment