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Activity
1: How Much of a Diversity Change Agent are
You?
Activity
2: Assessing Your Comfort with
Diversity
Activity
3: Diversity Gifts
Activity
4: Diversity Coat of
Arms
Activity
5: How Do You Manage
Diversity?
Activity
6: Integrating Diversity Into All Training
Activity
7: Building Relationships One-on-One
Activity
8: Focusing On Retention - Stop The Revolving
Door
Activity
9: Making the Strategic Business Case for
Diversity
Activity
10: Diversity Council Saboteurs
Checklist
Activity
11: Stereotypes by Geographic
Region
Activity
12: Building the Strategic Case for
Diversity
Activity
13: Maximizing the Learning from
Videos
Activity
14: Diversity In Your Life
Activity 15: Oh, the Places We'll Go
Activity 16: Diversity Journey
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HOW
MUCH OF A DIVERSITY
CHANGE AGENT ARE YOU?
Directions:
Respond to the following statements by checking the
appropriate column.
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Usually
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Sometimes
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Rarely
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1. I
challenge stereotypic comments and
assumptions.
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2. I
engage colleagues in discussions about
diversity.
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3. I
spend time (e.g., lunch, breaks) with
people who are different from
me.
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4. I
bring diversity concerns to the attention
of my manager.
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5. I let
people know that ethnic, gender, racial,
religious, etc., jokes are off
limits.
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6. I
suggest diversity issues and topics for
the agenda at regular management or work
team meetings.
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7. I
challenge us vs. them comments and
complaints about other groups.
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8. I
listen to others' concerns with an open
mind and questioning attitude.
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9. I
suggest resolution strategies when there
are diversity related
conflicts.
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10. I
explain the business advantages for
effectively dealing with
diversity.
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11. I
ask for suggestions about ways to make the
work environment more
inclusive.
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12. I
speak enthusiastically about the
organization's diversity plans and
initiatives.
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13. I
speak up and educate when I hear a
derogatory comment, slur, or
joke.
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14. I
seek out people to talk with whose views
are different from mine.
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15. I
challenge my own assumptions and
stereotypic thoughts.
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© Lee Gardenswartz and Anita Rowe
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Click
here to download this
activity.

Suggestions for Using "How Much of a Diversity
Change Agent Are You?"
Objectives:
- To raise
awareness of behaviors necessary for creating
diversity change in organizations
- To assess
oneself as a change agent
- To stimulate
development of change agentry within the
organization
Intended
Audience:
- Diversity
Council/Task Force members
- Diversity
trainers
- Leaders and
managers in diverse organizations
Time: 45
Minutes
Materials:
- Copies of
"How Much of a Diversity Change Agent Are You?"
worksheet for all participants
- pens/pencils
- easel/chart
(optional)
- felt tip
markers (optional)
Processing the
Activity:
- Participants
are asked to share (in pairs, small groups, or
with the entire group) the behavior they do
which most helps the diversity process in their
organization
- Facilitator
elicits responses and charts responses on chart
pad (optional)
- Facilitator
explains that while organizational change around
diversity happens at three levels,
organizational, managerial, and individual,
participants can have a significant influence on
that change process through their own behavior.
The activity they are about to experience will
give them a chance to examine these behaviors,
assess themselves against them, and set goals
for their own growth
- Facilitator
distributes worksheets and asks participants to
respond, following directions
- Participants
then pair up and discuss their responses
focusing on greatest strengths and most
important areas for growth
- Each
participant commits to working on behavior for
development and shares in pairs or with entire
group. Facilitator may chart commitments
(optional)
Questions for
Discussion:
- Which
behaviors do you commonly do? Do
least?
- Which are
most difficult for you?
- What blocks
you from doing these?
- What other
behaviors would you add to the list?
- Which
behaviors are most important to develop in order
to be more effective in moving the diversity
process forward?
- Where/how can
you begin developing your ability to do this
behavior?
- What would
help you in this process?
Caveats,
Considerations, and Variations:
- You may
tailor this list to specific activities and
processes in your organization (e.g., mentoring,
training, brown bag forums, hiring panels,
etc.)
- Participants
can make contracts with specific individuals to
check back with one another at determined
intervals regarding their development
commitments
- This activity
is best used with those who see their role as
change agents regarding diversity and is most
effective when combined with information about
long-term change processes and the role as
facilitators in making change
happen.
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ASSESSING
YOUR COMFORT
WITH DIVERSITY
Directions: Think
about each dimension of diversity and rate the
degree comfort you feel in dealing with people
different from you in that dimension.
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HIGH
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MEDIUM
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LOW
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HOW
DISCOMFORT SHOWS
ITSELF
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Age
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Gender
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Sexual
Orientation
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Physical
Ability
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Ethnicity
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Race
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Geographic
Location
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Different
socio-economic status
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Personal
Habits
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Recreational
Habits
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Religion
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Educational
Background
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Appearance
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Parental
Status
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Marital
Status
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Role of
Women
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Ethical
Values
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Family
structure/practices
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Treatment
of elders
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Relationship
to Authority
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Role of
work in life
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Personal
health/hygiene
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Language
differences
(accents included)
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Leisure
time activities
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Adapted from
Diverse Teams at Work, Lee Gardenswartz and
Anita Rowe, Irwin Professional Publishing,
1995.
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Click
here to download this
activity.
Suggestions
for Using Assessing Your Comfort with
Diversity
Objectives:
- To identify
areas of personal discomfort in dealing with
diversity
- To gain
understanding about what triggers that
discomfort
Intended
Audience:
- Participants
in a diversity training session
- Members of a
work team or task force
Time: 30 - 45
minutes
Materials:
- Copies of
Assessing Your Comfort with Diversity
worksheet
- Pens/pencils
- Easel and
chart paper optional
Processing the
Activity:
- Facilitator
begins with brief lecturette mentioning that
diversity is an inside job and acknowledging the
role of individual perspectives and experience
in determining comfort level across various
diversity dimensions. Facilitator can use self
as an example.
- Facilitator
distributes the worksheet and asks participants
to respond to each category with either a high,
medium, or low score. Where there is low
comfort, participants can write in the box "How
discomfort show itself."
- Facilitator
then asks people to discuss either in pairs or
small groups. The number of participants and the
level of trust influence the size of the
discussion group. Where there is little trust,
groups of 2 or 3 are preferable. If high trust
exists, groups can be larger.
- The
facilitator gives the small groups approximately
15 minutes for discussion.
- Facilitator
then conducts discussion with the whole group,
focusing on areas of greatest discomfort,
reasons for that discomfort and noticeable
change, in either becoming more comfortable or
less in any area.
Questions for
Discussion:
- Which areas
have high comfort levels? Which have the
lowest?
- To what do
you attribute the differences?
- Where has the
comfort level changed, either getting more or
less comfortable?
- What has
brought about the change?
- What is the
consequence to your relationships and career
opportunities if no change is made?
- What can you
do to increase your comfort in places where it
needs to increase?
Caveats,
Considerations and Variations:
- Where you are
trying to build trust and push people to go
deeper in relationship building and personal
awareness, this probably is not a good first
step. Wait till the group demonstrates honesty
and openness before pushing people to go
deeper.
- This is a
useful tool at a more superficial level to
introduce the breadth of diversity and help all
people see their connection to the
topic.
- This tool is
adaptable in that it can really open people up
and help them see their short-comings, but it
can also be used as beginning level awareness in
a non-threatening way.
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DIVERSITY
GIFTS
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Group
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Diversity
Gifts to You
(Influences on your values,
philosophy, and orientation to
life)
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African-Americans
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Lesbians/Gays
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Euro-Americans
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Latinos
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Physically
Challenged Individuals
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Native
Americans
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Asians
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Muslims
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Jews
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Christians
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Buddhists
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Older
Individuals
(over 70 yrs)
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© Lee Gardenswartz and Anita Rowe
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Click
here to download this activity.
Suggestions
for Using "Diversity Gifts"
Objectives:
- To raise
awareness about the contributions of members of
diverse groups to society in general and to
one's own life
- To generate
discussion about the value of
differences
Intended
Audience:
- Participants
in a diversity training session
- Members of a
work team
Time:
30 - 45 minutes
Materials:
- Copies of
"Diversity Gifts" worksheet
- Pens/pencils
Processing the
Activity:
- Facilitator
begins by asking participants to think of
someone in their lives who is different from
them from whom they learned something
significant. Facilitator can also share a
personal example.
- Facilitator
distributes worksheet and asks participants to
consider each group and write down in what ways
the group as a whole or individuals from the
group have influenced their own values,
philosophy, or orientation to life. (Note: some
boxes may remain blank.)
- Facilitator
asks participants to take 15 minutes to pair up
and share their responses on the worksheet as
well as their reactions to the activity and each
others' responses.
- Facilitator
asks each participant to share, with the whole
group, one of the most meaningful or significant
influences.
- Facilitator
leads a total group discussion of the reactions
and learnings.
Questions for
Discussion:
- For which
group was it easiest for you to see
influences?
- For which
groups was it most difficult?
- Were there
any where you could not find an
influence?
- What do you
think might be the reasons for this?
- What other
groups did you add?
- What
surprises were there, in your own or your
partner's responses?
- What do you
take away from this time spent considering the
gifts of diversity?
Caveats,
Considerations, and Variations:
- Participants
may balk at responding to labels for different
groups. Facilitator can explain that we do group
people by various diversity
dimensions.
- Participants
may want to add other groups at the beginning of
the exercise. (e.g., immigrants, day laborers,
managers, recovering alcoholics, "techies," or
generation X-ers." That way all participants can
include these groups in their
consideration.
- Facilitator
can substitute groups on the list to suit
participants' realities or the objectives of the
session.
- If time is
limited, the total group sharing of an example
by participants can be omitted. The paired
sharing can also be omitted and participants can
share their most significant example, as well as
their learning from the activity, with the total
group.
top
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DIVERSITY
COAT OF ARMS
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© Lee Gardenswartz and Anita Rowe
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Click
here to download this activity.
Suggestions
for Using "Diversity Coat of Arms"
Objectives:
- Identify
values and factors that motivate you to work in
the diversity field.
- Clarify
expectations of self and others.
- Recognize
personal strengths and weaknesses.
Intended
Audience:
- Diversity
trainers and facilitators.
- Any manager
or consultant charged with the task of creating
a more cohesive, high performing
team.
Time: 45 to 60
minutes
Materials:
- Copies of
"Diversity Coat of Arms" worksheet
- Pens/pencils
Processing the
Activity:
- Begin with
manager, facilitator, trainer, team leader or
consultant discussing the importance of being
clear about your values and who you are as you
do this work.
- Explain that
the intent of the Coat of Arms is one way of
helping people clarify their basic values and
who they are.
- Discuss each
of the five sections and give a personal
example.
- Then have
each participant fill out the Coat of
Arms.
- Following
that, have participants get out of their seats,
walk around and pair up with one person at a
time to share and discuss both similarities and
differences. Give participants between 5 and 10
minutes per round, and have as many rounds as
time permits, up to 30 minutes. Beyond that time
limit, the process could get repetitious.
- When finished
with paired sharing, ask each person to reclaim
their seats and then discuss.
Questions for
Discussion:
- How did it
feel to answer these questions? Which questions
were difficult to answer?
- What does
this Coat of Arms say about you? Your
relationship to diversity?
- Where are the
similarities and differences between you and
others?
- What are the
differences that add value to your
team?
- Where are the
opportunities for you to grow individually?
Collectively?
- What are the
implications of this information as you work in
the diversity field?
Caveats,
Considerations, and Variations:
- Rather than
having people mingle and talk to one another,
you could use pairs or small groups. The process
would depend on your objectives.
- Depending on
the size of the group, an effective closure to
an activity like this is, a statement of
learning, an intent for growth or a commitment
to the team that requires everyone in the group
to make a public commitment. An example of a
closure statement might be, "One thing I learned
about myself that will impact my work is
."
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HOW
DO YOU MANAGE DIVERSITY?
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Think of yourself in your role as it relates to
diversity. Then read the following 15 questions and
respond to each by putting a check in the column
that is most true and appropriate for
you.
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Usually
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Sometimes
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Rarely
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1. I
challenge stereotypic comments and
assumptions.
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2. I
engage managers in discussions about
diversity.
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3. I
suggest changes in systems and processes
to make them more equitable and
accessible.
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4. I
spend time (e.g., lunch, breaks) with
people who are different from me in a
variety of ways.
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5. I
coach managers on how to deal with
diversity related problems.
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6. I
review policies to assure they are
inclusive.
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7. I let
people know that ethnic, gender, racial,
religious, etc., jokes are off
limits.
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8. I
suggest diversity issues and topics for
the agenda at regular management or work
team meetings.
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9. I
create methods to hold all staff
accountable for fair treatment and
respectful behavior.
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10. I
speak up and educate when I hear a
derogatory comment, slur, or
joke.
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11. I
suggest resolution strategies when
managers have diversity related
conflicts.
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12. I
explain the business advantages for
effectively dealing with
diversity.
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13. I
challenge my own assumptions and
stereotypic thoughts.
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14. I
give managers suggestions about ways to
make the work environment more
inclusive.
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15. I
speak publicly and supportively about the
organization's diversity plans and
initiatives.
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© Lee
Gardenswartz and Anita Rowe
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Click
here to download this activity.
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Scoring:
Usually: 2
points; Sometimes: 1 point; Rarely: 0
points
Individual
attitudes and beliefs;
items 1, 4, 7, 10, 13 ________
Managerial skills
and practices;
items 2, 5, 8, 11, 14 ________
Organizational
values and policies;
items 3, 6, 9, 12, 15 ________
Total
________
To manage
diversity effectively one needs to attend to three
arenas simultaneously. First, because
organizations effectiveness and productivity
depend on the human beings who work in them, there
is a need to focus on individual attitudes and
beliefs that affect interpersonal interactions. How
open are employees to people who are different? How
comfortable is staff with change? How much do
employees know about the cultural norms of groups
they serve? What are individuals assumptions
about various groups on staff or in the community?
Helping staff understand and deal with these
expectations and beliefs that are played out
everyday in relationships on the job is step
one.
Beyond the
individual level is the critical interface between
the organization and employees through management
practices and skills. How do managers build teams
of diverse staff? Do they have the skills to coach
and develop diverse employees? Can managers
facilitate the resolution of conflict between staff
members? Coaching and creating opportunity for
managers to increase their competence in these
areas is a second area of focus.
Finally, it is
essential to address the organizational level. Are
the values, norms and policies of the institution
in harmony with diversity? How can diversity be
seen as an asset that can help the company achieve
its strategic objectives? Working to create
organizational policies that encourage diversity,
hold people accountable and reward inclusiveness is
a third aspect of managing diversity.
Suggestions for
Using "How Do You Manage Diversity"
Objectives:
- To increase
understanding of methods to influence diversity
related culture change
- To assess
ones influence in each of the three arenas
of change
Intended
Audience:
- Diversity
managers, coordinators and directors
- Members of
diversity councils, task forces, and
committees
- Leaders and
managers in diverse organizations
Time: 45 to 60
minutes
Materials:
- Copies of
"How do You Manage Diversity" worksheet
- Pens/pencils
Processing the
Activity:
- Facilitator
gives a brief lecturette on the three arenas of
change necessary in managing diversity:
Individual Attitudes and Beliefs, Managerial
Skills and Practices, and Organizational Values
and Policies
- Facilitator
introduces the activity by asking participants
to share the one most important effective thing
theyve done to change the culture of their
organization.
- Facilitator
then distributes the questionnaire, explaining
the objectives and giving
directions.
- Participants
respond to the questionnaire and score their
own.
- In pairs,
participants share strengths, weaknesses,
obstacles, and areas of needed improvement
pointed out by the questionnaire
- Facilitator
leads a total group discussion of reactions,
learnings, and suggestions for increasing
influence and effectiveness.
Questions for
Discussion:
- In which
arenas do you find your greatest strengths in
influencing culture change?
- What
obstacles do you encounter?
- What steps do
you need to take to be more effective in
influencing change?
- What would be
an important next step for you to take to
increase your ability to influence
change?
Caveats,
Considerations, and Variations:
- High and low
scores by arena can be charted to get a picture
of the groups strengths and weaknesses.
Poll the group and have participants "vote" for
their highest and lowest scoring
arenas.
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High
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Low
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Individual
Attitudes and Beliefs
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Managerial
Skills and Practices
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Organizational
Values and Policies
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- The whole
group can brainstorm suggested strategies for
the arena in which most participants scored
lowest.
- Participants
can be divided into three groups, each with
group brainstorming obstacles in one particular
arena and suggested strategies and actions that
would overcome those obstacles.
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INTEGRATING
DIVERSITY INTO ALL TRAINING
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Check those steps
you have taken to integrate diversity into all
training.
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CONTENT
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1. A
wide range of approaches and methods are
taught.
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2.
Advantages and disadvantages of each
method are discussed.
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3.
Diversity is depicted through examples and
cases.
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4.
Situations and examples do not reinforce
stereotypes.
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5. The
influence of culture and background is
included in explanations and analyses of
behaviors and situations.
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6.
Assumptions and preconceived notions are
challenged.
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7.
Visual materials depict a diverse array of
individuals.
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8.
Language used is non-sexist and
non-racist.
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9.
Trainers and curriculum designers have a
solid understanding of diversity concepts
such as cultural differences, stereotypes
and prejudice.
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10.
Training content reinforces understanding
and responding to differences in
others.
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PROCESS
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11. A
variety of learning and teaching methods
are used.
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12.
Participants are clustered in various
kinds of groupings.
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13.
Trainers represent diversity in dimensions
such as age, gender, ethnicity, race,
level, and education.
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14. Both
written and visual materials are
utilized.
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15.
Written materials are provided at an
appropriate level of literacy and in other
languages if needed.
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16.
Training is designed and reviewed by a
diverse group of staff members.
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17. The
cultural and individual needs and
preferences of participants are assessed
and taken into account.
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18.
Ethnic, gender (or other) slurs, jokes,
and comments are not tolerated in training
sessions.
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19.
Participants are not singled out for
embarrassment or ridicule.
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20.
Learning activities are comfortable for
participants.
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©
Lee Gardenswartz and Anita Rowe
|
|
Click
here to download this activity.

Suggestions for Using "Integrating Diversity into
All Training"
Objectives:
- Assess the
degree to which diversity is being integrated
into all training
- Suggest ways
to integrate diversity into other
training
Intended
Audience:
- Diversity
coordinators, managers and leaders of diversity
processes
- Diversity
Council members
- Training and
development professionals
Time: 45 to 60
minutes
Materials:
- Copies of
"Integrating Diversity into All Training"
worksheet
- Pens/pencils
Processing the
Activity:
- Facilitator
introduces the topic by asking participants to
brainstorm all the training and development
offerings provided in their organization.
- Facilitator
explains that one of the ways to make diversity
a relevant part of every day operations is to
integrate it into training of all
kinds.
- Facilitator
may review the four aspects of the
training/learning environment: content, process,
climate and results (The Diversity Tool Kit,
Section I) or explain that all training consists
of both content and process.
- Facilitator
asks participants to respond to the
questionnaire.
- Participants
discuss their responses in pairs or small
groups, focusing on strengths and potential
areas for improvement.
- Facilitator
leads a total group discussion of learning,
application and next steps.
Questions for
Discussion:
- In what ways
have we already integrated diversity into
training?
- What have we
not done to integrate it?
- What
diversity awareness, knowledge and skills are
relevant to the content of training programs we
offer?
- What training
processes take into account participant
diversity?
- What changes,
modifications and adaptations could be made to
increase effectiveness with diverse
groups?
- What actions
or steps do we need to take?
- Who else
needs to be involved in this process?
top
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BUILDING
RELATIONSHIPS ONE-ON-ONE
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NAME
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WHAT
DO I NEED MORE OR LESS
OF
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WHAT
I AM WILLING TO
GIVE/DO
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1.
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2.
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3.
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4.
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5.
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Click
here to download this activity.

Suggestions for Using BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS:
ONE-ON-ONE
Objectives:
- To help team
members clarify working relationships and
expectations
- To increase
team cohesion and minimize confusion or
conflict
- To create a
safe, practical tool for dealing with
differences
- To reach
agreement with team members about norms and
expectations
Intended
Audience:
- Any on-going
team, workgroups or task force
- Managers who
need to increase clarity and cohesion for their
own workgroup
Time:
45 Minutes
Materials:
- Copies of
Building Relationships: One-on-One worksheet for
all participants
- pens/pencils
- easel/chart
(optional)
- felt tip
markers (optional)
Processing the
Activity:
- Talk about
the need for effective workgroups to have a
clear set of expectations between individual
members and for the whole group as a
whole.
- Talk about
the need for mutuality
the ability to ask
for more or less of what one needs, and the
willingness to adapt to the needs and
preferences of others as well.
The directions
are the following:
- Think of the
8 people you most come in contact with. If there
are fewer than 8.
- Then list the
names of those who are appropriate.
- Write their
names in the column entitled
Name
- In the middle
column, write down what you need more or less of
from each person on your list.
- Then in the
last column, write down what you are willing to
give or do to make the relationship work
better.
- The
facilitator then explains that you are having a
series of one-on-one negotiations where people
pair up with those on their lists. There should
be anywhere from 4 to 6 rounds, and the time per
round should be between 10 and 20 minutes for
each. The number of rounds and length of time
depends on how much time available for the
process.
- The
facilitator tells people to select a partner for
the first round and discuss the content in both
columns. At the end of the allotted time, the
facilitator signals the end of each round and
tells people to select the next partner and
start the next round.
- At the end of
the specified number of rounds, ask everyone to
go back to their seats.
Closure:
- Ask
participants to reflect on the experience and
write down some of their own
insights.
- Ask
participants to also write down some action
plans.
Discussion
Question:
- How do we
keep this process going when we dont have
a formal meeting to
clarify our
relationships?
- What did you
learn from this process that may be of benefit
to all of us?
© Lee
Gardenswartz and Anita Rowe
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MAKING
THE STRATEGIC BUSINESS
CASE
FOR DIVERSITY
Adapted from Amy
Kahn and Steven Gomez, in Challenging Diversity:
Taking the Next Step, Amy Kahn,
www.culture-link.com
Click
here to download this activity.

Suggestions for Using Making the Strategic
Business Case for Diversity
Objectives:
- To identify
the economic drivers regarding
diversity
- To build a
case that identifies how diversity can be
leveraged for both economic and cultural
gain
- To understand
how to minimize the negative costs of diversity
issues that have been ignored or poorly
managed
Intended
Audience:
- Executives
whose support and buy in is needed
- Managers who
need to utilize diversity as a vehicle to
improve team work and morale
- Employees at
all levels who are charged with the task of
supporting and implementing initiatives and
culture change
Time: 45
Minutes
Materials:
- An overhead
and a worksheet of Making the Strategic
Business Case for Diversity (OH for
facilitator, worksheet for each
participant)
- Chart paper
and markers
- Tape for
putting big charts on the walls. These charts
are replicas of the overhead and the
worksheet
Processing the
Activity:
- Facilitator
raises the question, Why pay attention to
diversity? Expect some random responses
from the group that mention change,
demographics, and increased creativity. After
fielding a few responses, the facilitator begins
a lecturette on the model entitled The
Strategic Business Case for
Diversity.
- The
facilitator explains that the audience needs to
understand that the business imperative is both
internal (people inside an organization have to
see how it matters to on-going work
relationships and conflict resolution) and
external (consumers know when they are
understood and valued) through ads and sales
pitches. The facilitator also talks about
leveraging diversity for gain (opportunity) and
just making sure that law suits are not filed
(liability).
- The
facilitator then asks each person to fill out
the participant work sheet to define
opportunities and liabilities internally and
externally as each participant sees
them.
- Once they
have done so, divide the large group into small
groups at various stations. Have between 4 and 6
people in each group. Big charts and markers
will be at each station and each group will put
all its data on their chart.
- After 15
minutes reconvene the whole group for a large
group discussion.
Questions for
Discussion:
- Which
business case opportunities are easiest to
make?
- How have you
altered the WIFMs (whats in it for
me) to suit people at each level of the
organization?
- What data are
you missing? Where is it difficult to make the
case at all?
- What are the
strongest arguments for the external
environment, both as opportunity and
liability?
- Which
benefits talk most strongly to the
employees?
- How can you
convert any of this to the data that talks to
each audience, some is dollars and cents and
some in improved climate and
culture?
Caveats,
Considerations, and Variations:
- You can
provide some interesting data but most
organizations have to do the hard work
themselves and tailor the pitch to industry,
geography, etc.
© Lee
Gardenswartz and Anita Rowe
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DIVERSITY
COUNCIL
SABOTEURS
CHECKLIST
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q
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Lack
of team building
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q
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Unclear
mandate and charter
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q
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Absence
of demonstrable executive and managerial
support
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q
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Discrepancy
between broad definition of diversity and
narrow Affirmative Action
measures
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q
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Management
resistant to release time for Council
members
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q
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Single
issue advocacy from individual
members
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q
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Infrequent
meetings and contact
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q
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No
groundrules for operating
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q
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Fear
of resistance and unwillingness to take
risk
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q
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Inadequate
measurement and evaluation
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q
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Little
emphasis on strategic and operational
application
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q
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Using
training as the major change
vehicle
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q
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Little
accountability for task
accomplishment
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q
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Lack
of urgency
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q
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Not
gathering and using data to determine
direction
|
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q
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Lack
of diversity education
|
Click
here to download this activity.

Suggestions
for Using Diversity Council Saboteurs
Checklist
Objectives:
- Identify
factors hindering diversity council
effectiveness
- Stimulate
analysis and discussion of council
functioning
- Provide
information useful in designing plans for
strengthening council operation
Intended
Audience:
- Diversity
council members
- Diversity
coordinators and managers
- Executives
and managers organizing and chartering a
diversity council
Time: 60
Minutes
Materials:
- Copies of
Diversity Council Saboteurs
Checklist
- Pens,
pencils
- Easel/flipchart
and markers (optional)
Processing the
Activity:
Questions for
Discussion:
- Which
saboteurs create the most serious barriers in
your organization?
- Which
saboteurs are surprising to you?
- What
resources do you have to help you deal with
these obstacles?
- What steps
can you take to prevent these from blocking your
council?
- What is the
most important thing your council needs to do
next?
- What can you
do to help your council?
- What do we
need to include in our councils future
development to increase its effectiveness?
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STEREOTYPES
BY GEOGRAPHIC REGION
Click
here to download this activity.

There
are images, assumptions, and generalizations, both
good and bad, about regions throughout the United
States. Take a look at some stereotypes that you
hold and write them down in the spaces below.
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REGION
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+
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–
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CONSEQUENCES
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Pacific
Northwest
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West
Coast
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American
West
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Midwest
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Northeast
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Southeast
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Mid-Atlantic
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Southwest
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Suggestions
for Using Stereotypes by Geographic
Region
Objectives:
- Explore the
concept of stereotypes
- Show in a
non-threatening way now deeply embedded they
are
- Understand
negative impact of stereotyping
Intended
Audience:
- Any employee
in a diversity training class. This activity
works as well for executives as it does for
front line employees
Time:
30&endash;45 Minutes
Materials:
- Stereotypes
by Geographic Region worksheet
- Easel,
flipchart, markers, tape
Processing the
Activity:
- The
facilitator begins with a basic lecture and
discussion about the definition and rationale
human beings have for stereotyping. Part of the
discussion is the concept of second-hand smoke
and how osmotically stereotypes become a part of
who we are and how we see the world. The
facilitator then suggests that we try a little
experiment to see what our collective pictures
look like around something where most of us have
mental pictures of the geographic differences in
the United States.
- Distribute
the worksheet entitled Stereotypes by Geographic
Region.
- Have each
person fill out his or her worksheet in the
+, &endash;, and
consequence column.
- Count people
off into small groups and have them discuss
their responses. It is very effective to blow
the worksheet up into 18 x 24 size
charts. If you tape them on the wall,
participants can record their collective
data.
- After the
group discussion is complete, process the
questions as a whole group. You can have a
member of each group report out some data to the
large group to get the discussion
going.
Questions for
Discussion:
- What
stereotypes generated the most
energy?
- Where were
the collective perceptions nearly unanimous?
What were these based on?
- Where did you
have divergence of perceptions? What were these
based on?
- Consider some
of the positive and negative stereotypes. What
are the consequences of those
pictures?
- Where were
your strong perceptions arrived at with no
personal experience? Where do these stereotypes
come from?
- What
application does this exercise have to life in
your organization?
- How can we
get people to be less limited in their
thinking?
Caveats,
Considerations, and Variations:
- You can
divide people up in any number of ways.
Depending on the size of the group, you might
put blank charts on the wall for each region and
have people mill around the room with markers
while they write their data.
© Gardenswartz & Rowe
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|
BUILDING
THE STRATEGIC BUSINESS CASE FOR DIVERSITY
Suggestions for
Using Building the Strategic Business Case
for Diversity
Objectives:
- Gain data to
build and support the organization's strategic
business case for diversity
- Build
awareness about the strategic drivers for
diversity
Intended
Audience:
- Members of a
Diversity Council, Executive Staff or Diversity
Department
- Management
team focusing on building a case for
diversity
- Interview or
focus group participants
Time:
45&endash;120 Minutes
Materials:
- Building
the Strategic Business Case for
Diversity
- Note pad
(optional)
- Easel,
flipchart and markers (optional)
Processing the
Activity:
- Give a brief
lecturette on the four quadrants of the
model.
Option I
&emdash; Group Data Gathering
Catalyst
- Ask
participants to form into four groups, each
focusing on one quadrant of the
model.
- Groups chart
information or data that answers the relevant
questions in that quadrant.
- Groups then
discuss where they can find additional data to
respond to questions.
- Group members
each take responsibility for researching and
gathering data for one question, bringing back
data to next meeting and sharing with other
groups.
Option II
&emdash; Interview/Focus Group Data
Gathering
- Use questions
to guide interviews with selected business
leaders or to stimulate discussion with focus
groups.
- Chart or take
notes to capture data.
Focus groups can
be made up of specific departments (e.g.,
recruiting, marketing) employee affinity group
members (e.g., Black employee association) task
teams (e.g., strategic planning or continuous
improvement teams), or a cross section of
employees.
Questions for
Discussion:
- Where can we
get information to respond to questions for
which we currently have no answers?
- What is the
result of any of these issues and obstacles on
areas such as morale and commitment which are
harder to quantify?
- Who else do
we need to talk with to get additional
perspectives?
Caveats,
Considerations, and Variations:
- If time is
limited, select the most pertinent questions for
the organization.
- Discussion
can be stimulated if some of the statistical
data (e.g., demographics, turnover rates) is
brought to the session and presented to the
group.
©
Gardenswartz & Rowe
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MAXIMIZING
THE LEARNING FROM VIDEOS
AGENDA
Video:
_____________________________________________
Click
here to download this
activity.
|
Warm-up:
|
Short focusing
activity that involves participants and
gets initial active participation about
the topic of the video
|
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Objectives:
|
Two or three
specific outcomes participants will
gain
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Focusing:
What to watch for
|
Specific aspects
of the video you want participants to
notice
- Examples of
how conflict is dealt with
- Productive and
non-productive behaviors of the
manager
|
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Debriefing:
Personal:
Interpersonal:
Task:
|
Reactions
- What reactions
did you have?
- What surprises
were there?
- Feelings
- How did you
feel about ...?
- What feelings
were evoked...?
- Insights
- What questions
did this raise?
- Where do you
see yourself in this video?
- What does this
mean to you with regard to your
relationships?
- How does this
mirror your work situations?
(Similarities and
Differences)?
- What does the
scenario suggest about the possible
strengths and weaknesses of
your work relationships?
- What do all
parties need to do to be more
effective?
- Where can you
apply what you learned in this
video?
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Closure:
|
Action commitment
participant will make
- The next time
I'm involved in a conflict, I'll
...
- One situation
where I will use the resolution model
is ...
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MAXIMIZING
THE LEARNING FROM VIDEOS
AGENDA
Video:
_____________________________________________
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Warm-up:
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Objectives:
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Focusing:
What to watch for
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Debriefing:
Personal:
Interpersonal:
Task:
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Closure:
|
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Suggestions
for Using "Maximizing the Learning from
Videos"
Objectives:
- Use videos
for maximum effectiveness in diversity
training
- Design
processes for using videos for maximum
effectiveness in diversity training
Intended
Audience:
- Diversity
trainers and consultants
- Managers
wanting to engage employees in a diversity
learning/discussion
Processing
the Activity:
- Review
potential videos for relevance to needs and
objective of session and appropriateness to
participants
- Once video
has been selected, conduct a pilot viewing with
a small sample group of representative
participants to get feedback on relevance,
appropriateness and effectiveness
- Design agenda
using the agenda template and example sheet tdo
guide planning
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DIVERSITY
IN YOUR LIFE.pdf
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OH, THE PLACES WE’LL GO!*
- Identify an experience you have never had that is enticing to you (a place, an activity, etc.)
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
- What would it take to get you to do this?
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
- What is holding you back?
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
- What would you gain by doing it?
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
- What’s the application of any of this to working with diversity in your organization?
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
* Title adapted from Dr. Seuss, Oh, The Places You’ll Go
DOWNLOAD THIS ACTIVITY |
Suggestions for Using
Oh, the Places We’ll Go!
Objectives:
• To understand the barriers to diversity change
• To gain keys to understanding how to make progress with a diversity initiative
• To energize a group regarding diversity change
Intended Audience:
• Members of a diversity council, task force or steering committee
• Members of an executive leadership team
Time: 30 – 45 minutes
Materials:
• Oh, The Places We’ll Go! worksheets
• Easel, chart pad and markers
Processing the Activity:
• The facilitator introduces the activity by explaining the objectives and connecting individual movement to organizational change.
• The facilitator asks participants to respond to the questions on the worksheet, making notes about their thoughts.
• The facilitator tells the group that they will be sharing their responses with others.
• Participants discuss their responses, either in small groups (4–5 people) or in a total group discussion.
• Facilitator charts responses.
Questions for Discussion:
• What were some of the experiences that were enticing to you?
• What would be motivating factors?
• What are some of the obstacles?
• What are the potential benefits?
• What is the application of this for our diversity culture change initiative?
• Which are the most significant barriers we face?
• What would it take to get us over them?
Caveats, Considerations and Variations:
• Each small group can chart its own information and report it to the total group.
• Small groups can prioritize the top three barriers and make suggestions for overcoming them.
|

Download this activity
Objectives:
• To increase understanding of one’s own development regarding diversity
• To understand others’ diversity development process
• To build relationship and connection in a work team or group
Intended Audience:
• Participants in diversity awareness training
• Members of a diversity council
• Members of a work team wanting to develop cohesiveness and connection
Time: 45 – 60 minutes
Materials:
• Copies of Diversity Journey worksheet
• Large sheets of chart paper
• Colored markers
Processing the Activity:
• Facilitator gives a brief lecturette on the Four Layers of Diversity.
• Facilitator asks participants to brainstorm reactions and dynamics that often accompany diversity and dealing with differences. Facilitator charts responses (Answers such as curiosity, stereotyping, labels, inclusion, exclusion, prejudice and creativity might be typical.)
• Facilitator then explains that each individual develops an understanding and orientation about diversity based on life experiences, events and milestones that have been influential. Facilitator gives two or three examples of significant experiences that influenced his/her own diversity journey.
• Participants then illustrate their journeys on chart paper, depicting 6 – 8 significant influences that shaped their experience and understanding of diversity at different stages in their lives.
• Participants then share their journeys in pairs or triads, discussing milestones and the impact they had.
• Facilitator leads a total group discussion of the experience.
Questions for Discussion:
• What reactions and feelings did you have as you identified and depicted your milestones?
• How was the experience of your journey with others?
• What elements did you have in common?
• What did you find most interesting?
• How does this experience of sharing your diversity journeys impact your relationships with your partner(s)?
• What did you learn about diversity from hearing others’ stories?
• Why does this matter in a diverse workplace?
• How can you learn more about the diversity journeys of your coworkers?
Caveats, Considerations and Variations:
• If the group is small enough and there is adequate time, each person can share his/her diversity journey with the entire group.
• Once the pairs or triads have shared, each person can share one significant milestone with the entire group.
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