Inspiring Professors Dr. Samineh Shaheem’s fight to end bullying in the UAE

Like our students, Hult professors are globally minded, driven, and passionate. Professor of Organizational Behavior Leadership at Hult, Dr. Samineh I. Shaheem believes that the best way to prevent bullying in the workplace is to tackle it in school. She is working to improve cultural and emotional intelligence in the Middle East, with schoolchildren as young as three, through to EMBA students and beyond. Based on research findings, Dr. Shaheem founded the ‘Bolt Down on Bullying’ campaign, developing a culturally relevant program to raise awareness of and combat bullying within schools in the UAE. Passion born of research The inspiration behind Dr. Shaheem’s charity began in 2009, when she presented a talk at the Dubai Health Authoritys annual conference related to psychological violence  in the workplace. Her exploration showed that cognitive and behavioral habits are learned very early in life.   This, as well as a protective instinct toward her young son who was being educated in the UK, and an impassioned sense of justice, laid the foundation for the ‘Bolt Down on Bullying’ campaign. Designing a culturally relevant campaign Dr. Shaheem founded the campaign in 2010, after observing that there was little structural framework to combat bullying in Emirati schools. Further, any anti-bullying strategies that had been implemented were based heavily on US and UK programs—countries whose cultures do not reflect the unique composition of the United Arab Emirates’. Dr. Shaheem’s own extensive work experience across the UAE, UK, USA, Canada, NL, and Iran informed her reasoning that a customized approach in relation to local social factors was needed in order to facilitate any meaningful change of attitude. There is a near unparalleled cultural transience in the UAE, formed of ‘temporary’ citizens from a multitude of backgrounds. School parents and teachers here comprise over 200 nationalities—many of whom don’t necessarily even have a word equating to ‘bullying’ in their native languages. So the first obstacle was to define it. Now consider that UAE schools are all fee-paying schools, so there is also an institutional stigma around being the first to ‘admit’ to having a problem. Undeterred, Dr. Shaheem continued single-handedly, literally knocking on doors in order to grow support. This led her to partner with local radio Dubai Eye 103.8 FM, to raise awareness and de-stigmatize the issue to enable schools to open up and get on board. â€Å"My own cross-cultural experiences made me realise that we need to identify our similarities in order to understand our differences. In order to truly understand the cultural nuances that influence behavior, actions and opinions, you have to understand the culture in which they originate.† Coaching children to care Since launching the ‘Bolt Down on Bullying’ campaign, Dr. Shaheem has coached numerous schools across the region, focusing on developing care, emotional intelligence, and empathy. Based on extensive research through interviews with counselors, therapists, GPs and parents, she delivers seminars including  lectures, discussion groups, structured exercises and feedback. Consequently, she empowers not only parents and teachers, but the children themselves, who are encouraged to moderate their own and their classmates’ behavior directly through â€Å"ABC† Anti-Bullying Clubs. Empathy into adulthood Dr. Shaheem notes that the sooner we start tackling these issues in relation to age and developmental life span, the better it is for everybody. The brain continues developing into adulthood. So the brain of a 15 year-old may not be ready to grasp what a 25 year-old can grasp. Therefore understanding what to teach at various developmental levels is critical and very complex. â€Å"Among children, emotional manipulation is overt and direct but among adults it can unfortunately be creeping and subtle, to the extent that the victim may end up questioning their own capability or even their own sanity. If you are anxious and stressed, operating with anxiety, or not rewarded, or excluded, harassed, or bullied, then how are you expected to perform?† Greater self-, social, and cultural awareness improves operational performance The more empathy we have, the more we are aware of what drives people’s behaviors and the motivations behind them. In turn, the more effectively we are able to operate. By way of example, Shaheem explains: â€Å"If am quiet in a meeting then it might be a personal issue, not a professional one.   A person trained in emotional intelligence (or â€Å"EQ†) can quickly get to the bottom of this and work toward finding a resolution.† Can you imagine if organizations around the world spent more time researching these topics and training their employees? Ensuring Hult graduates are ready for success in the workplace Professor Shaheem says Hult’s ‘learning by doing’ ethos and practical curriculum support the development of emotional intelligence, which is key to both future success and satisfaction at work. â€Å"Acquiring emotional intelligence is up to 30% theory versus 70% experiential learning†, she says. In 2013, Hult gathered feedback from 100 Fortune 500 CEOs who affirmed that business graduates lacked the highly developed soft skills needed to be cooperative team-members and highly effective leaders. Accordingly,  Hult redesigned its curriculum to address this and ensure these cognitive and behavioral skills are taught alongside the traditional â€Å"hard skills† and academic theory. â€Å"Acquiring emotional intelligence is up to 30% theory versus 70% experiential learning† – Dr. Samineh Shaheem One way this is done is through the Leadership Development Program. This core course includes a series of intensive behavioral classes based on coaching, self-evaluations, and peer feedback. Shaheem runs multi-day simulations, role play exercises, psychometric testing, games and activities to open students up and focus on their own strengths and development needs. Creating a safer environment for all As the importance of Emotional Intelligence is increasingly being recognized, Dr. Shaheem’s work is contributing to revolutionizing behavioral effectiveness in the workplace—fighting to eradicate damaging childhood experiences that were once considered an inevitable part of growing up. If you would like to find out more about Hult’s global business programs,  download a brochure here. Find out more: Dr. Shaheem’s campaign website Time Out Dubai campaign feature Potential Thieves article by Dr. Shaheem Watch Dr. Shaheem’s Hult Leadership Webinar Dr. Shaheem teaches courses such as Global Management, Leading with Personal Impact, and Organizational Behavior to Hult EMBA and MBA, and MIB students. She is a regular contributor to The Huffington Post as well as the Emirati Khaleej Times. She has studied and worked in the USA, Canada, the Netherlands, the United Arab Emirates, and the UK. Shaheem appreciates the importance of cultural relativity and tries to find both similarities as well as significant cultural variations in human cognition, emotions and behavior. Kickstart your career in a state-of-the-art innovation hub by studying at Hults Dubai business school. To find out more, take a look at our blog Welcome to Hult Dubai. Download a brochure or get in touch today to find out how Hult can help you to learn about the business world, the future, and yourself. Hult Rotation offers you a chance to study in a truly global way. Our rotation program allows you to study and be immersed in some of the finest cities in the world. 📠¸: @jasminmanzano . Hult Rotation offers you a chance to study in a truly global way. Our rotation program allows you to study and be immersed in some of the finest cities in the world. 📠¸: @jasminmanzano . Each year, Hult seeks to enroll a talented and ambitious incoming class from all over the world. We look for diverse students with a wide range of experiences, perspectives, and interests—students who will thrive in our unique educational atmosphere. Are you ready for a truly global experience? 📠¸: @iambrunadiniz . Each year, Hult seeks to enroll a talented and ambitious incoming class from all over the world. We look for diverse students with a wide range of experiences, perspectives, and interests—students who will thrive in our unique educational atmosphere. Are you ready for a truly global experience? 📠¸: @iambrunadiniz . We’re excited to start 2020 on a ranking high! Hult is proud to have been placed #28 in Poets Quants 2020 rankings for Best Undergraduate Business Schools in the US. Taking a huge leap of 32 places from our 2019 position, we’re also very happy to have secured top positions in key categories like: life-changing experience, practicality of the degree, and global immersion. . With five global campuses, a student body of over 130 nationalities, and a learn-by-doing approach—Hult offers a student experience like no other. . We’re excited to start 2020 on a ranking high! Hult is proud to have been placed #28 in Poets Quants 2020 rankings for Best Undergraduate Business Schools in the US. Taking a huge leap of 32 places from our 2019 position, we’re also very happy to have secured top positions in key categories like: life-changing experience, practicality of the degree, and global immersion. . With five global campuses, a student body of over 130 nationalities, and a learn-by-doing approach—Hult offers a student experience like no other. . â€Å"I’m from an engineering background and needed a whole new skill set for the industry I wanted to switch to. I learned a lot about myself and how I deal with being out of my comfort zone. I learned both soft and hard skills, from how to work in very diverse teams to key accounting metrics and strategy. I was surprised by how weak I was at certain tasks in English or how strong I actually was in other areas. Hult gave me opportunities to try new things and meet people from places I never thought I would have friends. . My internship experiences gave me the chance to broaden my view of different cultures and different companies. I had the opportunity to work and live with people whose values differed from people in my home country. I thought that this would be difficult, but it gave me the chance to reflect on my own values and assess if they were a result of my home country environment or if they were intrinsically mine. . Diederick ter Kulve (@diederick.terkulve) Netherlands Masters in International Business . â€Å"I’m from an engineering background and needed a whole new skill set for the industry I wanted to switch to. I learned a lot about myself and how I deal with being out of my comfort zone. I learned both soft and hard skills, from how to work in very diverse teams to key accounting metrics and strategy. I was surprised by how weak I was at certain tasks in English or how strong I actually was in other areas. Hult gave me opportunities to try new things and meet people from places I never thought I would have friends. . My internship experiences gave me the chance to broaden my view of different cultures and different companies. I had the opportunity to work and live with people whose values differed from people in my home country. I thought that this would be difficult, but it gave me the chance to reflect on my own values and assess if they were a result of my home country environment or if they were intrinsically mine. . Diederick ter Kulve (@diederick.terkulve) Netherlands Masters in International Business . Say a big hello to our Bachelor of Business Administration program cover star, Elisa Orus Plana âÅ" ¨ . â€Å"I’m excited for the future—especially that I cant predict whats going to happen. Maybe Ill end up in Mexico working for a trading company or maybe in Africa, developing my own business. Everything is possible, and the options are constantly changing. I love the idea that Im never going to be stuck doing the same job until the end of my life if I dont want it to be like this. . Hult really supports me and my ambitions and truly believes that we deserve to be considered as professionals as well as students. Here, I get to express not just my opinions but all elements of myself. From my creative side with the Fashion Society to my finance and business sides in Trading Club and the Management Consulting Club. We get a different type of learning here. Not just essential knowledge and theory, but practical skills and mindset. The school is always evolving. We’re encouraged to innovate and to always look for new ways of doing traditional things. We learn how to be more confident and become aware of how we can impact our environment. The school aims to help you become a better version of yourself and to stand out from the crowd.â€Å" . Elisa Orus Plana French Bachelor of Business Administration Class of 2021 Say a big hello to our Bachelor of Business Administration program cover star, Elisa Orus Plana âÅ" ¨ . â€Å"I’m excited for the future—especially that I cant predict whats going to happen. Maybe Ill end up in Mexico working for a trading company or maybe in Africa, developing my own business. Everything is possible, and the options are constantly changing. I love the idea that Im never going to be stuck doing the same job until the end of my life if I dont want it to be like this. . Hult really supports me and my ambitions and truly believes that we deserve to be considered as professionals as well as students. Here, I get to express not just my opinions but all elements of myself. From my creative side with the Fashion Society to my finance and business sides in Trading Club and the Management Consulting Club. We get a different type of learning here. Not just essential knowledge and theory, but practical skills and mindset. The school is always evolving. We’re encouraged to innovate and to always look for new ways of doing traditional things. We learn how to be more confident and become aware of how we can impact our environment. The school aims to help you become a better version of yourself and to stand out from the crowd.â€Å" . Elisa Orus Plana French Bachelor of Business Administration Class of 2021"> During the final days of 2019, you probably reflected on what you’ve accomplished this year—and even this decade—and what you’d like to achieve in 2020. Let us know in the comments below. During the final days of 2019, you probably reflected on what you’ve accomplished this year—and even this decade—and what you’d like to achieve in 2020. Let us know in the comments below. â€Å"The first time we did group work on the program, I went head-to-head with a colleague. It taught me a lot about how I see people, how people see me, and how conflict can be resolved in a kind and productive way. The best feedback you get, when delivered constructively, is the most critical because it really feeds into how you lead. I’ve completely reversed my leadership style—the result is so much richer and more powerful when you lead from behind and lead with strength. . Studying in tandem with working, whilst challenging, gave me the perfect platform to directly apply learning concepts into my business environment, the competitive landscape, and the real-estate industry as a whole. When I started the program, I was very happy in my corporate role. But my courage and aspirations grew to the point that I took on a whole new direction. Having my career coach, Joanna, as a sounding board allowed me to really be strategic and get to know myself. She coached me thro ugh all the interviews, the research, and the questions. It went in parallel with what I was doing academically and after six months everything just clicked. . I went into the EMBA knowing I had nothing to lose and I’ve come out with everything. Great strength, global friends, amazing learning, mentors from professors, a job I love, and the knowledge that I can set my mind to achieve anything and with the right support and resources I’ll get there.† . Kashani Wijetunga British, New Zealand Sri Lankan Associate Director Senior Strategy Consultant CBRE EMBA Class of 2019 . â€Å"The first time we did group work on the program, I went head-to-head with a colleague. It taught me a lot about how I see people, how people see me, and how conflict can be resolved in a kind and productive way. The best feedback you get, when delivered constructively, is the most critical because it really feeds into how you lead. I’ve completely reversed my leadership style—the result is so much richer and more powerful when you lead from behind and lead with strength. . Studying in tandem with working, whilst challenging, gave me the perfect platform to directly apply learning concepts into my business environment, the competitive landscape, and the real-estate industry as a whole. When I started the program, I was very happy in my corporate role. But my courage and aspirations grew to the point that I took on a whole new direction. Having my career coach, Joanna, as a sounding board allowed me to really be strategic and get to know myself. She coached me thro ugh all the interviews, the research, and the questions. It went in parallel with what I was doing academically and after six months everything just clicked. . I went into the EMBA knowing I had nothing to lose and I’ve come out with everything. Great strength, global friends, amazing learning, mentors from professors, a job I love, and the knowledge that I can set my mind to achieve anything and with the right support and resources I’ll get there.† . Kashani Wijetunga British, New Zealand Sri Lankan Associate Director Senior Strategy Consultant CBRE EMBA Class of 2019 . â€Å"It was now or never. I knew that I’d have likely stayed in my neighborhood for years to come if I didn’t take this opportunity. I’d not lived or studied outside of the U.S. before. So I left my job as a global strategist at an advertising agency and moved halfway around the world. I’ve come back a more culturally aware, well-versed person. I’ve realized that everything is a learning experience and an opportunity for growth. Ill definitely carry this mindset with me into the future. Technology and social media allow us to be different people in several places at once. Im excited to see how I can establish myself in whatever city Ill be lucky enough to call home and still maintain deep connections with people all over the world. I’m inspired by my classmates every day. Hearing some of their life stories and how getting this degree fits into their greater mission has been very humbling. My biggest challenge has been finding the ‘right’ path for me. There have been rooms Ive felt like I shouldnt be in, but now Im proud to feel as though I truly belong, wherever I am.† . Dwayne Logan, Jnr. American MBA Class of 2019 . â€Å"It was now or never. I knew that I’d have likely stayed in my neighborhood for years to come if I didn’t take this opportunity. I’d not lived or studied outside of the U.S. before. So I left my job as a global strategist at an advertising agency and moved halfway around the world. I’ve come back a more culturally aware, well-versed person. I’ve realized that everything is a learning experience and an opportunity for growth. Ill definitely carry this mindset with me into the future. Technology and social media allow us to be different people in several places at once. Im excited to see how I can establish myself in whatever city Ill be lucky enough to call home and still maintain deep connections with people all over the world. I’m inspired by my classmates every day. Hearing some of their life stories and how getting this degree fits into their greater mission has been very humbling. My biggest challenge has been finding the ‘right’ path for me. There have been rooms Ive felt like I shouldnt be in, but now Im proud to feel as though I truly belong, wherever I am.† . Dwayne Logan, Jnr. American MBA Class of 2019 . Happy New Year, Hultians! . Happy New Year, Hultians! .