Shedding the ‘dis’ in disparity
We can teach theories but the best learning comes from immersing yourself in other people’s realities
Income disparity is becoming a critical societal issue. It’s something that business leaders are starting to put on their agenda, if discussions at the recent World Economic Forum in Davos are anything to go by. Business has to be about more than just making money but to teach this lesson, you need to change the perspectives of those who want to become business leaders. The executive MBA programme at my business school emphasises leadership. When our graduates leave, we hope they’ll think like the senior business leaders they have the potential to become. But they don’t always enter the programme that way. We can teach different theories but the best learning comes from actually immersing yourself in other people’s realities. Our programme takes students to six continents in six fortnight-long modules over 18 months, culminating in a visit to Johannesburg and then Dubai. I remember feeling a deep sense of shame after my first trip to Africa. The people I worked with in Nairobi were ...
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