E100.1 Tight vs. Fair: How Leaders Build Functional Cultures by Balancing Rules, Equity, and the Goldilocks Principle

The first source is an excerpt from the "Deeper Thinking and Stronger Action" resource, an organizational commitment to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) primarily aimed at managers and leaders in the Further Education (FE) sector. This resource outlines the importance of developing knowledge and understanding of EDI concepts, engaging in deeper thinking about personal biases and privilege, and committing to stronger action through detailed planning and collaborative effort. The second source is an article by Dave Nussbaum titled "Tight and Loose Cultures: A Conversation with Michele Gelfand," which discusses Gelfand’s research on how strictly different cultures, from nations to households, enforce social norms. The conversation explains that tight cultures are often driven by perceived threat and value order and self-control, while loose cultures tend to be more permissive, open, and creative, noting that both have corresponding strengths and liabilities. While the first source focuses on promoting EDI through self-reflection and actionable strategies within an educational context, the second provides a psychological framework for understanding how the strength of social norms fundamentally shapes human behavior and societal structure. Together, these sources address the complex interaction between individual awareness, organizational culture, and broader societal norms in shaping behavior and promoting equality.