In this time of what seems like endless bad news, I wanted to share with you some good news – in the form of a significant “Teaching Moment” that occurred recently in my Leading Global Collaborations MBA unit.

The students have begun working virtually in their Global Teams, alongside students in six other countries, including the U.S. During class, I asked them how it was going thus far. A number of our students shared that they were really shocked by the degree to which students all over the world have responded with deep emotion (sadness, frustration, anger) to the U.S. election. During their team meetings, it has been the key topic of discussion. Our Aussie students were struggling with how best respond to their peers.

What ensured in our class was a 45-minute impromptu, very candid, discussion of geopolitics, how it affects the workplace, and how global team leaders can best navigate these challenges. I was incredibly proud of the sensitivity, sincerity, and depth of analysis that our students demonstrated. Controversial views were shared respectfully and openly. Ironically, a similar conversation ensued last year just after the Paris bombings when our students were working on teams alongside French students.

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