Connie Yuan is a professor in the Department of Communication and the Department of Global Development at Cornell University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Professor Yuan teaches and conducts research in the areas of organizational communication and intercultural communication. She is particularly interested in studying knowledge management through the development of social capital and the adoption and usage of information and communication technology. Professor Yuan’s recent research has focused on examining cultural differences in cognition and decision making; for instance, the different ways in which American and Chinese people react to climate change initiatives and obtain health information. She has also explored how differences in communication styles between the East and the West influence the effectiveness of intercultural collaboration and expertise sharing. Trained in both Taoist and Buddhist meditation tradition, Professor Yuan has been meditating almost daily since 2012.
Organizational Structures and NetworkingCornell Course
Course Overview
The formal structure of a workplace inherently places limitations on how the members of certain groups access power while privileging others. Spearheading a project, leading a team, or overseeing staff requires a keen understanding of these formal structures to create inclusion in the workplace. This course is designed for leaders at any level who are seeking a heightened awareness of inclusive practices.
You will begin with an analysis of formal organizational structures, as they are extremely difficult to redesign, and understanding boundaries is a crucial starting point. You will explore questions like what do you have to work with, what structure do you have to work within, and how does this impact communication and networking? From here, you will move to diagnosing your own informal social networks within this larger context, identifying the potential shortcomings of your own networks and how you can begin to remedy them. Finally, you will focus on how to diversify the networks within your organization by exploring who you are connected to, what the limitations of those connections are, and how you can expand them. Meditation will be used throughout as an avenue for mindful self-development.
You are required to have completed the following course or have equivalent experience before taking this course:
- Using Mindful Meditation to Strengthen Relationships
Key Course Takeaways
- Analyze your formal organizational structure
- Diagnose informal social networks
- Create opportunities to diversify informal networks
How It Works
Course Author
Who Should Enroll
- Individual contributors
- Managers
- Executives
- Global leaders
- Business leaders
- Entrepreneurs
- Anyone in a collaborative role, specifically interculturally
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