Teaching

Gender Equity and Leadership in the 21st Century

The rise of women in the workforce, particularly in leadership positions, has created an unprecedented opportunity for women’s voices to shape organizational culture. This course empowers you to advance gender equality while developing essential leadership skills that accelerate your career trajectory and lead to more meaningful, engaging work.

While focusing on challenges unique to professional women, the course develops universal leadership competencies valuable to anyone committed to building diverse, equitable, and inclusive organizations. Though all students are welcome, those passionate about increasing women’s representation in senior leadership will find particular value in this curriculum.

Our approach centers on cultivating authentic leadership to promote workplace gender equality. Authenticity means acting on core values to achieve shared objectives. Rather than advocating that women adopt traditionally masculine leadership styles, we recognize this approach as counterproductive. Such advice not only fails to address gender bias but can also lead to an overemphasis on self-presentation that detracts from leadership’s primary purpose: enabling others to excel in pursuit of collective goals.

Built on contemporary behavioral and management science research and validated by global practitioners, this course provides proven tools for overcoming barriers to creating a more equitable world. Daily experiential exercises foster self-awareness through immediate peer feedback. Like any complex skill, effective leadership rarely comes naturally—it requires dedicated practice. This course creates a supportive environment for this essential development work.

Taught for Berkeley Haas in the MBA for Executives Program

Press

Women’s 21st Century Leadership Course Attracts Global Students

Haas News
June 5, 2017

Negotiations and Conflict Resolution

Negotiation is a fundamental skill that permeates every aspect of our interpersonal lives and stands as a cornerstone of effective leadership. Whether we’re discussing salary with employers, dividing household responsibilities with family members, or haggling over prices with merchants, we constantly engage in negotiations. These interactions extend beyond material exchanges to encompass relationship dynamics and matters of deeply held values.

The art and science of negotiation demands both analytical prowess and psychological insight. Success requires understanding human behavior and conflict dynamics, while developing two essential skill sets. The first is a strategic framework for analyzing conflicts—identifying their nature, potential outcomes, and optimal approaches. The second involves cultivating practical behavioral skills through hands-on experience, constructive feedback, and thoughtful reflection.

This course serves as a comprehensive guide to becoming an effective negotiator across various contexts, from everyday interactions to complex business deals. Through intensive simulations and rapid feedback loops, participants gain valuable self-awareness about their negotiation style and its impact on both economic and social outcomes. The curriculum builds upon the technical foundations of MBA coursework, recognizing that while analytical skills help develop optimal solutions, negotiation expertise ensures these solutions are successfully implemented and accepted.

The course emphasizes that success in negotiation isn’t merely about “winning” or avoiding “the short end of the stick,” but rather about creating and capturing value while maintaining positive relationships. The focus on both theoretical understanding and practical application ensures that participants develop a comprehensive skill set for managing conflict and achieving desired outcomes in their professional and personal lives.

Taught for Berkeley Haas in the MBA for Executives Program

Mini-Lectures

Negotiators’ Mindsets
Pre-Empting Lies and Deception

Women’s Executive Leadership Program

Women in leadership roles are at an all-time high. Still, stereotypes and lack of support impact their growth and influence, leading to blockages and needless challenges. Female leaders’ continued growth in high-ranking roles calls for a movement of all genders to practice leadership styles that propel women in business for greater personal and organizational success.

The Women’s Executive Leadership training program is a professional growth opportunity for all genders to let go of perceived gender barriers to understand how women’s executive management roles positively influence a company’s agility and longevity. The advanced and nuanced leadership skills acquired from this training empower all leaders to reach their full potential while enabling them to have a better understanding of and deeper empathy for women leaders—leading to fresh perspectives and stronger synergy.