Leading in a Diverse Organization
Module Overview
Learning Objectives
Through lecture, discussion and activities, participants will be able to:
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Expand awareness of the many dimensions of diversity and their potential impact on
workplace/personal relations
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Identify and consider bias that may influence interpersonal relations and workplace
decision-making
Provide an opportunity for ‘diversity dialogue’ and the development of skills for further
engagement with others about diversity, equity and inclusion-related topics
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Leadership Competencies
Domains: Mission, People, Execution
• Creates value for diverse communities we serve
• Fosters and promotes diverse teams
• Collaborates and builds inclusive relationships
• Coaches and develops others
• Solves problems
Agenda
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VII.
Introduction
Diversity Bingo
Diversity Dimensions
Has This Happened to You? (Video)
Whose Job is it Anyway?
Unconscious Bias
Resolving ‘Sticky Situations’
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Leading in a Diverse Organization
Homework Assignment
Please answer the following questions and be prepared to share your responses in class.
1. What’s your role as a Leader as it relates to Diversity?
2. How comfortable are you with this role? Please explain.
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Key Definitions
UMHS Vision for Diversity
To achieve and sustain an environment that recognizes, respects, fosters and fully maximizes
the strengths and differences among its employees in order to be the employer and provider of
choice.
UMHS Definition of Diversity
The mosaic of people who bring a variety of backgrounds, styles, perspectives, values and
beliefs as assets to the groups and organizations with which they interact.
Our Goal
A health care system in which diversity and cultural inclusion is embedded throughout the
healthcare experience.
What is an inclusive environment?
An inclusive environment is one in which all people feel “included,” can express their personal
diversity, and can accept the diversity of others. This tool provides a list of techniques you can
use to create or promote an inclusive environment.
Characteristics of an Inclusive Environment
In an inclusive environment:
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Openness and sharing are promoted
Team members consciously work to understand each other
Diversity of the staff reflects the diversity among patients, members, and the
community
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The differences among the staff are considered an asset (i.e., work, communication, and
interaction preferences).
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All employees are respected and valued
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There are frequent opportunities for staff to share
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Leading in a Diverse Organization
President Schlissel…Diversity Champion
Monday, February 16, 2015:
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President Mark Schlissel launched a campuswide conversation on diversity, calling for
innovative and ambitious measures to address "the hardest problem and biggest
challenge that we're going to confront together."
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Schlissel said that diversity, equity and an inclusive campus environment will be a major
focus of his presidency.
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http://record.umich.edu/articles/president-schlissel-kicks-campuswide-effortimprove-diversity
UM Non-Discrimination Policy:
The University of Michigan, as an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, complies
with all applicable federal and state laws regarding nondiscrimination and affirmative action.
The University of Michigan is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and
does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, marital status, sex, sexual
orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, religion, height, weight, or veteran
status in employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions.
Diversity Bingo
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Leading in a Diverse Organization
Diversity Attributes
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Leading in a Diverse Organization
Melody Hobson Ted Talk
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Ms. Hobson urges the audience to be ‘Color Brave’ rather than ‘Color Blind’. What does
she mean?
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Prior to her TED talk, some of Ms. Hobson’s colleagues urged her not to talk about race
for fear she might negatively impact her career. Is it too risky to talk about race at
UMHS?
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The Relationship between Unconscious Bias and Inclusion
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Defining unconscious bias
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Brain physiology
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Biases in our daily lives
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Implications of bias in the health care workplace
What is Unconscious Bias?
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Culture and brain physiology
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“Blindness”
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Decision making mechanisms
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Reduced appreciation of difference
Prediction machine (S-R)
“Lazy”
Wired for threat identification
Seeks the simplest path to decisions and zone of comfort
Fill in the blanks BO_T
Seeks the familiar and all which verifies it
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Leading in a Diverse Organization
LIFE
Experiences
Memories
Culture
Beliefs
Selective
Attention
MY INTERPRETATION OF LIFE
Typical Reactions
How might we feel when we discover we have unconscious bias?
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Denying/Disbelieving
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Defensive
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Guilty
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Threatened
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Feeling like a “bad” person- self deprecating
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Cognitive dissonance between who we think we are and who we are
Tendency to reject information that doesn’t match up with our view of the world
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What are the Implications for Healthcare Leaders
How we recruit applicants, hire/promote/fire applicants, onboard staff, assign work, mentor
staff, provide professional development opportunities, listen to others’ ideas, react to feedback
or suggestions from others, resolve conflict, provide recognition…
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Critical Thinking
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Cultural Awareness
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Accountability
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Curiosity
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Empathy
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Courage to address sensitive issues
How we treat patients, listen to their concerns, gather information, communicate about
their condition, make a diagnosis, decide about treatment, and facilitate their adherence to
treatment regimens.
Prepping to have the Conversations
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Leading in a Diverse Organization
Sticky Situations
1. Individually (3 mins): Read the scenario and write down some ideas for how to respond
and resolve it. What will you do? What conversations will you have? What will you
say? What resources or support might you seek out?
2. Collectively (15 mins): Share your ideas and create an overall strategy for how to
resolve the ‘sticky situation.’ If not already, consider the following: What will you do?
What conversations will you have? What will you say? What resources or support
might you seek out? (Choose a time-keeper and a scribe)
3. Collectively Prepare to (15 mins):
a. Share your plan or strategy (2 mins) with the larger group (choose a presenter)
b. Share an example conversation (3 mins) that the supervisor / project manager
will have with at least one other role in the scenario (choose 2 or 3 to role play)
Large Group (20 mins): The 4 Groups Share with the Larger Group (5 mins each)
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Start – Stop – Continue
Personal Action Plan
Note a few things you will Stop, Start, or Continue Doing as you consider information shared in
this module.
Start
Stop
Continue
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2.
3.
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