TL;DR:
In practice, leadership and diversity are rarely separate. It’s less about what we intend and more about how our actions land with others. Leadership is found in how we treat people, the environments we build, and the space we create for everyone to speak up and flourish.
In the winter of 2026, I taught RPTA 255 at Cal Poly: Leadership and Diverse Groups. We spent time breaking down leadership on its own, and did the same with diverse groups. Then we brought the two together and looked at what it actually takes to be a leader for diverse groups, and how much they influence each other in practice.
Understanding each topic individually is one thing. Leading effectively when different perspectives, experiences, and comfort levels are all in play is something else entirely.
Before getting into it, a quick note. This isn’t a full blueprint of the course. We covered a lot. These are a few top-of-mind takeaways that I wanted to share. I’ll continue to share more and go deeper in future articles.
This was one of the most meaningful experiences I’ve had. I had the opportunity to share what I’ve learned over the years, but just as importantly, I learned from the students, as well as our guest speakers. It turned into a real connection with a group of talented young adults, and I genuinely enjoyed the time we spent together.
There were 39 students in the class, and each brought different strengths, goals, and perspectives. We only scratched the surface, but even that glimpse was enough to see how much potential was in the room.
What stood out to me about this group was how empathetic, thoughtful, and engaged they were. They cared about the topics and were willing to learn. At the same time, they’re navigating the same challenges most people face today. Constant distraction, the pull of always being connected, and the pressure to stay on top of everything in real time. I also refer to some of this as doomscrolling. Once you start, it’s hard to stop. Procrastination is still alive and well, too. No judgment there, that’s how I got through parts of college myself.
I was impressed by how many of them pushed through all of these variables and showed up prepared. A lot of students were finishing work early, participating, and staying respectful throughout.
Humor is a tool… until it’s not
Early on, I tried to use humor to lighten the room. It didn’t land a few times, but one moment made me really reflect. It wasn’t anything over-the-top. Just the wrong wording at the wrong time. I could tell by their faces it was awkward. I tried to laugh it off, but it stuck with me more than I expected.
That moment brought me back to something I’ve worked on for years: timing. Most things in life have a time and place. Or as my former boss, Ron, used to say, “Time, Place, and Manner.”
Figuring out when you’re in the right moment for all three isn’t always easy.
Humor is a double-edged sword. It can make people feel comfortable. It can also make people feel dismissed or disrespected. And the difference isn’t intent (only you know the intent). It’s the impact. We learned this throughout the course. Not just with humor, but with leadership in general. You don’t get judged by what you meant. You get judged on how it made the other person feel.
Leadership isn’t always loud
One of the more interesting shifts over the quarter was how leadership showed up in the room. It wasn’t always the most vocal students. Some of the strongest leadership came from students who weren’t speaking the most, but were thinking deeply, writing thoughtfully, and engaging in their own ways. There’s still a tendency, in classrooms and in workplaces, to equate volume with leadership. But that’s not correct. Quiet doesn’t mean disengagement or a lack of leadership. Loud doesn’t always mean effective.
Leadership in action
Another moment that stood out was when a student, Raz, stepped up and gave a presentation on gender, sexuality, and pronouns. I was very impressed by the courage it took to volunteer for that. It’s not the easiest topic to speak on. For many people, it’s still new territory, and it can be sensitive. More importantly, it helped others in the room better understand something they weren’t as familiar with. That’s leadership. Not because of a title, but because it helped educate the class, even though they weren’t the professor. As we talked about throughout the course, anyone can lead, with or without the title. If you’re reading this, thank you, Raz, for doing this.
During the quarter, I also got to see a few students step into leadership roles outside the classroom.
I had the opportunity to watch Will help Emcee the annual EIM auction, which raises money for the department. This year marked the 50th anniversary, and it was the most successful auction to date. The room was packed with alumni, faculty, and long-time supporters.
That’s a tough environment for anyone to step into, let alone a college student. Will handled it with confidence and composure. He kept the room engaged and did an outstanding job.
Another standout who demonstrated great leadership ability was Erandy (Daniella), who organized and hosted a cultural event on campus called Rooted in Unity. The event created space for students to share their lived experiences and build community with fellow students, staff, and faculty. It included a panel of speakers, and Daniella helped host and moderate the conversation. Like Raz and Will, she showed a lot of courage and leadership.
Seeing students take initiative like this, in different settings and in their own ways, was one of the more rewarding parts of the experience.
More the same than different
One of the most impactful parts of the course came from our discussions around disability, influenced by the book More the Same Than Different by Lorraine Cannistra. The core idea is that people with disabilities are more the same than they are different. It sounds simple, but it challenges a lot of default behaviors.
Lorraine emphasizes disability etiquette and the importance of what you say and how you show up. At its core, it comes down to respect and awareness.
Don’t assume someone needs help. Ask first. Don’t make assumptions about what someone can or can’t do.
Speak directly to the person, not just to a caregiver or someone with them.
We all have differences. Some are visible. Some aren’t. But we also have far more in common than we tend to focus on. It’s a powerful book, and one I’d recommend to anyone. It’s short, direct, and practical. There’s no fluff. Every page gives you something you can actually apply.
Final thought for this post:
This course reinforced something I’ve seen play out in real environments as well: Leadership isn’t just about what you know. It’s about how aware you are of the people you’re leading, and how your actions actually show up for them.
Part 2 of this article series will focus on what we learned from guest speakers. Part 3 will explore some food for thought and where I think the future of leadership is headed.