Leading Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Workplace

*If you prefer to attend this session from your own computer, then we will make a zoom calendar event available to you. The virtual class will run at the same time as the regular class on campus but please login 45 minutes prior to the course start time. Register for virtual option above.

Turn this open enrollment course into a custom program for your company! Please contact Adina Dawoodi or Ariel Lopez for more details and information on pricing.

COURSE DESCRIPTION
Organizations understand the benefits of a workplace that is both diverse and inclusive. The diversity of worldviews, functional experience and points of view that collaborate to produce creative ideas which allow the organization to innovate and thrive is a goal in most organizations. Attaining that goal is not a foregone conclusion.

This three-session workshop will help participants better understand the organizational impediments to creating a diverse, equitable and inclusive organization. Participants will better understand all the dimensions of diversity and will gain a better comprehension of privilege and equity. Participants will have the opportunity to learn how to improve organizational dialogue about race, gender and LGBTQ+ issues. Participant capability to manage conflict will be assessed and tools to improve their capabilities will be described. Finally, participants will consider leadership of the self and leadership character as critical components of inclusive leadership.

INSTRUCTORS
Renu Sachdeva | Bio
Dusya Vera, Ph.D. | Bio
Je’Anna Abbott, Ph.D., J.D. | Bio
Dalia Pineda

SCHEDULE

Thursday
9 - 10 a.m.	Introduction to the 3-day Class Renu Sachdeva
10 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.	The Character of Inclusive Leadership Dusya Vera, Ph.D.
12:30 - 1:30 p.m.	Lunch
1:30 - 4 p.m.	Embracing Conflict in Inclusive Teams Je’Anna Abbott, Ph.D., J.D.
Friday
9 a.m. 12 p.m.	Diversity Dialogue in Organizations Dalia Pineda
12 - 1 p.m.	Lunch
1 - 4 p.m.	Fundamentals of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Renu Sachdeva
Saturday
9 - 11 a.m.	Fundamentals of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Renu Sachdeva
11 a.m. - 12 p.m.	Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Strategy Renu Sachdeva
12 - 1 p.m.	Lunch
1 - 3:30 p.m.	Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Strategy, continued Renu Sachdeva
3:30 - 4 p.m.	Wrap-Up and Conclusion Dalia Pineda

Day 1

Introduction
The Introduction presents an overview of the class and allows the participations to discuss the parameters of the class.

The Character of Inclusive Leadership
Effective Inclusive Leadership has three main components: competencies, character, and commitment. We focus on the element of leadership that has largely been neglected in leadership development – Character – but that has been identified as critical for decision making. We discuss the concrete behaviors associated with Inclusive Leadership, including accountability, drive, collaboration, courage, justice, temperance, humility, humanity, integrity, transcendence, and judgement, and illustrate how these behaviors can be developed, and how character leads to improved diversity, equity, and inclusion. Participants will learn more about their own leadership character and will discuss how their character strengths can be leveraged in leading organization in becoming more diverse, equitable and inclusive.

Embracing Conflict in Inclusive Teams
Teamwork is essential in the modern workplace. When people work together, the competing ideas that lead to creative and productive solutions can also create conflict. Understanding that it is the conflict that arises from diverse and inclusive teams that drives innovation and productivity is essential to successful teamwork. To optimize performance, we must be able to effectively resolve issues, settle differences, and implement solutions at every level. This individual interpersonal conflict style session aims to create awareness of our natural tendencies when dealing with conflict and in understanding the range of conflict management styles that exist in organizations.

Participants are introduced to five basic conflict-handling modes. They learn how and when each mode is typically most appropriate and gain insight into how overusing or underusing any one conflict mode can create unwanted situations for themselves and others. Further, Participants will take the TKI conflict assessment tool to better understand their own preferred conflict management style.

Assessment: TKI Conflict Mode Instrument

Activities: Group breakouts discussing several questions related to their dominant conflict style.

Day 2

Diversity Dialogue in Organizations Being an organizational leader means having the courage to make use of our understanding of embracing conflict in order to initiate and manage organizational dialogues about diversity and inclusion. To create an inclusive culture for a diverse workforce is the goal of almost every organization. The ability to work with and interact within diverse groups is becoming increasingly important for organizational success. The experiences of all employees, inside and outside of work, are what shape their prism through which they connect and work with each other daily, and is not something we can ‘turn off.’ Communicating across differences about emotionally charged topics such as race and ethnicity requires a deep and broad understanding of oneself and others, and goes well beyond basic business communication skills. Many individuals lack formal instruction and training in engaging in challenging conversations, and our tendency to lean into our comfort zones limits the likelihood of developing these skills naturally.

This course is designed to not only help individuals understand why these conversations can be so difficult, but to empower them with the skills to successfully have them. Organizations understand their most valuable asset is their human capital, and having a diverse workforce understand the root, structure and value of effective diversity dialogue is a necessary investment.

Participants will gain knowledge of the skills necessary to:

• Be empathetic listeners, and understand the role active listening plays in diminishing perceptions of bias
• Unpack difficult topics by understanding triggers, unintentional perceptions of others, and our own internal dialogue and approach
• Follow frameworks designed for courageous conversations around diversity, and learn how they differ from ‘traditional’ crucial conversations in business
• Process how our desire to be seen impacts our dialogue and why our best intentions may not have the most positive impact

Fundamentals of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) have undergone an evolution and a revolution in corporate America. It is no longer enough for companies to simply say they are building a diverse workforce. Rather, companies must also ensure that they are building a culture that is inclusive of employees of all diverse backgrounds, and that their internal systems are allowing employees to have equitable opportunities for success.

As a leader, you have a vital role to play in your organization’s DEI journey. In this section, you will learn the core competencies of diversity, equity, and inclusion, and you will have the opportunity to explore the elements of identity that comprise our whole selves. You will learn about key concepts that are part of the discussion around DEI today, such as privilege, systemic inequities, and microaggressions. We will delve into the psychology of unconscious biases and discuss biases that most frequently manifest in the workplace, along with strategies to mitigate these biases on an individual level. We will then explore what it means to be an inclusive leader, and how you can confidently and authentically engage with employees of diverse backgrounds to create a more inclusive culture in your organization.

In this session, participants will gain knowledge of:

• The evolution of diversity, equity, and inclusion and their application in the workplace
• Dimensions of identity and how they impact how we see each other
• Common unconscious biases, their impact on decision-making, and how to mitigate these biases
• Your own personal paradigms and belief systems
• The key traits of inclusive leadership and allyship

Day 3

Fundamentals of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, continued
On the last day of the class, we continue our discussion about diversity, equity and inclusion and will consider how what we have learned will affect our leadership activities in our organizations.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Strategy
Now that participants have a foundational knowledge of the meaning and importance of diversity, equity and inclusion, we are faced with the challenging task of how to act on what we know within our organizations. In this last section of the class we will consider ways we can impact organizational processes and routines in order to make them more inclusive and welcoming. The goals is to help organizations leverage the creative possibilities that reside in diverse organizations in order to create a successful, thriving company.