Running Head: SINGH M 7.

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Singh M 7.3

Michelle Singh

Medaille College

Author Note

This paper was prepared on July 2, 2017 for Diversity and Multiculturalism MOL-627E-12

taught by Marianne Sullivan.

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The Diversity and Multiculturalism course has taught me many things. I have learned

about specific challenges associated with specific groups and some tips on how to advocate and

support those groups. I have learned the importance of diversity within organizations, not only

in terms of employee make-up but also in ensuring a positive working experience for minority

groups. In exploring the different groups through statistics presented in the text I was able to

visually realize the inaccuracy of biases against certain groups. I also discovered the concept of

model minority and how that can have a negative impact as well as more traditionally negative

stereotypes.

I also learned about the dilemmas in dealing with concepts such as English only rules, the

Americans with Disabilities Act, and the concepts around religious freedom. In these areas there

is a balance which must be found between the rights and comforts of groups which may have

different abilities or conflicting beliefs.

In learning about ethical leadership I was able to identify for myself some areas of

strength and weakness with myself, my co-workers and organizations. The concepts of

leadership character, ethical perspectives, and leadership theories are very interesting and taught

me about various effective and less effective ways to lead. I learned that ethical leadership is

about more than making publicly ethical decisions. It is about leading by example and shedding

light into the dark corners of everyday interactions and decision-making. I learned that different

ethical perspectives will value different things when making decisions or outlining expectations

for staff. I am a pragmatist. In leadership styles I discovered that I am a cross between

transformational and authentic. Authentic leadership values one of my core values of

transparency and takes responsibility for actions. As a transformational leader, I work to

empower my people and bring them around to my vision through description and enthousiasm.
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I also learned about the concepts of glass ceiling, glass walls, and glass elevator and how

to work around them to break them down. They also taught me how to advocate for myself and

other individuals that may be facing these obstacles. As a leader I learned how to work towards

eliminating these invisible barriers in my own organization.

Through the research project I learned that there is less to be afraid of in going

international than I may have initially thought. The experience of the company I researched

showed me that sometimes a leap of faith and an open mind can help you develop international

relationships that can take your business to the next level. In creating my Diversity and

Inclusion Plan I learned how to use concepts I have learned mixed with my passions to create a

plan for actual use in my company to increase diversity and inclusion, benefitting not only the

staff but the community.

The concepts learned in this course are exceptionally relevant to my current leadership

roles in both companies I work with. For my corporate leadership role it has helped me to

identify, communicate and act on some of my values in regards to diversity. I have been able to

advocate for my reports in terms of their advancement and helping to show others that their

biases were not correct in regards to certain groups or characteristics. I have been able to take

the things I have already felt and believed and find the concise language to use to communicate

more effectively with my senior leadership about our diversity and inclusion issues.

For my leadership role in buying an existing caf I have learned a lot which I will be able

to implement much easier, since I am the owner and work with 10-20 people rather than in my

corporate position where I am a middle manager in a company of 10,000+ employees. I am

using this platform to put my ideas and passions and what I have learned into action through the

Diversity and Inclusion Plan I created for this class. The result of this project is a real-life plan
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that I will be implementing within my company. I am grateful for the opportunity to create such

a plan since the implementation of it seems like something that is exactly what this company

needed and something unique I can bring to the industry in Rochester. I am feeling very excited

and positive about the impact it can make on not only the company but also the community.

I would say that my proficiency in this material is pretty good. I learned a lot in this

course to support my existing views as well as challenge some of my preconceptions. I now

have a conceptual framework and vocabulary to use when discussing these topics. I will be

keeping the texts on hand for future use as the concepts are greatly useful to me in my life and

career.
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References

Bell, M. P. (2012). Diversity in Organizations. Mason, OH: South-Western.

Johnson, C. E. (2015). Meeting the ethical challenges of leadership: Casting light or shadow.

Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc.