May 2021 DE&I Dialogue Group Takeaways

On May 3rd, Loeb Leadership held its fourth “Safe-Space” dialogue session entitled “Creating a Culture of Care; Having the courage to lead.”  Over the last five months, these workshops have served many purposes: knowledge sharing, creating space for discussion, brainstorming and listening to other professionals who share the same desire to learn.  The topic of this workshop was inspired by the engagement and dedication of the participants of our previous safe-space events. We believe they demonstrate the courage to lead. They are seeking opportunities to learn, listen and “walk the talk.”

Over 35 firms, Fortune 500 companies and educational organizations attended and engaged with Loeb Leadership’s expert panel including Dr. Fritz Galette; Joy Stephens; Rini Fonseca-Sabune, Esq; Organizational Culture expert, David Robert; and moderator and executive coach David Sarnoff, Esq., ACC. 

As organizations move towards creating a more diverse workforce, it is important they “get clear on the definition of “care”,” stated panelist David Robert. The word, and its heartfelt meaning, needs to be supported by perpetual actions, and a shared understanding of the objectives. Developing a true culture of care is an organization wide effort. There needs to be infrastructure to support desired behaviors and to direct the compass towards creating an open and inviting culture. Without intention and clarity, people may make assumptions or default to what they believe a healthy culture looks like.

As organizations and firms embark on creating a culture of care, we suggest they consider being a thermostat, not a thermometer. #beathermostat

“You need to have the desire to see the outcome for what is possible!  You have to have the “want” in your heart and the desire to do it,” stated Joy Stephens.

There were many valuable takeaways and highlights from this one-hour dialogue:

·       You can’t rush through the discovery process. You must take the time to understand what your people need, what they want, and how they want to be treated.

·       People at all levels should be part of creating a culture of care.

·       When people feel valued and cared for, both physically and emotionally, they are going to work harder for the greater good of the organization.

·       Leadership has to take an active role in supporting a culture of care to make sure that things will continue when they are gone.  Systems must be put in place that are actionable, continuous, perpetual and sustainable, if not they will cease to exist.

·       When thinking about how you demonstrate care, focus on the generosity of those actions. 

·       Care is a verb!

·       As champions of inclusion, we need to believe that these problems are solvable. When we get tired, we need to engage others for new ideas, so that we can feel inspired to continue the work and bring more open discussions to the table.

·       When firm leaders initiate the conversation, it is more impactful.

·       Within the process of developing inclusion and care, there needs to be benchmarks, like any other initiative in your organization, to drive actions and accountability.

·       Lasting society change requires changing hearts.

·       For those leading the way, know that organizational change is uncomfortable – this is a natural part of creating change! Lean into the discomfort – it means that change is really happening. 

·       Inclusion is the work of everyone in the organization, not just the “Diversity Task Force.” 

During the small group discussions, the participants had the opportunity to share their thoughts, experiences and challenges with developing a culture of care.   

Loeb Leadership has witnessed through these Safe-Space dialogues the passion and desire of both individuals and organizations to attain a better understanding of diversity, equity & inclusion and how it relates to workplace culture.  It is with this understanding that Loeb Leadership has expanded our programming to include DE&I facilitated discussions, training programs, group coaching cohorts and the administration and debrief of the Intercultural Development Inventory® (IDI®) assessment.

To learn more about Loeb Leadership’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programming, click here.    

If you have any questions, or would like to suggest a topic for future Safe-Space events, please email David Sarnoff at dsarnoff@loebleadership.com.