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Diversity and Inclusivity (D&I) within businesses is an issue that has exploded over the past few years and is key for an organisation’s success.  Diversity as an issue has been tussled with at various points. For example, allowing women to enter what was traditionally considered to be a male dominated industry. Or accepting the value of having people of different ethnicities or cultural backgrounds. Within organisations, for a long time, diversity simply meant having a team where there was token representation by minority groups. This was enough to be seen as progressive. That is no longer the case. In recent years the discussion has moved on from gender or race representation to what that actually means as well as other equality topics. For example, equal pay, generations in the workforce, intersectionality, sexuality, religion, and more. How has inclusivity changed over the years?  One of the key issues for leaders is that the level of awareness and focus on this issue has dramatically changed.  In the past 5 years, D&I has become part of everyone’s toolkit. Now, it’s not just about Diversity in terms of awareness and indifference, but organisations and individuals also have to consider on practical terms the question of how to make it work. It’s no longer as simple as hiring people of different backgrounds and cultures and lived experiences, but considering the following question: “How do I encourage different people and create an environment where people can belong and thrive?” What can leaders do? Leaders need to consider issues from the simple to the complex. Simple issues are finding a level of empathy and understanding. This can be done by getting to know people more, by moving away from profession and background, being open about yours and sharing. This helps to open dialogue and helps create an understanding of dynamics and what people need to thrive within the workplace. Complicated issues need to be considered more strategically. Study Management Courses online from the World’s top Universities. Earn Masters, Executive PGP, or Advanced Certificate Programs to fast-track your career. How do you make it work on a personal level, as a leader? Be mindful about meetings. Invite comments and questions and contributions regardless of level/demographics of the people present. Try not to prioritise one person over another simply because of rank. A CEO’s opinion is no more important than an entry level analyst’s. Be aware of voices. Keep an eye out for who’s speaking and who is remaining silent. Be intentional about actively sponsoring and supporting. Creating opportunities for individuals to have an opportunity to present and give them impact. Be aware of who is getting those opportunities How do you make it work organisationally? Be mindful of the tone from the top. Consider if your leaders are leading with the right tone. Ensure that they are following that up with right behaviour, calling out behaviour that is inappropriate. Be conscious and aware of personal biases and prior opportunities of people. Make sure that you are not just listening to the loudest voice, but considering if everyone has had the same access to opportunities. How can a modern leader make an impact in the D&I practices of their workplace? Intervene on people’s behalf. Have the conversations that allow you to get to the root of any situation, and speak up when the people you lead can not. Be aware of not sounding accusatory. Sometimes people go into scenarios with good intentions but misstep. Start from a position of good intention, which means giving anyone an equal chance to speak and be heard. Our Top Management Programs & Articles Product Management Certification Program from Duke CE Leadership and Management in New-Age Business from Wharton Online Top 4 Functions of Management Process Explained Leadership and Management in New-Age Business from Wharton PG Program in Management from IMT 5 Key Skills Required for Successful Management Career & How To Achieve Those Skills? 8 Crucial Business Management Skills Every Manager Should Have Why Should You Consider Product Management as a Career Option? Top 7 Career Options in Management To Choose [For Freshers & Experienced] What are 3 pitfalls for a modern leader to be aware of? Do not go into a situation with the assumption that you are right. By doing so, you will be blind to bias. A good place to start is by acknowledging privilege, and lack of privilege. It is not okay to ignore what’s going on, and be blind to learning. Points of view in any situation evolve. Make sure that you are constantly listening to and reading about it and educating yourself. Be aware that there are different angles to consider in any situation or environment – multiple layers to any scenario Learn to be a modern leader through our MBA in partnership with Deakin University. The Deakin MBA is designed to build your business acumen, enhance your decision-making and communication skills. You’ll learn to grapple with all of the topics that are key to growth in today’s business landscape and grow within your chosen field.

by Vikramaditya Kapur

26 May 2022

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5655

You might already have several years of work experience and a postgraduate degree. Perhaps even an MBA. How do you then stand out from the crowd in a rapidly changing world and prove to employers that you are the right one to hire? You can show your extensive work history or your track record. You could ask your network for recommendations. You could gain skills and certifications or a degree that’s even more prestigious than an MBA. If you choose the latter, you could go down the route of a PhD, spend some years doing research and come up with your own unique theory and framework. Or, you could do a DBA. What is the difference between a PhD and a DBA? A Doctor of Philosophy degree (PhD), is a type of a doctorate degree, and perhaps the most common doctorate awarded. It can be awarded in almost any subject and is achieved after three to four years of full-time research or five to seven years of part time research culminating in the presentation of a new theory or idea in the field.  A Doctor of Business Administration (DBA), on the other hand, is a specialised doctorate in Business. It requires the student to undertake research to present solutions to problems, often ones that they’ve experienced within their own businesses or places of employment. While a PhD is most suited to academics, a DBA keeps working professionals in mind, even though there can be some crossover between both. Both of the degrees award a Doctorate upon completion and are equal in rank, title and prestige.  Should I do a DBA or a PhD? A PhD can be in any field. It is purely research based, and extensive time will be spent developing a new idea or framework where there is a gap in existing knowledge. It is especially suited towards academics or aspiring academics. A DBA on the other hand is tailored towards business professionals with some work experience who want to move up within an organisation and break into management positions.  Coursework is a combination of taught components and research. A student will combine scientific research, theory and professional experience to work on a business problem in an area such as leadership, decision-making, global change etc. What qualifications do I need for a DBA or a PhD? A PhD often requires a Master’s degree or an M.Phil, particularly if it’s a PhD in an arts or humanities field. Admissions criteria are different depending on the institution, but a key part of the PhD admissions process is finding a supervisor with expertise in or doing research in the area that you’d like to study. A DBA, surprisingly, depending on the institution, can be done straight after a Bachelor’s with some work experience. You could potentially skip the time and cost of an MBA or a Master’s degree entirely! How will a DBA or a PhD affect my career progression? A PhD, being a more academic degree, is better suited to someone who would like to develop process and policy, or even teach, particularly in a research or academic institution. Read more about the career opportunities after PhD in India. A DBA with its practical, problem-solving nature, often attracts management or aspiring candidates hoping to break into top level management positions within the field of business.  Due to this, it’s likely that a DBA holder will trend towards higher paid upper-level management jobs within businesses and corporations. Deciding between a DBA or a PhD depends hugely on your individual circumstances and what you want to achieve in your future career. As a working professional, if you are looking at adding a Doctor title to your name, we would recommend DBA over PhD. A DBA program allows you to do the same and has a flexible industry-oriented approach rather than an academic approach taken by PhD. However, DBA won’t help you to earn a professor title at a UGC-approved institution since that will require a PhD. Here’s why we think the SSBM DBA degree powered by upGrad is a great choice for driven executives. It is the most effective way to continue scaling the corporate ladder without sacrificing continuity in career or time. Made for busy executives: you will get your DBA within 3 years without having to leave your job and spend 5 years getting a doctorate on campus Outcome-driven: you can focus on any of our 13 specializations and build your expertise where it’ll make the highest impact to you  Highly engaging and intellectually stimulating: you will learn from excellent professors and have 1:1 support on your thesis Enormous ROI: thanks to upGrad’s technology and approach to democratize higher education you pay only a fraction of an old school doctorate and reap the rewards nonetheless

by Vikramaditya Kapur

20 Apr 2022