Foundations in DEI

Foundations in DEI Modules

The Good, the Bad, & the Blind Spots: Moving Beyond Unconscious Bias

In order for us to move the needle to cultivate cultures that are truly inclusive and equitable, we first need to acknowledge and accept that we are all bias. Our brains gather millions of bits of information from our surroundings every second. 

The adaptive mental processes that enable us to sort all that data will categorize familiar patterns unconsciously. Developments in neuroscience now demonstrate that many of these biases are formed throughout life and held at the subconscious level, mainly through societal and parental conditioning. Once we normalize this, we can begin to explore with less judgment how these biases influence us and to what extent.

In this module you will be:

• Exploring Unconscious Bias – What is it? How does it work?

• Learning about the different dimensions of personal power

• Exploring which dimensions need attention to amplify your leadership potential

Mitigating Microaggressions  

Microaggressions are brief and commonplace verbal, behavioral, and environmental indignities, whether intentional or unintentional, that communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative slights and insults that potentially have harmful or unpleasant psychological impact on the target person or group.

Microaggressions can negatively impact employee morale and consequently, the culture of an organization. In this workshop we will explore the different types of microaggressions (microassault, microinsult and microinvalidation) and then devise strategies to mitigate these both on an individual level and as an organization.

In this module you will be:

• Increasing your awareness of common terms used in the DEI space
• Exploring microaggressions and how to respond to them
• Understand how we can mitigate microaggressions

Developing Cultural Competence

Our cultural background influences the way we think and learn. As well as our communication, organizational, and work styles. Developing cultural competence comes with first exploring the culture of your team members to then help you better understand how your cultural differences are playing a role in the workplace. 

In this module you will be:

• Understanding different dimensions of culture that can influence your behaviors and leadership style

• Exploring how to adapt to meet each person where they are as it relates to their cultural preference across dimensions

• Practice strategies to address cultural differences

Allyship in Action  

Allyship involves re-learning the way you see the world, viewing situations not from the lens of your own experience or perspective, but based on the realities and experiences of others. This section gives participants an opportunity to explore how they can take accountability to create a more inclusive workplace through active Allyship.

This highly experiential module provides simple frameworks and tools that every leader can use to elevate marginalized voices by productively using their power and privilege in support.

In this module you will be:

• Exploring Allyship– what is it and how to create a culture that cultivates allyship

• Discerning your individual privilege and increasing your self-awareness about how to be an ally

• Understand individual and organizational strategies that can be implemented