Diversity and inclusion (D&I) is a hot topic among executives, and rightfully so. But before we tackle how an organization can attract a diverse talent and become more inclusive, we need to talk about biases. ​

 

We all have biases. Dismissing them does not help, we won’t fool anyone! We need to be aware of our own biases and recognize them when they surface so we can mitigate them. ​ This workshop starts with defining biases (different from discrimination) and highlights why they happen. We identify five types of biases and how to mitigate against them. ​We will explain the difference between biases and the feeling of being excluded which is a good segue to D&I.

 

We start our D&I discussions by exploring true diversity, versus what we call a “diversity mirage”, and talk about the importance of diversifying. We will define barriers to diversity and discuss ways to embrace it to attract and retain talent.

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Next, we define four levels of inclusion and how to build-up skills to reach the highest level. D&I is an evolving topic with expanding language. We will cover D&I terminology to ensure we address people correctly without unintentionally excluding anyone, then we bind it all together with ways to sustain equity in the organization. ​

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We close the workshop by discussing the dangers of over-diversifying and over-inclusion (yes there are pitfalls!). ​ The workshop is equipped with multiple reflection and group exercises to drive the message home.