Training Philosophy

My goal is to build institutional diversity competency. I approach it as I would building any other kind of workplace competency.

I have developed and assessed a set of materials -- discussion points, exercises, demonstrations, pictures, etc. -- that work well in diversity training sessions because they are:

Evidence based -- i.e., derived from well known theory and research from the social sciences (I don’t rely upon my own personal experiences or opinions in the absence of accompanying evidence); and,

Context relevant – i.e., can be adapted so that they are relevant to the participant’s workplace and work responsibilities (I don’t leave participants with vague notions of wanting to make changes in the workplace but not knowing where or how to begin).

My training sessions are designed to demonstrate how stereotypes and prejudice influence our everyday thoughts, feelings, and behavior (I don’t rely upon extreme or shocking examples, exercises, or demonstrations that can do more harm than good). Also, I believe in making trainings participatory and appealing (using appropriate humor and stories to illustrate points).

Working with the above guiding principles in mind, as well as input from a contact person or group from the institution, I then build a workshop (or series of workshops) that best suits the specific goals and needs of the institution. That is, I don’t use “canned” workshops.

Finally, I urge institutions whenever possible to responsibly assess trainings. (Depending upon the institutional needs and goals, assessment instruments vary in their complexity and length.) Based upon assessment findings, I write a summary report on the training(s), as well as hold debriefing sessions to present the findings, answer questions, and/or discuss recommended next steps to facilitate the institution setting their diversity action agenda.

To find out more about my training philosophy or areas of expertise, please Contact Me.