Diversity and Inclusion in the Board Room
Diversity and Inclusion in the Board Room
Diversity and inclusion are becoming more common in boardrooms, C-suites and executive suites around the globe. They’ve become more than just words or promises to becoming a reality.
While these discussions might be focused on the company itself but it’s important to keep in mind that the decisions taken in these rooms affect everyone involved from the employees of the company, to shareholders who own the shares, to the greater economy. In this regard these meetings are generally extremely structured and adhere to an established set of rules (such as Robert’s Rules of Order) and protocols that ensure that the meeting is conducted appropriately.
Boardrooms are designed to accommodate smaller groups of people. They usually seat 8 to 20 individuals around a large table, which facilitates face-toface conversation and promotes unity. Modern furniture and technology including advanced audiovisual systems and teleconferencing capabilities, help to create the right atmosphere for productive collaboration.
Discussion boards are an effective way to engage students in discussions that go beyond the classroom, and help students see how their perspectives from outside are connected to the learning process in the classroom. To encourage student participation instructors can begin by asking icebreaker questions that allow students to become familiar with their peers’ responses. For instance, Speer at Wichita State asks her students to introduce themselves using an emoji chain which explain their character and passions. Students then read and respond to the answers of their peers. The process of analyzing a discussion by highlighting the main ideas and themes motivates students to monitor the entire forum.