I’m a military brat born in the US. When I was 6, we moved to the UK. There I learned once and for all that I have an accent. I did not know what a transformational experience I was having. Me, a blonde, white American girl, who would later face bias against women in economics, was facing at a very early age the kind of bias usually reserved for people of colour, people with disabilities, and other marginalized groups. I’d like to talk about the gift that experience gave me. Okay … [Read more...]
Good intentions are not enough
May 20, 2012 By
Today's workforce creates new challenges for managers. Imagine a manager who has been with the company since graduation. They hire new employees locally. Expectations on both sides are predictable and reliable. The manager never really noticed they always hired people 'like us.' Retention was good. Lately, things are different. Applicants may not be born and raised locally--or even Canada. 'They' are different. Misunderstandings seem to be more common. Newcomers don't seem to 'fit.' … [Read more...]
Lifelong Learning is an Act of Courage
May 16, 2012 By
I was teaching an international economics course back in the U.S., and I remember one 'mature' student, probably in his 30's telling me how excited he was about what he was learning in the course. He found himself reevaluating his beliefs and assumptions, seeing the world through a different set of eyes. His father had supported his decision to leave his job and return to school to get his degree. But as my student began to question the things he had always 'known,' his father became more … [Read more...]
