Leading Diverse Teams: Strategies for Inclusion and Belonging

This session is intended for managers, department heads, and administrators in leadership positions who are interested in learning and applying practical skills to lead diverse, equitable, and inclusive (DEI) teams. Managers, department heads, and administrators in leadership positions will gain practical tools to help them lead diverse, equitable, and inclusive teams. This interactive workshop is specifically designed to accommodate learners from diverse backgrounds as well as learners from different starting knowledge points (new to the topic or social justice warriors). We will explore social identity in the workplace, examine inclusive leadership, and develop a toolkit to implement change management strategies. We will explore best practices for equitable organizational processes and norms and inclusive behavioral practices in teams. The session equips attendees with a strategies to mitigate implicit bias and employ a diversity, equity, and inclusion action plan that fosters inclusive leadership practices. 

Learning Outcomes:

· Participants will be able to understand how social identity influences how we show up at the workplace.

· Participants will be able to describe the meaning of inclusive leadership.

· Participants will be able to develop an individual diversity, equity, and inclusion action plan.

Improving psychological resilience and addressing the issues of low social capital are essential to creating equitable and healthy work settings, particularly for Black women who frequently confront unique and compounding challenges. The workplace is a social environment as much as a physical one, and connections, mentorship, and opportunity access are vital for both professional and personal growth. Black women's social capital can be severely reduced by institutionalized barriers to networking and pervasive microaggressions, which has a direct negative influence on their mental health and career advancement. Organizations may enhance the experiences of Black women and get access to a workforce that is more diverse, inclusive, and robust by proactively attempting to remove these obstacles and cultivate settings that enhance resilience. The commitment to enhancing social capital and resilience for Black women is not just a moral imperative but a strategic one, as it leads to broader organizational success and innovation.

Throughout the workshop, the systemic problems that lead to Black women's low social capital across generational boundaries are highlighted. Dr. Pina's research painstakingly reveals how Black women's professional trajectory and psychological resilience are directly impacted by reduced networking possibilities brought about by persistent racial and gender biases. Setting the scene with a definition of social capital and its importance in the workplace, the lecture then delves into the particular challenges Black women encounter, like limited access to sponsorship, mentorship, and fair possibilities for promotion. The resilience techniques that have been developed in response to these systemic obstacles are also included by Dr. Pina's analysis. She draws attention to the dual character of resilience as a social and personal strength, demonstrating how Black women draw from rich reservoirs of spirituality and cultural power to succeed in sometimes hostile work contexts.

The session concludes with a powerful call to action, providing practical recommendations for organizational change. Dr. Pina advocates for targeted policy reforms, increased awareness and training on microaggressions, and a concerted effort to create inclusive networks that genuinely support the growth and well-being of Black women. By incorporating these recommendations, organizations can take significant strides towards cultivating a workplace that not only recognizes the value of diverse social capital but actively works to enhance it, paving the way for a more just and resilient corporate landscape.

This talk is about both tested and emergent techniques used in University Libraries to address the professional issues around recruitment, retention, diversity, and advancement for people of color, underrepresented communities, and for women in senior administrative roles. Developing and utilizing DEI Audit toolkits, designing and financially supporting practical fellowships, awarding diversity research grants, providing on-the-job-mentoring, and advocating for curriculum-based changes in pursuit of the graduate degree are all examples that have impact in University Libraries and have impact across other academic departments.

Overview of Talk:

Ithaka S+R research study projects that in order to evolve from an approximate 17% BIPOC faculty and staff in the field of academic librarianship to about 25% it would require graduating 500-1,100 additional BIPOC people every year for the next decade. 

This talk is about both tested and emergent techniques used in University Libraries to address the professional issues around recruitment, retention, diversity, and advancement for people of color, underrepresented communities, and for women in senior administrative roles. Developing and utilizing DEI Audit toolkits, designing and financially supporting practical fellowships, awarding diversity research grants, providing on-the-job-mentoring, and advocating for curriculum-based changes in pursuit of the graduate degree are all examples that have impact in University Libraries and have impact across other academic departments.

Relevancy to Women in Higher Education:

This topic and the techniques are relevant to women in higher education leadership because the faculty and staff in University Libraries can often be overlooked as peers and allies with a voice in campus culture. These recruitment, retention, diversity, and professional sustainability issues affecting the academic library space are the same issues impacting other areas of higher education and the role women have to evolve it.

Attendees Take Away:

Panel attendees will take away key points of understanding-

How BIPOC and women faculty and staff in University Libraries are an essential part of diversity representation on campus
How University Libraries efforts to support EDI and representation can align with faculty, staff, and student campus efforts
How faculty search committees recruiting for the top administrative roles in University Libraries can raise awareness of the diversity and sustainability issues the profession is facing during that process

With the seismic adoption of generative AI, it is more urgent now than ever to examine the real impact of technology on the future of work and society. This session will examine the critical role of diversity in developing technologies that are resilient, equitable, and enable successful and sustainable organizations.  

Mitra Best will discuss:

Tech Paradox: Intentionally incorporating diversity to balance the Tech Paradox, in which technology, despite being a catalyst for numerous advancements and value creation, also contributes to many of our societal challenges  

Hybrid Workforce: How to navigate the transition to next generation Hybrid Workforce (a new AI-enabled professional/knowledge worker) and the role of leaders in shaping an inclusive future where the power of AI augments the human experience vs replaces it 

Tech for Good: How the promise of “tech for good” can finally be realized at scale by designing and delivering more sustainable and equitable outcomes that balance both profit and purpose 

Historically, women in higher education face a menagerie of challenges to advance. Women in STEM are particularly prone to leaving a discipline or academia altogether, a phenomenon so common it has been dubbed the leaky pipeline. As leaders seek the root causes of these inequities, evidence abounds that both historic systematic oppression and individual microaggressions pervade to negatively impact women’s advancement. Systematic inequities around promotion criteria, tenure committees, timelines, and parental leave all contribute in real ways to this leaky pipeline. Individuals also experience discrimination both subtly, and blatantly. Between these two major challenges, leaders face a multifaceted challenge in being part of the remedy to inequity.

Utilizing a data-driven approach, leaders can leverage institutional data as a starting point to identify gaps. However, institutional data often presents a surface-level portrait of the state of equity within an institution or unit. Leaders should also examine additional metrics such as rank and appointment type to discover a robust and realistic picture of equity within their units.

Once leaders have a realistic perspective on equity within their unit, they are empowered to enact systematic and individual-level change through grass-roots action. By sharing equity gaps with promotion policy makers, and working diligently to challenge bias in these arenas, equitable policies can be created. By seeing and hearing inequity at the individual level, leaders can choose to complacently allow behaviors to persist, or act to address microaggressions and visible discrimination within their institution. Taken together, leaders are empowered to identify and build solutions towards equity.

The rapid evolution of higher education has many of us working at and beyond capacity to create and execute a vision for how our institutions can weather this volatile climate in way that allow us to meet the needs of the students we have now and will recruit in the coming years, recruit, retain, and truly support talented faculty, and maintain the leadership role higher education has historically played in research, scholarship, and creative activities. Finding an achievable path that addresses all of these needs in the current landscape is daunting, and doing so in a climate where historical funding streams have diminished or changed is particularly daunting. 

We are part of a unique collaboration that brings together three institutions of higher education and a 501(c)(3) to increase the research, grants, and contract capacity of our faculty, staff, and students. Through this collaboration we are able to provide a level of training, support, and engagement around all related processes that our smaller institutions could never achieve independently. We also create a community of scholars and mutual support that facilitates innovation and provides formal and informal avenues means of accessing advice, collaborators, and mentors. 

We will discuss how this collaboration was created, the benefits we have seen so far, and ways that others can adopt all or part of this model in their own context.    

The path to leadership in higher education is not just a career; it's a calling that requires a blend of skill, strategy, and vision. "Navigating the Labyrinth: Mastering Career Strategy in Higher Education Leadership" offers an insightful session designed for aspiring leaders who are ready to take the helm in the academic world. This presentation will provide participants with a framework for career advancement, detailing how to strategically position themselves for growth within the often complex maze of academia. Participants will explore the essentials of self-promotion, the subtleties of institutional navigation, and the critical role of personal branding in climbing the educational leadership ladder.

Effective communication and collaboration across various departments stand at the core of any successful leader's journey. This session aims to equip attendees with the tools to build and maintain productive relationships with supervisors and colleagues alike. Through interactive discussions, attendees will learn about the delicate balance of assertiveness and diplomacy, essential for leading diverse teams and driving innovative projects.

The session will also address the importance of maximizing the opportunities at hand and setting clear, attainable goals for the future. The presentation will guide attendees through career plan strategy with goal-setting techniques. By the end of this session, participants will leave with a strategic toolkit tailored to elevate their career trajectory, ensuring that they not only aspire to leadership roles but are fully prepared to excel in them. Join us for a transformative experience designed to turn your leadership potential into a successful reality.

In the post #MeToo and George Floyd eras, performing arts institutions in the United States are grappling with the tensions that exist between long-standing hierarchical frameworks and calls from artists to create more diverse, equitable, and collaborative spaces. Academic institutions face similar tensions yet have a greater degree of flexibility and a stronger mandate than their industry counterparts; institutions of higher learning, therefore, must play a pivotal role in leading the charge for a comprehensive and sustainable approach to instilling values of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in the performing arts industry. 

 “Creating Belonging: Advocacy, Agency, and Ambassadorship in the Performing Arts” begins by outlining the historical background and contemporary perspective on the persistent, often deeply problematic hierarchies that allow for multiple and intersecting power imbalances within performing arts disciplines, by which women and people of color have been disproportionately impacted. The presentation defines contemporary, real-world challenges to be confronted, examines opportunities and solutions that arise from said confrontations, and offers a new paradigm for what it means to be a successful performing arts institution: one that embraces a collaborative approach, engages audiences by inviting them ‘in’ rather than ‘to’, and measures growth not just in audience numbers and balance sheets, but by societal impact. 

 To accomplish the work outlined above, performing arts programs within the academy have a responsibility to nurture young artists who not only are equipped with the requisite performance skills to enter a competitive industry, but who will enter said industry as capable, empowered, informed, thoughtful agents of change. It is no longer enough to do the difficult work of training competent - even outstanding - young artists. Academia must also develop young artists - particularly young women and artists of color - who know how to advocate for themselves, their work, and their fellow artists; are equipped with artistic agency sufficient to guide and inform their own work product; are aware of their responsibility as ambassadors for their specific disciplines, for the performing arts at large, and for how the performing arts can move society in positive ways. 

 Additionally, faculty working within the performing arts must be empowered to act as agents of change within their respective institutions, to be given the space to mentor students and young artists, particularly within relevant affinity groups, and to be diligent in fostering a symbiotic relationship between academia and industry. A strong argument exists for the cultivation of performing arts ‘laboratories’ within academic settings, where students and faculty are encouraged to experiment, fail, and build upon success; where audiences are invited in as active participants in the process of making art; and where industry stakeholders have an opportunity to connect with the values of their future constituency - practitioners and consumers alike. 

 Because women are among those minority groups that have most strongly experienced the negative repercussions of toxic hierarchies and power imbalances in the performing arts - and in academia - women are specifically positioned to emerge as leaders and primary collaborators in the work of dismantling existing power structures and fostering endemic change within academia and within the performing arts industry. “Creating Belonging: Advocacy, Agency, and Ambassadorship in the Performing Arts” offers a new paradigm for examining challenges, imagining solutions, and redefining success.

This presentation and subsequent discussion aim to delve into the deliberate and strategic approach to personal and professional development within the context of higher education administration, with a specific focus on thriving in interim leadership roles. The presenter will share insights drawn from their experiences serving as a program chair, faculty mentor, and interim senior research officer, shedding light on the intentional goal-setting and success metrics employed during these pivotal assignments.

Introduction:

Engaging in administrative roles within higher education often arises from unexpected circumstances, wherein individuals are called upon to fill crucial positions. The presenter's journey includes instances such as assuming the role of a program chair and faculty mentor, driven by a commitment to contribute to their department and institution. Notably, the presentation will center on the extended tenure as an interim senior research officer, a position initially undertaken for three months but extended to 27 months, offering a unique perspective on sustained interim leadership.

Setting the Stage:

While the presenter wholeheartedly embraced these responsibilities, they were equally intentional in setting personal and professional development goals. Recognizing the importance of deriving valuable takeaways from these experiences, even in instances where permanent appointments were elusive, the presenter strategically navigated the challenges inherent in interim roles.

Key Themes:

Goal Setting for Interim Leadership: Delving into the process of setting intentional and measurable goals, the presenter will explore how aligning personal and professional aspirations with the demands of an interim role can foster growth and development.
Success Metrics and Evaluation: Discussing the establishment of success metrics specific to interim leadership, the presentation will highlight the importance of continuous evaluation to ensure not only effective task execution but also personal and professional advancement.
Overcoming Setbacks and Learning Opportunities: Acknowledging instances where the presenter was overlooked for permanent positions, the discussion will address the resilience required in such situations and the invaluable learning opportunities embedded in setbacks.

Conclusion:

By sharing personal insights and experiences, this presentation seeks to contribute to the discourse on effective interim leadership in higher education administration. It emphasizes the significance of strategic goal-setting, the establishment of success metrics, and the cultivation of a mindset that ensures thriving even in temporary roles. The ensuing discussion invites participants to reflect on their own experiences and engage in a collective exploration of best practices for sustained growth in the dynamic landscape of higher education administration.

The pathway to leadership in higher education remains a significant challenge for marginalized populations. Womxn, first-generation college individuals, and Black Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC) have historically been excluded and pushed out. Many of them wait indefinitely for rare opportunities or invitations to the leadership table, often leaving capable individuals sidelined.

This highlights the urgent need for innovative opportunities for prospective womxn, first-generation, and BIPOC leaders. The long-standing, narrow pathways to higher education and leadership – ripe with patriarchy, sexism, racism – must be actively challenged. This involves creating opportunities not just for individuals but as well for cultivating a village of emerging underrepresented leaders. A decolonized approach that boldly champions culturally-affirming initiatives led by and for womxn, first-generation, and/or BIPOC leaders is essential.

In this presentation, the Psychology Internship Program (PIP; Kim & Johal, 2021), a mentorship-based pipeline initiative for first-generation college/college-bound, BIPOC students and professionals will be discussed. Founded by a first-generation college, BIPOC female faculty and her two BIPOC female graduate students, PIP aims to create a developmental and cross-generational pathway to higher education, advanced degrees, and leadership for marginalized high school students, undergraduate, and graduate students.

Attendees will gain insights into the inception, objectives, and structure of PIP. The session aims to equip participants with the knowledge and resources to replicate similar initiatives in their institutions, fostering a culturally-affirming leadership pipeline for marginalized and underrepresented students and professionals.

One of the most critical aspects of leadership is managing visibility, but this competency rarely receives the attention that it merits. Leaders across the gender spectrum are faced with core questions: “Who am I?” and “How do I show up?” Because of the influence of societal norms, gender schemas and intersectionality, women face a particularly nuanced deliberation of how they “respond” to these questions. In this session, we will delve into the concept of “tempered visibility” as a defined stance in relation to these questions.

Before focusing on “tempered visibility,” we will engage in several steps in preparation for this discussion: foundation setting, exploring key tactics used to manage visibility, delving into the importance of tempered visibility as a strategy, offering recommendations for the use of tempered visibility as a core leadership strength and concluding with key takeaways. Setting the foundation will be particularly important. The opening will include creating a shared understanding of key terms in the discourse on gender and DEI. In order to have the dialogue that this topic deserves, a space that welcomes participant engagement will be critical. To that end, the opening will also include the goal of co-creating a forum to guide our session. For these reasons, participants will be encouraged to share their expectations and boundaries, as well as any other parameters that will be helpful in shaping the context in which we will be working.

We often see managing visibility occurring through two commonly employed tactics – “standing out” and “blending in.” Both tactics are conscious determinations about how to handle a particular situation and/or take a stance on a particular issue. There are a number of benefits connected with each stance – being seen as a leader of innovation or acting as an adept team member are two of many outcomes. While knowing the benefits is important, understanding the challenges that accompany these two tactics is essential. With the decision to stand out, there is the possibility of being seen too much (hypervisibility). The decision to blend in may lead to not being seen enough (invisibility). A third observation is that invisibility and hypervisibility may be operating in tandem. A powerful way to navigate this paradox of invisibility and hyper visibility is a strategy identified as “tempered visibility.”

 Tempered visibility represents the unique talent of knowing when to step forward and when to step back. Skilled use of tempered visibility as a strategy provides an opportunity for participants to address the importance of picking battles wisely, developing a cadre of allies, and acknowledging the dynamics of “double binds” and “codeswitching.” In its strongest form, tempered visibility can act as a source of support for well-being and belonging, as well as a catalyst for professional development and advancement.

Stacy will share several recommendations to employ tempered visibility; she will also solicit experiences and perspectives from participants. Insights from the session will be enhanced by sharing real life examples of “standing out/blending in” and “hypervisibility/invisibility.” We all stand to learn from examples of how participants used “tempered visibility” in their own leadership journeys.

In conclusion, we will share our closing words. Participants will be invited to offer their “take always” (insights, points for future dialogue, critiques). With this session, we will both start and conclude our time together as a community illuminating the important leadership strength of tempered visibility.

Immerse yourself in our vibrant roundtable discussions, where your fellow participants become your problem-solving partners, as you generate solutions and actionable takeaways.