You are here: / Education Solutions
  • Diversity & Inclusion Education

DE&I Awareness & Skill Development

For all audiences

Click or tap the togglebutton button to interact with the item below.

The Business value of the Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) Speaker Series includes several of following topics:

  • I Am Diversity
  • Working Across Generations: The Power of Connecting, Collaborating & Contributing Diversity
  • What Does Diversity Mean to Our Customers?
  • Moving from Fairness to Finances
  • Real Dialogue Leading to Real Value
  • Global Diversity Best Practices – Becoming a Successful Global Diversity Organization
  • Leading a Powerful, Inclusive Culture
  • A Diverse Lens: Driver of Innovation & Results
  • Maximizing ROI Through Multicultural Marketing and Innovative Solutions

The “Why Diversity Matters” e-Learning module provides a web-based education program that creates a common language of D&I and why it is important to the business. This program gives the learner an overview of D&I,includes engaging scenarios and interactive knowledge checks to gauge understanding. This module is designed as a prerequisite for facilitator-led Diversity Awareness Education.

Awareness is the first step in the diversity education process. The Kaleidoscope Group’s approach builds support from an organization’s’ stakeholders and provides a lively, interactive, and engaging session where participants drive the learning. In this session, you will have the opportunity to experience our skillful facilitation of challenging, yet real dialogue, and see how we create a learning environment where all participants have the opportunity to contribute. Participants will leave with an understanding of how their cultural backgrounds impact how they see the world and their ability to operate effectively with colleagues, as well as how their own personal actions can create a more inclusive environment.

Developing Diversity Skills is phase II in the diversity education process. Developing the skills and mindsets to communicate and work productively with people from many different cultural backgrounds is essential in realizing the overall goals of every organization. In this session, participants will have the opportunity to practice critical skills necessary to create effective and productive relationships with everyone.

Developing Diversity Skills is phase II in the diversity education process. Developing the skills and mindsets to communicate and work productively with people from many different cultural backgrounds is essential in realizing the overall goals of every organization. In this session, participants will have the opportunity to practice critical skills necessary to create effective and productive relationships with everyone.

Developing Diversity Skills is phase II in the diversity education process. Developing the skills and mindsets to communicate and work productively with people from many different cultural backgrounds is essential in realizing the overall goals of every organization. In this session, participants will have the opportunity to practice critical skills necessary to create effective and productive relationships with everyone.

Resources to Download

Executive Development

For executives & leadership teams

Aligns and prepares senior leadership to drive success by engaging them and key stakeholders in clarifying and articulating what Diversity & Inclusion/Cultural Competence success will look like for the organization and aligning the D&I effort with the business strategy. Typical outcomes of this process include a D&I positioning statement, a case for D&I, identified strategic areas of focus, and outcome measures for the overall effort.

See also:

This is a series of 90-minute to 2-hour modules that align the strategic direction of the D&I effort with the implementation of committed behaviors and actions from the executive team. At the end of the journey, executives will be able to:

  • Articulate the business case for D&I
  • Sponsor and support D&I efforts
  • Lead all audiences towards a sustained commitment
  • Lead in a culturally competent way to D&I
  • Lead all personnel in valuing di erences

See also:

Executive Dialogue is a session where executives and senior-level members of underrepresented groups, (e.g. women and people of color), come together to have real dialogue and discussion on D&I issues facing the organization, as well as recommendations for improvement. This session provides a powerful opportunity to give and seek feedback across lines of difference, and for senior management to demonstrate their commitment to D&I.

Our executive coaches work one-on-one with executives to identify areas in need of attention and areas that need to be developed as it relates to D&I leadership. We do this by developing strong, trusting relationships with the executive which enables us to help them achieve maximum success. Our coaching process includes a variety of assessment tools such as one-on-one interviews, upward feedback and 360 degree instruments to gather data and feedback for the client. The coach will then meet with the executive to process the data, provide feedback, identify areas of strength and development opportunities, and create a development plan to achieve their desired goals.

The Executive Modules are categorized by key areas of focus for a successful D&I journey.  The process for selecting the modules will be based on the developmental needs of the executive team, organizational challenges/opportunities, and areas of interest. Areas of focus and module topics include:

  • Business Imperative
    • Diversity & Inclusion: A Business Strategy
    • Diversity & Inclusion: A Business Imperative
    • ROI of Diversity & Inclusion

  • Sustainable Infrastructure
    • Leveraging Business Resource Groups as a Strategic Business Partner
    • Maximizing the Potential of a D&I Council
    • Monitoring Progress & Measuring Success of D&I
    • Delivering the D&I Message Internally and Externally
    • Diversity Champion Strategy: Moving from Approval to Commitment

  • Diverse Representation
    • Understanding the Organization’s Profile of Success
    • New Theories for Recruiting & Hiring Diverse Talent
    • Developing & Retaining Diverse Talent
    • Reverse Mentoring
    • Succession Planning for Diversity & Inclusion

  • Diversity Dimensions
    • Intergenerational Respect
    • What should we know about the LGBT community?
    • Managing the Issue of Race Today
    • Understanding the Physically Challenged Workforce • Religion in the Workplace
    • Thinking Styles
    • Communication Styles

  • Deeper Insight
    • Managing Privilege
    • Courage
    • Innovation
    • ABCD: Apathy, Bliss, Conviction, Discomfort
    • Unlocking Your Bias Box
    • Peace vs. Trust
    • Inclusive Coaching

Resources to Download

Manager Development

For managers & supervisors

This 1.5 day session clarifies the business case for D&I and establishes the role of the manager in diversity & inclusion. Managers will gain increased insight regarding how their cultural backgrounds impact how they see the world and their interactions with others. In this session, participants will have the opportunity to practice critical skills necessary to lead inclusively, manage challenges, and create effective and productive relationships with everyone. Managers leave with a personal action plan for enhancing D&I in their teams.

This one-day session clarifies the business case for D&I and establishes the role of individuals in D&I. Participants will gain increased insight regarding how their cultural backgrounds impact how they see the world and their interactions with others. In this session, participants will have the opportunity to practice critical skills necessary to create effective and productive relationships with everyone. Individuals leave with a personal action plan for enhancing D&I in their teams.

A series of 8, 30-minute discussion guides that can be used by managers or supervisors to facilitate interactive discussions about D&I with their intact teams and reinforce lessons learned from the Managing Inclusively and Embracing Inclusion workshops. Each guide includes clear instructions, an experimental activity, speaking points, and discussion questions. This solution is a great reinforcement to D&I Awareness & Skills Education, described earlier on this page.

The topics addressed in our guides include:

  • Lowering the Waterline (Strengthening Work Relationships)
  • Giving & Seeking Feedback
  • Accepting Responsibility
  • Making Mutual Contact
  • Valuing Individual Differences
  • Taking a Stand Against Inappropriate Behaviors (Part 1)
  • Taking a Stand Against Inappropriate Behaviors (Part 2)
  • Intent/Impact: Understanding Different Perspectives

The Manager Development Journey clarifies the business case for D&I, establishes the role of the manager and develops management skills and competencies necessary to lead inclusively and leverage diversity for enhanced team effectiveness, productivity and innovation. It is comprised of 4 phases:

Phase I: Understand Diversity & Inclusion

Phase II: Develop Personal Awareness & Inclusive Communication Skills

Phase III: Include Everyone

Phase IV: Deliver Team Results

Resources to Download

HR & Practitioner Development

For HR representatives or D&I practitioners

The role of Human Resources in D&I is to understand D&I, develop their individual cultural competence, be able to coach others on the topic and play a key role in sustaining the D&I change effort. The Human Resource D&I Development Journey provides a unique opportunity to build internal capability in the D&I arena by developing and enhancing the thoughts, beliefs, behaviors and skills required to support and guide the D&I efforts.

The role of internal Strategic Practitioner is to Immerse themselves in a deeper awareness of who they are, their role and how they need to show up as a D&I Strategic Practitioner.  The D&I Strategic Practitioner is ultimately to partner and build effective relationships with internal & external stakeholders, enhance their ability to influence and coach others, and sustain the D&I effort by ensuring strategic alignment and implementation. The D&I Strategic Practitioner Development Journey provides a unique opportunity for internal practitioners to successfully fulfill this role.

A series of 8, 30-minute discussion guides that can be used by managers or supervisors to facilitate interactive discussions about D&I with their intact teams and reinforce lessons learned from the Managing Inclusively and Embracing Inclusion workshops. Each guide includes clear instructions, an experimental activity, speaking points, and discussion questions. This solution is a great reinforcement to D&I Awareness & Skills Education, described earlier on this page.

The topics addressed in our guides include:

  • Lowering the Waterline (Strengthening Work Relationships)
  • Giving & Seeking Feedback
  • Accepting Responsibility
  • Making Mutual Contact
  • Valuing Individual Differences
  • Taking a Stand Against Inappropriate Behaviors (Part 1)
  • Taking a Stand Against Inappropriate Behaviors (Part 2)
  • Intent/Impact: Understanding Different Perspectives

Resources to Download

ERG/BRG Development

For Employee Resource Groups or Business Resource Groups.

(Employee Resource Groups ([ERG’s] are also in some organizations called Business Resource Groups [BRG’s] or Affinity Groups)

Diversity councils engage a cross-section of employees at all levels to guide the implementation of the organization’s diversity strategy. The D&I Council Development Journey provides the support and counsel needed to build the infrastructure and development of an effective and fully-functioning council by developing and/or enhancing council infrastructure, education, establishing effectiveness measurement tools, assessing level of maturity, developing strategies for effectiveness & impact and facilitating development sessions.

For leaders to effectively guide ERGs, they often need to broaden and deepen their understanding of D&I and its impact on business. They must push their ERG and company to the next business level while simultaneously grounding its members in the organization’s mission and vision. Learn to lead and manage ERGs effectively to serve the organization and its members, create relationships across the organization, gain thought leadership and skills to enhance ERG performance, develop and enhance ERG strategy and action plan.

ERG Summit is a learning program which creates awareness, understanding, and alignment among the different ERG aiding in better support of an organization’s Diversity & Inclusion objectives. This one or half day session creates greater alignment around the overall business and D&I strategy, supports employee engagement, talent management, community development and multicultural marketing . The workshop also educates ERG leaders regarding their roles in leading the business and their resource group. Additionally, the session creates collaboration among ERGs allowing them to better support one another while collectively contributing to the business and D&I goals.

Typically, ERGs undergo a journey starting at a stage where they initially focus on socially networking and individual development. From there, they evolve into resource groups that build organizational awareness and policy alignment. Eventually, the ERG matures to a resource that impacts the business bottom line, (usually built into an ERG Summit or Strategic Alignment Workshop[s]). This assessment includes the ERG Maturity Model enabling participants to assess where the group is currently and then begin to strategize how to move from that stage to next level.

Up-front planning is essential to the long-term success of any ERG effort.  At the onset, ERGs need guidance, structure, and support. A de ned roadmap with clear roles, responsibilities, goals, and objectives is necessary to align a BRG’s purpose with the purpose of the overall organization.* Topics include:

  • Strategic Goals, Objectives, and Tactics
  • Areas of ERG ocus
  • Member Recognition and Motivation
  • Influencing Skills
  • Partnership Development
  • Prioritization of Tasks
  • Internal & External Communication Strategies

Resources to Download

Where to go next:

Measurement & Sustainability

Skip to content