https://create.twu.ca/lewaahmed/2018/06/24/ldrs-500-unit-8-learning-activity-2/

I enjoyed reading your post Lewa and the points that you have shared about how you would further promote gender inclusivity within your organization.  You’ve got me thinking and I’m just curious about a couple of things:

• You mention that you would visibly reward inclusive behaviour in your organization and I’m wondering what you mean by “visibly reward”.  What does that look or sound like?
• You mention the possibility of offering paternity leave for men at your organization and I was a little bit surprised as I thought paternity leave was offered at the majority of businesses now.  Is this not currently an option for males at your workplace? I wonder if men have raised this as an objection?

Thanks for sharing your thoughts, it is always so nice to learn from each other.

https://create.twu.ca/layla11/2018/06/23/unit-8-learning-activity-8-2-2/

I loved your willingness to be open about the gender differences in your workplace. I especially liked how you referenced Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook and her TED talk on why we have too few female leaders. I was just doing an interview today with a female administrator in my school district who also referenced Sheryl Sandberg and her catch  phrase “lean in” (she wrote a book about this and is the founder of the group Lean In). The link for the organization Lean In can be found here.

Time Magazine

Sheryl Sandberg in her book and in her TED talk encourages women to step outside their comfort zones and be willing to sit at the conference table, to ask for more money, to participate in the traditional male activities such as golf tournaments so that women can “lean in” and have more of a presence in a male dominated environment.

I think that if we were to take a poll, even from our small class group, we would most likely find that the majority of women feel like gender gaps definitely exist in our workplaces.  I don’t believe that all of these gaps are intentional by any means, rather the formulas for how things are done have been ingrained over the years and women who break into leadership roles, are too afraid to speak up about these practices for fear of having their progress stalled or finding themselves suddenly demoted.  So instead, women are choosing to go along with it and consciously settle for what they can get, rather than risk losing out on leadership opportunities.

I loved how you commented that,”once we can understand the perspective held by another gender, we could be more supportive and welcome”. I honestly think that most men would be shocked to discover how women feel as they genuinely aren’t consciously aware of the existence of these dynamics or the challenges that women feel they face.  I agree with you that communication is definitely key to being able to see things from both male and female perspectives so that both genders can learn from each other and recognize that both bring strengths to the table and that together they are stronger as a result.

Wow! I didn’t think that I would struggle to complete the Gender Leader Implicit Association Test (Northouse, 2019, pp 421-423) in a quick and timely fashion.  I was fighting a battle  in my head, debating logically that words such as ambitious, dynamic, understanding or leader could just as easily apply to male/supporter or female/leader.  It didn’t seem fair that there wasn’t a ‘both’ column.  I discovered that I too am guilty of succumbing to stereotypes as I quickly assigned words like sympathy and compassion to being more likely to be female traits than male. What does this say about me and my ability to have an open mind about gender inequality in the workplace? Do I as a member of the female persuasion actually help contribute to the exclusion of my own gender by my own stereotypical assumptions?

I openly admit that I am not an in your face feminist, hear me roar type of person. I strongly believe (perhaps naively)that positions in companies and promotions should be offered to those who have the best qualifications, the best skills (people, technical, critical thinking and creative), the best education and/or experience to do the job well regardless of gender, race or culture. I believe this because by doing so it is doing what is best for the organization as a whole and not the individuals involved. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the reality and oftentimes there is discrimination against women when it comes to leadership roles.

I believe in inclusion and equality and because I believe in inclusion and equality I also choose as much as possible to not be a bystander when exclusion is taking place. When we don’t speak up, and we don’t try to take action, we are as guilty as those who are doing the excluding.  I am grateful for those who have gone before me and fought for women to have the right to vote, to drive, to attend school and get an education work, and work outside the home.  There is still much to be done to promote inclusion in our work places.  We need to be willing to be role models in order for our voices to be acknowledged and our actions to be contagious.

Image courtesy of www.fullinclusionforcatholicschools.com

It is hard to speak up, especially if you are a woman vying for a spot in a competitive male dominated world. No female wants to draw unfavourable attention and face the consequences of a potential fall-out as a result.  A woman I know from another school district, requested a follow-up meeting with a member of  that district’s senior leadership team to inquire as to why she wasn’t accepted into the hiring pool for Vice-Principals despite her many credentials, qualifications and years of experience.  She felt that she had done well at the interview and wanted to know what she could do differently the next time and the areas that she could improve upon.  The response she received shocked her as she was questioned about her aspirations to become a school administrator due to her also being a mom. She was reminded repeatedly by this individual of the long hours and the toll it would take on her family life and her small children.  It’s sad to see, in an organization that is known for strongly promoting inclusion in the classroom that people in management positions are still being exclusive.  We all know the reality, that if she had been a man, the person asking the questions would never have  questioned how a man’s dual role of Dad and school professional would affect his ability to do the job and try to persuade him not to apply.  It was hard for her to speak up, because she didn’t want to ironically risk ‘offending’ the person and further face the possibility of being blacklisted for future opportunities. I wonder how many women reading this, would have had the guts to speak up and question the validity of the comments and how they not only didn’t foster the inclusiveness that the school district was supposed to be promoting, but they also had nothing to do with her abilities and skills to do the job.

So, how do we foster recognition and a sense of belonging for females in a male dominated leadership organization? ‘Do’ being the operative word, that constitutes actively seeking ways  we can consciously be role models and provide daily examples of how we wish everyone to be treated.  Men and women both need to “pay attention to whose voices are being heard, whose opinions are being validated, and who is being ignored or dismissed during meetings” (Nugent, Pollack & Travis, 2016, p. 10) and then “actively seek feedback from people who don’t usually contribute” and “role model the inclusive behaviour that diverse opinions have value by repeating them and building on them as the discussion evolves” (Nugent, Pollack & Travis, 2016, p.10).

Google Images

I personally have found it to be extremely helpful whenever I am attending a male dominated meeting, to have one of my male colleagues from my school reaffirm a point or a suggestion that I make. It’s sad that we sometimes still need to do that in order to give credibility to a female voice, however, I am grateful for the support and acknowledgement of my peers.  It is also important to acknowledge and provide credit to the rightful owner of innovative ideas and suggestions, male or female (Nugent, Pollack & Travis, 2016, p.10). I have found that when we support each other by acknowledging contributions, ideas and providing the opportunity for everyone to have a voice, we are helping to build an inclusive community. Men and women both need to be role models for what is acceptable behaviour and treatment for everyone regardless of gender. I loved the idea behind the ‘BS’ sign as shared by a Canadian woman in Nugent, Pollack & Travis’ article (2016, p.12) where everyone present at a company function had the opportunity to openly question or discuss issues further that they disagreed with simply by holding up the ‘BS’ sign.  Everyone needs to own their part and take responsibility for the change that they wish to see take place.

I know that I still have a ways to go to not only speak up for myself but to be a more active role model and example for others so that I can be a part of a team that helps to build an inclusive environment that acknowledges everyone’s voice and gives credit where credit is due. I have a responsibility for my daughter, my son and for our future generations to take ownership of my part and to DO what is right.

References

Northouse, P.G. (2019).  Leadership: Theory and Practice.  (8^th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA:  Sage Publications, Inc.

Nugent, J., Pollack A. & D. Travis (2016). The day to day experiences of workplace inclusion and exclusion. Retrieved from www.catalyst.org/system/files/the_day_to_day_experiences_of_workplace_inclusion_and_exclusion.pdf

As a global society we have made many strides forward in technology, the creation of innovative prototypes for a variety of purposes, medical research and agricultural advances to name a few but we sometimes seem to still be in the dark ages when it comes to the inclusion and credibility of women in leadership.

Northouse (2019, p. 418-419), in his case study involving Lori Bradley, an experienced probation officer and her interaction with her male colleagues addresses several issues that some women still experience in the workplace today.  Firstly, Lori is not acknowledged by her male counterparts when she enters the room and is blatantly ignored. The actions of Ted and Ian send a blatant non-verbal message that Lori is not an accepted member of the group and that she doesn’t belong. Similar to schoolyard bullies, only these are grown men in a professional work place setting. Secondly, when she shares her well thought out and researched ideas with the group her suggestions don’t even receive a response.  Thirdly, when the conversation between the two men swings back to her suggestion, they claim the idea as their own and provide praise and credit where it is not due.  When Lori objected, she was slighted and insulted yet again by being told that she was being “too sensitive” (a stereotypically offensive trait). What Lori experienced in the case study is not an uncommon occurrence.  Women all around the world are subjected to this type of indifference and dismissal.   It made me wonder where and when men are being taught  this unprofessional behaviour and what we as a society can do to change this.

Why do women feel like they still have to “prove themselves” more than 143 years after Jennie Kid Trout became the first licensed female Canadian doctor to practice medicine in 1875 (Chang Yen-Phillips, 2017) and why do some men presume that they are better, more effective leaders simply due to their gender?

Nugent, Pollack and Travis (2016) discuss the “returns on inclusion and the costs of exclusion” (p.2) and the importance for leaders to ensure that all employees feel a “sense of uniqueness” and a “sense of belonging” (p.2). Exclusion can cost organizations through employees having “compromised job satisfaction, lower sense of well being, reduced work effort, diminished employee voice, and greater intention to leave” (p.2).  Lori from Northouse’s case study would definitely over time feel less satisfied with her job, feel voiceless, non-existent and through the deliberate lack of inclusion from her male co-workers be more inclined to want to leave the organization.

Image courtesy of www.cbc.ca

I have to admit that when my daughter was born in 1998, we purposely gave her a neutral gender name so that future employers could not engage in gender bias behaviour based on the name on her resume.   This is similar to Northouse (2019, p. 410) discussing the prejudice that existed towards females auditioning for roles with symphony orchestras and how changes were put in place to help prevent discrimination by having everyone audition behind a screen.

I read an interesting online article  (Bryant, 2018) the other day about Equinox CEO Niki Leondaki and how like Lori in the case study she used to be ignored at meetings. Men assumed she was the assistant in the room rather than the boss and avoided addressing her questions or comments. Once she realized this was happening, she took measures to try and fix this misconception by handing out her business cards at the start of the meeting.  This enabled everyone at the table to be informed that she, instead of her colleagues was the CEO.

As a woman who has also at times experienced what feels like ‘the boys only club’, I try to take steps like Niki Leondaki did to raise awareness and find ways to be pro-active to help off-set any preconceived assumptions.  I will discuss this further in my next blog post. We’ve come a long way in many areas, but we still have a ways to go when it comes to breaking down years of gender bias in the workplace and making sustainable changes so that everyone has a voice and is acknowledged regardless of race, gender, religion or culture!

If you are reading this and are a woman, do you stand up for yourself and other women in your organization when you or someone else is a victim of gender bias or exclusion? If you are a man reading this, do you stand up for women and inclusion if you witness a woman being excluded or ignored at a meeting or during a discussion simply because of  her gender? If you said no, I am curious to know your reasons why not.  If you said yes, I am equally curious to know if you felt like your actions helped make sustainable changes in the culture of your workplace.

References:

Bryant, A. (2018, June 13). Equinox CEO: Men used to ignore me in meetings – here’s the trick I use to get their attention. Retrieved from https://www.cnbc.com/2018/06/12/equinox-ceo-niki-leondakis-shares-the-trick-she-uses-to-command-respect.html

Chang-Yen Phillips, C. (2017, March 7). Canada’s first licensed female doctor had to swallow many bitter pills. Retrieved from https://www.cbc.ca/2017/canada-s-first-licensed-female-doctor-had-to-swallow-many-bitter-pills-1.4011950

Northouse, P.G. (2019).  Leadership: Theory and Practice.  (8^th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA:  Sage Publications, Inc.

Nugent, J., Pollack A. & D. Travis (2016). The day to day experiences of workplace inclusion and exclusion. Retrieved from www.catalyst.org/system/files/the_day_to_day_experiences_of_workplace_inclusion_and_exclusion.pdf

https://create.twu.ca/shaaz/2018/06/18/moral-implications-of-a-leader/

I appreciated Shaaz’ sharing of their experiences with their boss who acts as a role model by tending to the small things (like washing his cup).  I love the reminder that even when we don’t think our actions are being noticed they are. We are always ‘on’ as leaders and it is up to us to set the standard. For example, oftentimes there are empty wrappers or coffee cups left strewn in the halls or on the school grounds. It would be very easy in my hurry to get to class to walk past them and not stop and pick them up and dispose of them in the proper receptacles.  However, I know that I need to set an example and that if I want to see change, it needs to start with me.  Sometimes it’s the smallest things that can make the biggest difference in the culture of an organization.  I also realize that I can’t expect other people to do things that I myself wouldn’t be willing to do.  Part of being a leader is being willing to roll up our sleeves, be willing to get messy, to make mistakes and work alongside the team.  If we aren’t willing to model expectations or standards or think that the dirty work is beneath us, then we aren’t deserving to be leaders.

https://create.twu.ca/achsahs-springs/2018/06/16/ethical-leadership-implications-learning-activity-1-unit-7/

A response to Achsahs-Springs post on leadership implications and her question regarding ethical or non-ethical  behaviour that has taught us a lesson.

I have always valued honesty above all else and I have had the privilege of working with several administrators who were great role models.  Their word was their bond and I never had to worry about them going back on what they had agreed to. I could trust them explicitly to follow through and knew that their decisions were always made with best interests of students and staff.

I wonder how many of us have worked with leaders who have embodied all 5 principles of ethical leadership.

I liked your question about what we know we don’t want in a leader based on our own experiences.  Being just and fair is really important to me as well for that very reason. If leaders play favourites or treat people differently it makes it really hard to respect them as a leader.  There needs to be transparency and people need to be treated equitably based on what’s best for the organization as a whole, not what’s best for individuals or the best for the leader.

Image retrieved from Google Images www.agreatplacetowork.com

Ethical leadership very simply put revolves around “what leaders do and who leaders are” (Northouse, 2019, p. 336).  The ‘do’, that Northouse (2019) references relates to the choices and actions that leaders make and the ‘are’ refers to the leader’s values and morals.  A leader’s values and morals have a direct impact on the actions and the decisions they make.  According to Northouse (2019), who references Kohlberg’s Stages of Moral Development,  a  leader with the highest levels of postconventional morality makes decisions based on doing what is best for the whole of humanity and out of an “internalized and universal principle of justice” (Northouse, 2019. p. 337).  Northouse (2019) also quotes Velasquez (1992) when he discusses the virtues of an ethical person stating that Aristotle referred to a moral person as having “courage, temperance, generosity, self-control, honesty, sociability, modesty, fairness, and justice” (p.341).

The 5 principles of ethical leadership as outlined by Northouse (2019, p.346 – 352) are:

1. Having respect for others
   • Showing respect means that a leader actively listens, is empathetic to their followers and is willing to have an open mind to many different view points and perspectives.
2. Serving others
   • Ethical leaders make decisions that are for the benefit of everyone and ensure that no harm is caused either directly or indirectly from the decisions made.
   • Serving others means focusing on the needs of the followers instead of the leader
3. Being just and fair
   • Ethical leaders treat all individuals by adhering to the golden rule of “Do onto others as you would have them do unto you” (p.349).
4. Being honest
   • Ethical leaders are transparent in their dealings, while maintaining confidentiality of others.  Dalla Costa (1998) as quoted by Northouse (2019), they “do not promise what they can’t deliver, or misrepresent, or hide behind spin-doctored evasions, suppress obligations, evade accountability…” (p.351).
5. Building community
   • Ethical leaders build community by having a shared vision, which leads to a common goal that is beneficial for everyone.

Ethical Leadership Principles (Northouse, 2019) Image retrieved from Google Images www.slideshare.net

I found it extremely difficult to narrow the 5 principles down to just 2 that are the most important as I feel like they are all essential. Being just and fair is my first choice because of the golden rule of “do onto others as you would have them do unto you” (Northouse, 2019, p.349). If a leader treats others this way, then they are also not only demonstrating respect to their followers but they are also ensuring that they are serving others. My second choice was being honest. Honesty is integral to building respect and building community. People trust those who are consistently honest and will be more motivated to work towards a common goal because they have confidence knowing that the leader is transparent, fair and just and they will have confidence in their leader’s ability to handle difficult situations as they arise.

In Wang’s, Oh, Courtright and Colbert’s article (2011) they refer to how transformational leaders and managers can impact an organization’s productivity, community development, and follower’s self-development through “affecting individual-level and team-level processes and performance but also through affecting organizational cultures, systems, and strategies” (p.252).  The managerial implications of these findings are that organizations should seek to hire individuals who possess transformational leadership traits as “they are likely to derive the most value” for the organization as a whole (Wang, Oh, Courtright, Colbert, 2011, p.253).

According to Wang, Oh, Courtright and Colbert (2011, p. 230, p.232 -233) a person can become a better transformational leader by:

• Developing and sharing both a vision and high expectations
• Acting as a role model for the shared vision and expectations in that, “followers desire to emulate, thereby eliciting higher team commitment, cooperation and performance” (p.251).
• Soliciting suggestions and ideas from  team members
• Attending to the needs of others which builds trust. “Transformational leaders care about their followers and appeal to them on an emotional level” (p.251).
• Linking the roles of team members to the vision so that members view the work as being more meaningful which creates team cohesion and social identification.
• Acting as a coach and mentor to provide support and tools
• Enabling team members to develop self efficacy so that they believe in themselves and see the goal as being realistically attainable.
• Encouraging innovation and problem solving will help improve creativity by creating and building a team community where there is no fear of failure and people can learn from their mistakes.

When leaders successfully do the above, it leads to higher productivity, enhanced team cohesion, creativity and an environment where team members routinely exceed expectations due to intrinsic motivational factors  developed as a result of transformational leadership.

Image retrieved from Google Images www.smartandrelentless.com

I immediately thought of Nelson Mandela as being a good role model and example of an ethical leader. He meets the criteria of the 5 principles as outlined by Northouse (2019) in that he had respect for others, he was fair and just, he was honest, and he built community by serving others first and foremost.  Who do you think (past or present) is a good example and role model of ethical leadership?

References:

Northouse, P.G. (2019).  Leadership: Theory and Practice.  (8^th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA:  Sage Publications, Inc.

Wang, G., Oh, I.S., Courtright, S.H., & Colbert, A.E. (2011). Transformational leadership and performance across criteria and levels: A meta-analytical review of 25 years of research. Group & Organization Management, 36 (2), 223-270.

Hi Leadership Prof,

Thank you for your comments and questions regarding ethical standards and monitoring in the teaching profession.

www.oct.ca

When I attended teacher’s college in Ontario, each course that I took reinforced the importance of teachers having integrity and maintaining the standards of the profession. We were taught to adhere to the four ethical standards for the teaching profession as prepared by the Ontario College of Teachers which are care, respect, integrity and trust. More information on these standards can be found at this link

The British Columbia Teachers Federation also has a code of Ethics for teachers. If any of the following ethical items are breached or in question, there are steps and procedures outlined in the members guide.

www.bctf.ca

When teachers are hired by the school district, both the teachers’ union and the school district work closely to ensure that teachers are aware of the ethical standards and the potential consequences of behaviour that goes those standards. New teachers attend workshops and are paired with a mentor. Teachers do not receive a yearly evaluation on these standards. A teacher is expected to follow these standards whether school is in session or not. If an issue arises, there are steps and protocol in place for administrators, teachers, the union and the district to follow.

Some school administrators discuss some of these ethical standards at the first staff meeting of the year, (especially if there is a large number of new teachers on staff) but generally, it is expected that teachers are already familiar with them.

If leaders do not possess moral or ethical values, the implications of their behaviour would have a profound negative affect on the entire membership of their organizations as well as those that they  are supposed to serve.  Donald Trump and his continual spate of lies and false accusations comes to mind as an example. His lack of transparency and what appears to be a complete absence of basic moral or ethical values not only affects the entire United States but also relationships with other nations as witnessed by his latest behaviour on the world wide stage at the recent G7 Summit.

Reuters.com

The implications of Trump’s behaviour are far reaching and do a great disservice not just for his country but for humanity as a whole.  There are many examples in history of unethical and immoral leaders and of the devastating and far reaching impact they had not just on their own people but on the entire world.

Both  Aviolio and Gardner (2005) in their article “Authentic leadership development: Getting to the root of positive forms of leadership” and Jane Van Buren in the video “What is Ethical Leadership” (March 29, 2013) touch upon the importance of leaders demonstrating transparency of their values in their communication as well as their actions.  When leaders uphold the shared values of an organization they help to set the cultural tone and model expectations of shared behaviour. Aviolio and Gardner(2005) reference Avolio, Luthans, and Walumbwa (2004, p.4) when they define authentic leaders as “those who are deeply aware of how they think and behave and are perceived by others as being aware of their own and others’ values/moral perspectives, knowledge, and strengths; aware of the context in which they operate; and who are confident, hopeful, optimistic, resilient, and of high moral character” (Aviolio and Gardner, 2005, p. 321).   Aviolio and Gardner (2005) also refer to the importance of leaders being able to self-regulate and “align their values with their intentions and actions” (p. 325).   Self-regulation is the ability of a leader to act/behave in the long term, best interest of the organization while maintaining and adhering to a consistent set of values. When leaders positively model self-regulation, and adhere to a set of values they have a more authentic influence over their followers.

I can help my organization grow and flourish by adhering to the following goals :

• Be a visible role model 
  • Just like the example in the video, when leaders wash their own cups, actions are shown to speak louder than words.  People see this action and are more likely to follow suit. I can ensure that I am acting and modelling the kind of leadership behaviours that would be in the best interest of students. For example, the simple act (like the cup washing) of standing at my door each morning and greeting students by name and making them feel welcome.
  • I can be a visible role model not just within my school but also my community. Teachers are never really off duty and often run into students and families during weekends and holidays. I need to ensure that my behaviour is always becoming my profession and the ethical and moral values that I stand for.
• Communicate ethical expectations & institutionalize an ethical culture
  • In our department meetings and in the classroom, we can discuss our values and what our ethical expectations are as a department team (and whole school) so that we can hold ourselves accountable individually and as a team. It is important for everyone to be aware of these expectations so that everyone has a shared goal and vision of the kind of school culture that we want to build together.
  • Continue to share our values and school mission statement with all staff, students and parents across the entire district.
  • When our values and expectations are shared and displayed in classrooms and around the school, there is less room for misunderstandings or miscommunication.
• Be Transparent
  • Just like it’s mentioned in the video, I need to continually ask… “Is it fair? Is it honest? Is this in the best interests of students? How would I feel if this ended up on the evening news?”
  • Consistently provide access to information, resources, support and equal opportunities  for all students, parents and staff members
  • Be honest, open and respectful in my relationships and dealings with all members of my school and community.
• Self Regulate
  • I would like to actively practice self-regulation and be more aware of my emotions, my physical responses and my social responsibilities so that I can ensure that I am able make sustainable decisions that have the best interests of students at heart.
• Learn more about ethical training & how the profession provides protective mechanisms to maintain ethical behaviour
  • For example, the Teachers’ Association adheres to strong ethics in the teaching profession and provides training sessions for new teachers. Reminders are also sent out to all teachers on a regular basis of the necessity to maintain the ethical standards of the profession. If a teacher is in need of more than a reminder, there are steps and procedures in place to ensure additional training is provided or in severe cases, teachers can lose their professional license.  It is important to maintain the integrity of the profession and therefore ethical behaviour is held to high esteem.  How can I help model this and be a mentor to new teachers in the profession?
  • Training courses are also available for new administrators in our school district on the ethical and moral expectations of Vice-Principals and Principals.  One such document outlining the expectations is the BCPVPA Leadership Standards for Principals and Vice-Principals in British Columbia (2016). I would like to familiarize myself more with these standards.

I would like to be a leader and a role model who consciously self-regulates and who models transparent ethical morals and values on a daily basis through both my words and my actions.  I want to be aware of my actions and the affect my choices have on the greater good of our school community and those that I am supposed to serve.

References:

Aviolio, B, Gardner W. (2005). Authentic leadership development: Getting to the root of positive forms of leadership. Leadership Quarterly, 16, 315-338.

BCPVPA Standards Committee. (2016). Leadership Standards for Principals and Vice-Principals in British Columbia. Retrieved from  http://www.bcpvpa.bc.ca/downloads/pdf/Standardsfinal.pdf

Van Buren, J. (2013, March 29). What is Ethical Leadership? Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ks2QGoIq5nA