T.Davis

 What?      Cultural differences can be divisive. They are engrained in the way we move through life: beliefs, symbols, practices, and values. They can be a catalyst for conflict and can call for needing to manage expectations. In certain settings, we will experience that matches the culture to which we are accustomed. Whereas, as we gain experience, we may also have opportunities to develop an understanding of cultures different than ours. Given that people may take their culture for granted (Shwartz), it also seems that we don't even recognize the pillars of our culture until we encounter something different. Institutions functions based on these pillars, orientations, of cultural value (Shwartz). Cultures will fall on one side of a value orientation and gives guidance on how cultures function and people move through their societies. So What?      Culture does not define us, but it does impact us. Cultural values can influence our perception, our act...

  What? I have been asleep. Though you may not have realized it, you may be too. Though it may go unspoken, it may not be so unheard of to be sleepwalking through our moral experience (Novogratz, 2020). As the world becomes increasingly interconnected, between cultures and countries and communities, the disparities between such can quickly become more apparent. When looking onto a scenario, especially one we are far removed from, we can sometimes pass judgement. If every single life is its own puzzle, we can sometimes forget that the pieces from our puzzles do not fit everyone else’s; this is where moral principles meet imagination (Manolescu, 2025). We take the issue of energy poverty for example. Novogratz speaks of her work with d.light, a company whose mission is to bring energy to those without (Novogratz, 2020). When she tries to bring their solar lantern to Bahawalpur, she sees the missing puzzle piece of electricity and assumes the piece that will fit is the solar lant...

  What? There is no place that exists without differences. In discussing global leadership, it is continuously reinforced how valuable it is that leaders in a global setting take time to deepen their understanding of the culture they will be working with. Preferably, this will be done with first-hand experience (Rowe & Krause, 2022). The place in the world does not dictate whether there will be differences, only what differences you will see. This could mean differences in culture, gender, political views, other demographics, or things like job roles, experience in the field etc.   In consideration of those differences, they can be catalysts for conflict, task or relationship. So What? One of a multitude of examples would be the individualistic approach in some western cultures versus the collectivism approach of some Asian cultures ( (Koyuncu & Denise Chipindu, 2020) . Some differences like individualism and collectivism can create obstacles in finding the bes...

  What? Leaders are not created by knowing exactly what to do at every turn, they are created by being willing to take every turn until they know what to do. Becoming a leader, a title not restricted to someone who holds power, does not come with step-by-step instructions. They are comprised by skill development, real world applications, and innate characteristics (Rowe & Krause, 2022). They require a willingness to learn, further understand, and develop new ways of approaching a given issue. Perseverance and amenability to failure are what allow leaders to grow for themselves, to promote growth in those they lead, and continue towards an end goal for the betterment of a group, philanthropic cause, humanity, etc. The goal is simple: “Try. Fail. Then try again.,” (Novogratz, 2020). There is no story of change that is free of setbacks, miscalculations, mistakes, and lessons learned; there are only stories where this either stopped progress or was just a new starting point. So, Wh...

  What? Diversification in leadership can be directly influenced by Social Identity Theory. Social Identity Theory, in a simplified definition, is the idea that human interactions are based on labels and our tendency to group ourselves based on these labels (Nkomo, 2010). These labels or classifications can be self-inflicted or placed by one individual onto another. Additionally, categorizations lead to and allow humans to place themselves into groups, some of which are based on identifiers that are visible; some of which are either self-identified or assumed. Social Identity Theory (SIT) has a third component, aside from the categorization and identification mentioned previously, which is comparison (Nkomo, 2010). Comparison is where perception can create competition between the in-group and the out-group, the group we belong to and the group we do not. So What?               In the categorizations of individuals into groups, especially subgr...

       A courageous follower can be a vital piece of an improving workforce. Though change, much of the time, comes from the top down, sometimes the bottom is who really needs it. When faced with problems in the workplace, courageous followers will speak up about the needs of the individuals, changes that should occur, or better ways to improve productivity or the work environment. Their advocacy can involve taking a “ calculated risk ” of what the consequences could be. With that being said, the idea of quiet quitting, a newly coined term seems to be the opposite of a courageous follower. This phenomenon is where employees, feeling unappreciated or over worked slowly begin to withdrawal themselves at work. The idea is that they begin doing the “ bare minimum ” or exactly what their job description entails and nothing more, but it raises the question if this what a courageous follower would do. When you recluse in that way it would make it difficult to be the agent o...

  In researching intelligent disobedience, the greatest parallels are drawn to guide dogs. Chaleff, in readings and lectures, discusses how a guide dog must not only refuse to act unsafely on behalf of their owner, but go as far as counterpull them in a better direction. While obedience is a very important piece for working dogs, their utilization of intelligent disobedience can save lives. In recent years, specifically pertaining to culture in America, it is my opinion that people are becoming more and more active in their followership roles. Individuals are questioning leaders at work, society and politics more and more. This can be beneficial as a catalyst for change. For instance, there has been a shift in expectations for work-life balance and holding institutions accountable against their mission statements and improvements to the environment in the workplace. Questioning traditional methods and mitigating expectations, when done through intelligent disobedience, can create ...