Lenora Billings-Harris

Turning Barriers into Bridges by Disrupting Bias

Dramatic recent events highlight the necessity for deliberate discussions related to perceptions and realities as it relates to supporting an inclusive and diverse workforce that serves multicultural clients and communities.

Diversity includes all the ways we are similar and different. As the dramatic shift toward discussions of race and other diversity dimensions continues, leaders know they must help their staff and associates at all levels understand, appreciate, and capitalize on differences as well as similarities. They know the cultural backgrounds and experiences of diverse colleagues, direct reports, clients and customers can enrich the organization, making it more innovative and competent, yet the leader’s ability to lead and support diversity and inclusion efforts can strengthen or impede results. By demonstrating allyship, leaders can create an inclusive culture that attracts, develops, and retains the best talent.

This non-judgmental and interactive session (in-person or virtual) provides an opportunity for leaders to discover how and why bias impacts behaviors and decisions, and then how to implement actions that strengthen trust leading to inclusive behaviors and positive results.

Participant Takeaways:
As a result of attending this session, you will be able to:
- Understand the business case for diversity equity and inclusion
- Examine the Four Levels of Transformational DEI Strategies
- Recognize the myth of equity versus compliance
- Understand the neuroscience of bias and its impact on decision making
- Recognize how biased behaviors often occur unintentionally
- Sharpen your awareness of the impact of micro-messages and behaviors on others
- Explore the influence of structural bias within talent management
- Develop a personal action plan using the 4-Part Cultural Compass

S.T.O.P. - How to Diminish Cultural Collisions through Courageous Conversations
(Turning Barriers to Bridges is a prerequisite)
(90-minute minimum)

Inclusive cultures encourage courageous conversations.
There are barriers, booby traps, and blocked roadways on our journey toward achieving a culturally competent work environment. People say and do things in the workplace without malice or intent, but nonetheless, some of these actions create a less than inclusive environment.

The biggest barrier to giving feedback when these challenging situations occur is fear. The main reason people do not speak up when they experience micro-aggressive behaviors is because they do not know how to do so, especially if they must interact with the colleague or client on a regular basis.

Lenora’s four-step process called S.T.O.P. is easy to use and produces surprisingly successful results. It works because there is no blame or shame in the process. Join her in this highly interactive skill-based session to learn a technique that can be used at work, home, community, and even with children. You will also learn how to apply the key

Audience takeaways:
• Identify common microaggressions that impact relationships
• Apply the 4-step S.T.O.P. feedback process to encourage courageous conversations and disrupt micro-aggressions
• Examine the 5-step process to effectively lead or contribute to conversations on sensitive topics
• Examine approaches that strengthen your ability to be an ally, an advocate
• Post session worksheets for practice

Inclusive Leadership: Going Beyond the Inclusion Illusion

Are you ready to go beyond diversity and inclusion awareness? Are you ready to create a respectful, engaging environment that utilizes its diversity to gain a competitive advantage? If so, this program is for you.

Uncover critical strategies and successes related to world-class diversity and inclusion management used by award-winning organizations. Lenora Billings-Harris, co-author of TRAILBLAZERS: How Top Business Leaders are Accelerating Results through Inclusion and Diversity will lead you through the key components of measurable success related to Leadership Commitment and DEI Competencies.

By participating in this session, you will be able to:
1. Take a deep dive into the 6 areas of people management that require examination to disrupt systemic bias.
2. Explore the 4-Part Cultural Compass to build your personal cultural intelligence.
3. Examine the components that strengthen your ability to be an ally, an advocate, and an inclusive leader in a diverse environment.
4. Review best practices for creating and sustaining a workforce that is leader-driven, business-aligned, and celebrates difference to achieve innovation and creativity.

This presentation offers participants an opportunity to explore the Transformational Diversity Management Principles™ discussed in Lenora’s book TRAILBLAZERS: How Top Business Leaders are Accelerating Results through Inclusion and Diversity and includes her research findings.

You will leave with actionable strategies and tactics that drive diversity success.

Driving Cultural Inclusion through Courageous Conversations
(minimum 2 hrs)

Inclusive cultures encourage authentic conversations whether in the context of mentoring, performance evaluation, or day to day interactions. In today’s siloed society, having authentic dialogue is more challenging than ever.

There are barriers, booby traps, and blocked roadways on our journey toward achieving a culturally competent work environment. People say and do things in the workplace without malice of intent, but nonetheless, some of these actions create a less than inclusive workplace.

The biggest barrier to having an open dialogue when these challenging situations occur is fear. The main reason people do not speak up when they experience micro-aggressive behaviors is that they do not know how to do so, especially if they must interact with the colleague on a regular basis.

Lenora’s four-step process called S.T.O.P. is easy to use and produces long-lasting results. It works because there is no blame or shame in the process. Her Actions for Allies dialogue technique enriches the learning and listening process.

Join her in this highly interactive skill-based session to learn techniques that can be used at work, home, and even with children.

Takeaways:
• Identify common microaggressions that impact relationships
• Apply the 4-step S.T.O.P. feedback process to disrupt micro-aggressions
• Determine to use and not use S.T.O.P.
• Actions for Allies dialogue process
• Advocates as leaders and colleagues