Ethics, Culture and Leadership
Ethics, Culture, and Leadership
Ethical Leadership • Decision Making • Cultural Awareness
Upcoming Course: November 3, 2023
Location: UT Austin
Cost: $1,000
Program Description
This course focuses on how awareness of culture can contribute to ethical leadership and good decision-making in organizations.
Participants will use case studies to think about ethical issues in organizations related to topics such as compliance, technology use, health and illness, and sustainability.
These topics are considered from a global perspective emphasizing how cultural values inform ethical decision-making and how different ethical and cultural systems address and define moral issues that arise in organizations.
Participants will explore ethical theories that have been used in the West to and compare these with approaches in non-Western cultures, such as Japan. The course will emphasize developing skills to apply ethical theories in ways sensitive to variations in cultural values.
Course Leader(s)
John Traphagan is Professor of Anthropology, Human Dimensions of Organizations, and Religious Studies, and a faculty affiliate of the Population Research Center at The University of Texas at Austin. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Pittsburgh in Social Anthropology, holds an MAR degree from Yale University in Ethics, and a BA in Political Science from the University of Massachusetts at Lowell. His postdoctoral research was conducted as a National Institute on Aging Postdoctoral Fellow at the Population Studies Center of the University of Michigan and he has received a variety of grants to support his research, including funding from the National Institutes of Health, the Wenner-Gren Foundation for Anthropological Research, the Social Science Research Council, the Association for Asian Studies, and the American Philosophical Society. He was also a Fulbright scholar to Japan.
Learning Objectives
Participants will learn five strategies:
- Recognizing Cultural Differences: Cultural differences in the workplace can be overt or subtle. How can we use awareness of cultural differences to enhance ethical leadership?
- Self-Awareness Through Observation: Building techniques for ethical self-awareness by learning from the ways others think about right and wrong.
- Navigating Difference: How to think from the perspectives of others, even when their ideas seem morally wrong.
- Observational Mindset: Understanding other cultures and ethical systems by learning about and engaging the perspective of others.
- Ethics and Culture: How do cultural differences influence ways that we react to moral dilemmas?
Details & Registration
Location: UT Austin
Upcoming Course(s): November 3, 2023
Time: 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Continuing Education Units (CEUs): 0.6 CEUs will be awarded upon completion of this program (six hours of instruction)
Registration Deadline: October 31, 2023
One-Day Seminar Pricing:
- Standard Registration: $1,000
- UT System Staff/Alumni Registration: $750
- Educator, Nonprofit, Government, Military Registration: $750
Get employer support! We’ve gathered resources to help you make the case for your employer to support your HDO education.
If you have questions prior to registering, please see our Professional Training FAQ or contact Andrew M. Vasquez, HDO’s Enrollment & Success Coordinator at hdo-pro@austin.utexas.edu.
Who Should Participate?
The majority of participants in our Seminars and Certificate Programs are mid- and upper-level professionals working in the business, nonprofit, government, or military sectors; however, professionals at all levels of experience are welcome to participate. There are no prerequisites for enrolling in an HDO Professional Seminar.
While all HDO Seminars are developed with wide-ranging applicability in mind, the following individuals and groups will likely find Ethics, Culture, and Leadership most directly relevant to their work:
- Senior/Executive Leadership
- Managers and Directors
- Team Leaders & Supervisors
- Human Resources/Recruiting Directors & Managers
- International Recruiters & Human Resources Managers
- Anyone tasked with solving team cohesion and/or leadership problems
The exploration of all the different ways of thinking about culture made this a very impactful day. I was able to rethink my approach to corporate culture and trying to define that culture. Dr. Traphagan was engaging, transparent, and knowledgeable about the subject.
Jennifer Andrews, Manager, Member Services, Texas Municipal Retirement System
The professor was spot-on in his delivery and subject matter expertise: He handled controversial topics with ease and respect. This will, in turn, help me navigate potential hot-topic issues in the workplace.
Jacob Stokes, Deputy Court Administrator at Travis County
One-Day Professional Seminars
Our seminars combine cutting-edge research with real-world application to provide practical and immediately relevant tools for solving key organizational problems, ranging from personal motivation and growth to strategic leadership.
Businesses and nonprofits often bring outside specialists on board to improve their organization’s overall efficiency, creativity, and productivity. Participants in our seminars learn to function as “internal consultants,” equipped with new skills and insights to enhance their existing expertise and institutional knowledge.
By exploring specific human, cultural, and communicatory aspects of organizations alongside professionals from a diverse range of industries, participants leave HDO seminars more effective, well-rounded employees.
Two Options to Learn
HDO Professional Seminars may be taken individually or as part of a four-course Certificate Program. This course is part of the Communication & Leadership Certificate Program.
Courses Led by Top Faculty
“The program was well organized, balanced, and unbiased. The instructor was extremely knowledgeable and approachable.”
Nordeli Estronza, M.D., Physician, Austin Neurology and Sleep Associates
Registration & Fees
Standard Registration: $1,000
Discounted Registration: $750
Discounted registration is available for UT alumni and staff, as well as individuals who work in the nonprofit, education, government, or military sectors.
Our registration system accepts payment by credit/debit card, check, and purchase order. We also accept Interdepartmental Transfer (IDT) payments for UT Austin faculty and staff.
Transformative Experiences
“The day was absolutely fabulous. I learned so much about ethical leadership and understanding myself as a leader.”
Anna Maria Conn, Academic Dean, Saint Stephen’s Episcopal School
