IBM executive Carla Grant Pickens joins ILR Dean Alex Colvin and ILR Associate Professor Vanessa Bohns at 2 p.m. ET Sept. 29 for “Navigating New Work-Life Realities,” a live webinar produced by eCornell. 

The event is free and open to the public. Register here. 

The webinar will explore what we’ve learned during the pandemic about workplace conflict and the role of influence. What would improve the quality of work and home life, especially for those whose needs are underrepresented? What will drive positive change? The discussion is slated to  cover:

• The unique challenges of handling conflict remotely
• How to prepare for the future when plans are continually evolving
• How to improve diversity, equity and inclusion practices
• Why you need to get the other party’s perspective
• How to separate the person from the problem

The audience is invited to submit questions during the webinar. 

Grant Pickens is IBM’s vice president of leadership Development & Succession and Global Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer. She leads a global team dedicated to creating an inclusive culture and a workforce that reflects the world while responding to societal issues that impact IBM employees and the communities in which they live and work.

Under the leadership of Pickens, the company has been globally recognized as a leader and named a “Top 10 Working Mother Best Company,” a “Top 10 Company for Dads,” and a “Top Place to Work for LGBTQ Employees” by the Human Rights Campaign, among others.

Colvin, Ph.D. ’99, is the ILR School’s Kenneth F. Kahn ’69 Dean and the Martin F. Scheinman ’75, M.S. ’76, Professor of Conflict Resolution. His research and teaching focuses on employment dispute resolution, with a particular emphasis on procedures in non-union workplaces and the impact of the legal environment on organizations. 

His current research projects include empirical investigations of employment arbitration and cross-national analysis of labor law and dispute resolution. 

Bohns focuses broadly on social influence and the psychology of compliance and consent in her research. In particular, she examines the extent to which people recognize the influence they have over others in various interpersonal interactions, including asking for help, encouraging one’s peers to engage in questionable behaviors, and making romantic advances. 

She is the author of “You Have More Influence Than You Think,” published Sept. 7. 

This story also appears on the ILR website.
Mary Catt is the ILR School’s communications director.