Why Diversity Training
and Related Efforts Have
to Change!
For:
Workforce Diversity Network
Power of Inclusion Conference
2011
By:
Mauricio Velásquez, MBA
President, CEO
The Diversity Training Group
692 Pine Street
Herndon, VA 20170
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Meet Mauricio Velásquez
Mauricio Velásquez is the President and CEO of The Diversity
Training Group (DTG) in Herndon, VA. Mauricio serves as a
diversity strategy consultant, diversity trainer, sexual
harassment prevention trainer, toxic employee, executive
coach, mentoring trainer, and expert witness (20 yrs).
DTG’s clients include small and large organizations and public
and private entities. From the Surgeon General of the Navy to
the DOJ, from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba to Spain, Italy, Japan
and Guam most recently. From the White House to Native
American Tribes to law enforcement to Nixon Peabody,
Energy East/RPG in this town.
Mauricio has trained in every state but North Dakota. Work
and life has taken him to more than 75 countries.
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Mauricio’s Mission Today
Provoke Thought
Facilitate Discussion and Learning
Add Value
Provide Subject Matter Expertise
Make the conversation today real, pertinent
and useful
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Our #1 Ground Rule Today
PARTICIPATE!
Don’t hold back
Shoot at my fight
Make me dance
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So what are you seeing?
Why are we having this conversation?
Why Diversity Training and Related
Efforts Have to Change!
Let’s start with the organizational
conversation first – big picture
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Turn to your colleague
Discuss for 60 seconds
Be ready to share your top answers with
room!
Why Diversity Training and Related Efforts Have
to Change!
- Organizationally Speaking (Big Picture First)
before we focus on diversity training
specifically
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What audience said…
Why D & I has to change?
 The word, the language of our field changing
 Productivity - Different ideas -> different people
 Bias ---- A few people  committee, savioritis
 Not getting results/not working
 Done wrong -> Backlash
 No follow through/no post work
 Stagnation -> no momentum/flat
 No leadership/leadership -> has not measure
 No time/no resources, Stronger efforts in past
 Commitment/resilient, reluctant – ambush, Be comfortable ->
being comfortable
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What DTG is seeing…
IN GENERAL / BROADLY SPEAKING…
Training, all training has been slashed (economy)
People being promoted into supervisory and
management roles with no training at all (or
training comes – after the fact)
No conversation about “Can this person manage
people different from him/her?”
A lot of denial – “We don’t have D & I issues?
I truly believe….
“Most people can barely manage people like
themselves let alone people who are different”
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DTG is hearing / getting a lot of..
Why are we doing this?
Why diversity and inclusion? Why now?
What is diversity and inclusion?
Why should I care?
What is in it for me or for my organization?
Did they talk to anyone prior to training?
None of these questions are answered prior to
coming to the workshop or training.
Diversity professionals inside and outside
organization are not “doing the up front work.”
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When you don’t do the “up front”
The audit / needs assessment / diagnosis work…
(interviews, focus groups, survey work)
The “down the back work” gets harder, you
become vulnerable
What is “down the back work?”
- BACKLASH!!!!!
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What is Backlash?
Audience said….
Backlash
 Blame
 Denial
 Retaliation
 Sabotage/set up/Ambush
 Ridicule
 Passive - Aggressive
 Diminished to lowest common dominator
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Backlash
Resistance
Skepticism is natural
Cynicism can be avoided (with proper up
front work)
Definitely a bad attitude coming into
session
Sabotage
Ironic – Participants have a “bias about a
workshop on bias”
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Feeding the “Monster”
What You Don’t
Know You Don’t
Know
(DKDK)
What You
Don’t Know
(DK)
What You Know
(K)
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Now we focus on training itself
Doing a fair amount of “rescue diversity work”
– someone else started the conversation but
created “enemies” - polarized
Few learning cultures out there (people who
want to go to training – any training)
 “No time for training”
 “Too busy”
 Bias for a workshop on bias – bias squared
Training itself is ineffective
 Why would you embrace diversity and inclusion “if you were
the enemy, the ‘bad guy?’’
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Bad versus Good Training
What pops into your head?
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Audience for “Bad Training”
 Too much humor
 Exclusive - one group - No commitment
 Reactionary – reason doing
 I –way/expect centered/didactic
 No training
 Mandatory – e-learning in lieu of
 Mechanical/not fluid
 Not participant – centered
 Numbers/stats – too much (not argument)
 Train all - I pot at who is missing
 Too safe/too PC (old bad videos)
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Audience for “Good Training”
 Inclusive/everyone – participate, all participate
 Discomfort – is minimized
 Leadership/support/commitment - Top
 Risk Taking by all
 Asking – Tough questions
 Ahas - many
 Insights
 Tip/Tool/Techniques
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Audience mentioned…
Metrics
 Measure like you measure anything else
Levels of training
 Don’t know you don’t know – to what you know
(Awareness) – measure what?
 Skill based Coaching problem solving – can measure
 Knowledge application – behavioral change, case studies,
solving problems, resolving conflict – can really measure
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Bad Training - Good Training
Fuels backlash
Confrontational - "in your face“
Expert trainer drives course
Theory-based, academic
Negative examples or role plays
Expert-centered
Polarizes participants
No pre-work or post-work
No platform for backlash
Non-confrontational
Facilitator leads
Practical, "real world”
Positive examples are used
Participant-centered
Unifies participants
Mandatory pre / post work
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Bad Training - Good Training
"Off the shelf" - one school
No/little diagnosis/needs analysis
"Hit or miss”
"Blame and shame”
"Live in the past”
Divisive
Awareness-based
"What next?”
“Customized" – eclectic
Mandatory up front work
“Always on target”
Positive
“Look to the future“
Unifies
Skill / Knowledge-based
“I know what to do"
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Bad Training
- Good Training
Talks about victims
Talks about shared
responsibilities
"Build the temple, they will come” "They don’t worship in
a temple!”
HR driven
“Grass roots” driven
Diversity trainer is the savior
Diversity trainer is an
advisor
Dependence on trainer
Client-trainer partnership
In a hurry
Cautious, take your time
Check the box
There is no box
Reactive
Proactive
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What 1 thing makes the biggest difference?
What is the lynch pin?
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Diversity Dashboard – like in a car you have
gauges…
What are the gauges?
What are you watching?
What should everyone be watching?
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The gauges…
Where are we sourcing?
Who are we hiring?
Who is leaving voluntarily?
What does the exit interview data tell us?
Who is staying? Who is moving up?
Who have we identified as high potentials?
Compare year to year for trends…..
D & I issues have to be relevant, we have to
stay relevant in these times…
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Summarizing
 Workplace is changing, getting more diverse
 You cannot stop it
 Denying these changes are happening is foolish
 Ignoring these changes do not make them go away
 Marketplace is changing, getting more diverse
 You cannot stop it
 Denying these changes are occurring is foolish
 Ignoring these changes does not make them go away
 Having diversity issues is not a bad thing
 All organizations have diversity issues
 Not addressing these issues is where organizations "go very wrong“
What is a diversity issue?
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Definition of a D&I Issue….
You have a firm/organizational diversity (inclusive
workplace) issue…
when an issue (i.e., policy or business practice - formal,
informal, internal or external) has a different impact on a
particular group (for example, who gets mentored, choice
assignments, overtime – who does not)
when it happens more frequently to a particular group (for
example, who gets to go to conferences, high visibility
work, put on committees, teams)
 when it is more difficult for one group to overcome
(upward mobility for a particular group within a firm
including “glass or brown ceilings”)
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More on D & I Issues…
A diversity issue exists where the firm policy or business
practice has an impact exclusive of difference (not
inclusive of difference). Is there a trend or pattern
(intentional or unintentional) that affects different
groups of staff differently?
Having a diversity issue is not necessarily a bad thing.
Doing nothing about it given you have knowledge of the
issue(s) is where firms go wrong (a kind of negligence
so to speak). Being in denial about these issues does not
make them go away. Ignorance is not bliss!
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So, how to address these issues
WORST PRACTICES FIRST – NOBODY
TALKS ABOUT THEM!
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Worst Practices
1.
2.
3.
4.
Firm has no diversity strategy or plan
Firm has no diversity mission or vision
Firm has no core values
Firm is only rolling out “off-the-shelf” diversity
training
5. Firm wants to cut straight to training
6. Firm is not “weaving diversity and inclusion” into
the fabric of the organization
7. Firm is not willing to acknowledge the workplace
is changing (labor force), the marketplace is
changing (client force) and society-as-a-whole is
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changing
More Worst Practices
 Firm does not value the competencies, the skills of
being an inclusive manager
 The actual diversity training rolled out is awarenessbased only
 The actual diversity training is the old past failed
formula of “blame and shame” diversity training
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3 KEY Worst Practices
 Firm’s definition of diversity is narrow and not inclusive –
too focused on “traditional EEO/AA roots of diversity” and
really not where the field and the conversation is today.
 Firm has no Chief Diversity Officer – a part-time or full-time
person who is fully dedicated to be the internal change agent,
the keeper of the culture of the firm constantly ensuring it is
inclusive.
 Firm has a CDO but all this firm did was promote the highest
ranking minority professional in their ranks (usually from
another department) and put them in as a figurehead because
that is all they are – they have no diversity education
background, no budget, no resources or support and most
important no influence or power.
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Now for BEST PRACTICES
YOUR ACTUAL D & I TRAINING…
1. …comes with an actual workbook
2. …includes predetermined training objectives
3. …is built around objectives that came from some kind of
a prior training needs analysis
4. …is linked to your organization’s mission and core
values
5. …reflects an acknowledgement by firm leadership that
“status quo” is not working
6. …implies a bias for action
7. …is part of a much bigger organization-wide diversity
strategy and
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MORE BEST PRACTICES
8. …is an acknowledgement that we have not been
preparing our supervisors and managers to do their
job
9. …includes skills, tools, tips and techniques for dealing
with diversity issues
10. …is linked to your annual performance appraisal
process
11. …has messages that are also woven into your new hire
orientation, your supervisory, managerial and
executive development curricula
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Now for BEST PRACTICES
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In closing….
Organizations cannot continue to support
"the status quo"
Cannot continue to manage your human
resources the "same old way“ – the way we
have always done it
New workers, new workplaces, new
emerging markets - require new
management techniques and methodologies
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Dimensions of Diversity
Language
Military
Experience
Education
Religion
Age
Gender
Work
Style
Family
Status
Income
Sexual
Orientation
Ethnic
Heritage
Mental/
Physical
Abilities
Race
Work
Experience
Individual
Geographic
Location
Communication
Style
Operational Role
and Level
Group
Organizational
Affiliation
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Dimensions of Diversity
Military
Experience
Language
Education
Religion
Work
Style
Age
Gender
Mental/
Physical
Abilities
Sexual
Orientation
Family
Status
Ethnic
Heritage
Communication
Style
Income
Work
Experience
Race
Geographic
Location
Operational Role
and Level
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Dimensions of Diversity
Indivi
Individual
dual
Group
Organizational
Affiliation
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Behaviors, Attitudes, and Values…
Behaviors
Attitudes
Values
…influence our behavior
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What Your Scores Tell You
0 - 20 Naive
Acts with no knowledge or awareness of biases and
prejudice and their impact on others. What they don’t
know they don’t know. This person has no clue as to the
impact of their actions on others.
21 - 40 Perpetuator Aware of biases and prejudices, but continues behaviors
and actions that reinforce and support stereotypes and
intolerance. This person is aware of the impact of their
actions on others, but continues with such behaviors
nevertheless, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.”
41 - 59 Avoider
Aware of biases and prejudices, but makes a conscious
choice to ignore inappropriate behavior or withdraw from
it. This person would rather turn and walk away than
understand and address inappropriate behaviors or that
bias that can appear or be misinterpreted as support. “If
you are not part of the solution, you are part of the
problem.”
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What Your Scores Tell You
60 - 75 IWE
Change Agent
Acts as a role model. Takes action when appropriate and
addresses behaviors when important. IWE Change Agent
will take risks and use the many tools available to
him/her. IWE Change Agent will take peers aside and
provide feedback and coaching with the intent to improve
work relationships and personal productivity.
76 - 80 Fighter
Attacks all actions and confronts all behaviors. Always
on the lookout for injustice but is often too
confrontational, sometimes in public settings. Although a
very important role, too often these individuals are
labeled as “troublemakers.” If you have this energy, this
fervor, please consider the change agent approach to
problem-solving and inclusivity.
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Some Tools
PERSON
SEPARATE
BEHAVIOR
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Start Message
Start with a Positive
Please stop_______________________________________
(describe negative/unproductive behavior)
Start_____________________________________________
(describe new, more appropriate/positive behavior)
Continue_________________________________________
(describe ongoing positive behavior)
End with a Positive
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I-Statement
How do I coach someone when I feel my differences are being held against me?
(Start with a Positive)
When you ___________________, I feel ______________________
(describe behavior)
(impact of behavior)
I would prefer ___________________________________________
(new behavior – more appropriate/productive)
OR
I feel _____________________, when you ____________________
(impact of behavior)
(describe behavior)
I would prefer ___________________________________________
(new behavior – more appropriate/productive)
OR
When I see ______________, it makes me feel ____________________
(describe behavior)
(impact of behavior on you/group)
I would prefer _______________________________________________
(new behavior – more appropriate, more productive)
(End with a Positive)
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How Do We Categorize People?
oty
Stere
pes
Pr eju
dice
te
rp
re
ta
tio
n
DIVERSITY
ept io
n
Bias
Co
n
In
fir
m
in
g
Perc
Im
p
In act
“H
di o
vid n
ow
af
ua the
fe my
ct
l
o ac
th
t
er ion
s” s
s/
r
io s
”
v
le
a
n
p
h io
eo
Be Act at p
ow
H
“
I
tre
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Using Communication to Solve Problems
Step
?
Action
Example
Identify and agree
on the problem
(consensus) Ask the
right questions.
 Ask for the facts
 Verify the information
 Decide what else you need to
know
 “Help me understand exactly”
 “Let me make sure this is recorded
correctly”
 “I will be able to help you better if I
know…”
Conduct problemcause analysis to
identify a specific
problem and its
cause
 Restate the problem in simple
terms
 Get agreement on the problem
and its importance/impact
 “So, the basic issue is…”
 “It seems we agree it is important
to fix this because…”
Identify
solutions/alternative
s
 Ask what can be done to solve the
problem
 Suggest other options for
consideration
 Tell them what you can do
 “What ideas do you have on how
this can be fixed?”
 “In similar situations we have..”
 “I really wish we could do exactly
what you suggested. However,
according to…, we must…”
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Using Communication to Solve Problems
Step
Action
Example
Implement solutions/take
action with the help of the
customer
 Ask for their cooperation
 Tell them what you will do
 Suggest how they can help,
now and the next time
 “I’ll need your help to…”
 “Here is what I can do…”
 “To get this resolved quickly,
I’ll need you to…, and if this
should happen again,
please…”
End with an agreement and a
thank you. Monitor and
follow up on the situation
 Summarize what will be done,
and by whom
 Thank the customer for
cooperation and help
 Promise to follow up to ensure
the solution really worked
 “Can I assume that we agree
on…?”
 “Thank you for being so
cooperative in helping us to
solve this problem.”
 “I will call you in a week to be
sure the situation is resolved.”
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Action Plan
How can I create an inclusive work
environment?
How can I use what I have learned
in this class in my organization and
beyond?
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For more information…
CONTACT:
The Diversity Training Group
692 Pine Street
Herndon, VA 20170
Tel. 703.478.9191
Fax 703.709.0591
Mauriciov@diversitydtg.com
Mauricio Velásquez, MBA - President
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DTG is a Team of Experts in...
Stress Management / Bullying / Anger
Management / Toxic Employees
Organizational Redesign
Cross-Cultural Communication
Cultural Intelligence
Conflict Resolution & Mediation
Sexual Harassment E-Learning
Diversity Education E-Learning
… consulting & training.
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Our Approach
FORM a partnership with our client
DIAGNOSE with a thorough, organizationwide needs analysis
DESIGN a customized program based on a
diversity strategy
DEVELOP high impact training materials
IMPLEMENT or execute the strategy
which typically includes training
EVALUATE and follow up
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