Monday, November 11, 2013

November 1st Cohort Meeting

1. Name of Meeting: Diversity in Leadership

2. Three Things I Learned:

  • I learned that it is important to be sensitive to minorities so that people do not feel left out. 
  • I learned that everyone has different characteristics by which they identify themselves.  For example religion is a major way that I identify myself but for other people things like gender or nationality are more important.
  • I also learned that everyone handles conflict differently.  Specifically, when Bailey and I discussed our dilemma I took a more confrontational approach.
3. It is important for leaders to be sensitive to differences in people so that no one feels like they are on the outside of the group.  This applies in the case of campus which offers a variety of clubs to ensure that everyone can find a group of people on campus they identify with whether it be through religion, race, or a common interest. I think this meeting helped me realize that things I do not have a problem with could bother other people based on their identity so hopefully I will become more aware and therefore more inclusive.

4. I think it is impossible to make leadership value neutral because no matter what most people subconsciously abide by a few values that they will never be able to ignore.  I think it is good for leadership to be ethical but in being ethical a leader must abide by some standard of what is ethical thereby not being neutral in his or her leadership.

5. I largely identify myself as Catholic but I am friends with many people who are not Catholic and it does not affect my relationship with them in the least.  My best friend on campus, Megan, is not religious at all.