Increasing inclusion and diversity has been a decade-long mission at Dartmouth’s Tuck School of Business. Now, Director of Strategic Initiatives Dia Draper is broadening the scope of that work with the launch of the Inclusive Leadership Initiative (ILI). The new framework will bring together principles of diversity and inclusion to educate leaders across the university.
ILI will provide students an opportunity to develop the six key traits of inclusive leadership:
- Cognizance—understanding yourself and your biases
- Collaboration—learning how to work with others
- Courage—challenging entrenched attitudes
- Commitment—devoting time to becoming inclusive
- Curiosity—remaining open-minded
- Cultural Intelligence—working effectively with individuals of different backgrounds
Dia Draper, director of Strategic Initiatives
“You can’t refute that these are skills leaders need, especially in today’s world, where our alumni are increasingly managing diverse and global teams, offshore teams, and working in emerging markets,” Draper explained in a Tuck news story. “And I believe that because of our personal, connected, and transformative approach; our residential community; our location—we, better than anyone, are able to ensure that our students have the best opportunities to develop these six traits.”
The initiative came about after Tuck’s senior leadership team took an Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI). This gave Tuck a detailed assessment on where they need to work on bridging diversity gaps. They realized that as leaders and cultural champions, there was work to do.
As for what inclusive leadership looks like at Tuck, it can be seen throughout the university. Dean Sally Jaeger has demonstrated what it means to have a supportive and affectionate relationship with the student community, removing roadblocks and allowing individuals to “do their thing.” Another example is the Tuck Return on Inclusion (ROI) Fund, which is a student-driven program that encourages clubs to work together to host events and gain supplemental funding.
“I’ve been working on this at Tuck for a decade, and our seeds are starting to sprout,” said Draper. “I believe that we have made strides at Tuck because, for the most part, the administration isn’t creating the content or designing the programs—the students and alumni have been excellent partners.”
To learn more about what inclusive leadership is and how it can impact a company, read the full news story.
