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By Dr. Marie Gould Harper
School of Business Dean and Program Director, Management, American Public University
My colleague, Dr. Kimberlee Ratliff, was recently the recipient of the Active Minds Advisor of the Year Award. Kimberlee introduced me to this organization and I have been amazed with the type of work that they promote. She shared a story with me and I was so pleased that I told her I had to write a blog article about it.
Last year, three of her peers joined Kimberlee on a series of projects that led to her being a recipient of a Provost Award. I was part of that group and we collaborated to seek new ways to improve the online class experience.
When she sent in several photos for the Active Minds Award Ceremony, the panel selected one with all four of us. I was as proud as she was, because the picture dispels various myths such as:
- Women cannot work together – We were very respectful to one another, and we stayed in touch with one another after the projects were completed. We became friends as well as colleagues. When Kimberlee won a different award, we celebrated with her.
- Diversity is useless and unfair – All four of us brought our particular skills to the table as we sought to think outside of the box. It was important that we shared our diverse viewpoints on how to resolve a problem that would be appealing to a “Shark Tank” type of panel.
- There is no collaboration in remote working – All four of us live in different geographic locations, and we made time to come together to work on the projects. We utilized various forms of technology to make it work.
In my opinion, there was something magical about our work experience. In 2018, we had various opportunities to get together to help one another out. Some were professional areas and some were personal situations.
A bond was formed that can never be broken. As a result, four diverse women now have a support network for a lifetime.
About the Author
Dr. Marie Gould Harper is the Dean of the School of Business and the Program Director of Management at American Public University. She holds an undergraduate degree in psychology from Wellesley College, a master’s degree in instructional systems from Pennsylvania State University and a doctorate in business from Capella University. She is a progressive coach, facilitator, writer, strategist and human resources/organizational development professional with more than 30 years of leadership, project management, and administrative experience. Dr. Gould Harper has worked in both corporate and academic environments.
Dr. Gould Harper is an innovative thinker and influential leader, manifesting people skills, a systematic approach to problems, organizational vision and ability to inspire followers. She is committed to continuous improvement in organizational effectiveness and human capital development, customer service and the development of future leaders.
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