7 Virtual Team-Building Activities

For many of us, socializing with coworkers isn’t easy. Being part of a virtual team can make developing connections between team members even more difficult, as physical separation can lead to increased emotional separation, too. Fortunately, there are numerous team-building activities out there for virtual teams! Allow me to offer 7 of the best:

1. League of Kitchens

League of Kitchens is a woman-owned and woman-run organization that hosts a variety of cooking classes taught by instructors from different cultures, from Argentina to Japan to Bangladesh and more. They are currently hosting virtual classes via Zoom, offering an Immersive or a “Taste Of” experience. Keep in mind that they only host 13 participants at a time when deciding whether or not this activity is right for one’s team.

2. Tea vs Coffee

The “food and drink” theme continues! Tea vs Coffee is a virtual tea- and coffee-tasting event, where a week in advance all participants receive “four unique drink packs [unusual teas, coffees, and infusions] from eco-friendly farms, plus a fun snack.” During the call, there are icebreakers, guided meditation, and—of course—the official tea vs coffee ceremony. This activity can accommodate any number of participants, so it’s perfect for large and small teams alike!

3. tiny campfire 🔥

There’s never a bad time for a campfire! Especially a virtual campfire, hosted indoors where no bugs or bears can get to us. Prior to the event, participants are sent a kit of “a campfire-candle, wood matches, and s’more ingredients.” The virtual campfire itself is run by a “Camp Counselor,” who leads the group in icebreakers, trivia, historic ghost stories, and an authentic s’more-making experience. As with Tea vs Coffee, tiny campfire 🔥 can accommodate groups of all sizes!

4. War of the Wizards

“But what if we want a more exciting team-building activity?” you may be wondering. Well, fear not, because War of the Wizards is here! The backstory of the event is that a group of wizards have been at war for so long, none of them can remember why the war began. Thus, participants are enlisted “as the wizards’ minions to help solve the conundrum and bring the war to a peaceful end.” Managed by a provided host, the event involves storytelling, puzzles, and more! And best of all? No previous RPG experience is required.

While the above activities fall solidly into the “entertainment” aspect of virtual team-building, it would be remiss not to include a few “practical” (but still enjoyable!) activities, too:

5. My User Manual

To put it simply, creating a user manual is creating a PowerPoint about oneself. Information in this PPT might include a person’s interests/hobbies, their culture, facts about their family, what environment(s) they work best in, etc. These PPTs can then be presented in a virtual meeting, where each employee has the opportunity to share essentially a summary of themself. And remember: this user manual should be fun! Encourage team members to incorporate pictures, memes, music—whatever they feel is relevant.

6. Strength Assessment

While CliftonStrengths is the assessment linked above, feel free to investigate any other strength assessments that feel appropriate! The value comes not from the brand but the time invested. Once all team members have completed their assessment, invite everyone to share results with the group (perhaps their top strength, their lowest strength, and a strength they didn’t expect). Discussing these results not only allows for team members to get to know each other better, but it also informs them how to better work together, a quality that is invaluable with virtual teams.

Now, some of us out there may be concerned about budgeting or the time commitment required for the above activities. Fear not, for there is one final team-building activity to be discussed:

7. Collaborative Playlists

Using an online platform such as Spotify, encourage team members to together make themed playlists, such as a “productivity playlist” for when they’re working or a “winding down playlist” for when they get off. Another possibility is a “cultural connection playlist,” where team members from around the world can share music they enjoy from their home country with their fellow coworkers. To misquote Shakespeare: “If music be the food of team-building, play on!”

All of us now possess a plentiful arsenal of team-building activities, which means there’s no reason to delay: it’s time to bond!

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Dima Ghawi is the founder of a global talent development company with a primary mission for advancing individuals in leadership. Through keynote speeches, training programs and executive coaching, Dima has empowered thousands of professionals across the globe to expand their leadership potential. In addition, she provides guidance to business executives to develop diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies and to implement a multi-year plan for advancing quality leaders from within the organization.

Reach her at DimaGhawi.com and BreakingVases.com.

Resources For Elevating Our Cultural Intelligence

When I conduct surveys involving global teams, there is always one common thread strung throughout: people want to learn more about the different cultures of their team members. While having direct dialogue is important, it is also crucial we seek information on our own so as not to overwhelm our team members. As such, I have compiled a few online resources to help us all become better familiarized with the cultures and practices of different countries around the world:

1. Culture Crossing Guide

The Cultural Crossing Guide is self-described as “an evolving database of cross-cultural information about every country in the world. This user-built guide allows people from all walks of life to share essential tips with each other about how to navigate our increasingly borderless world with savvy and sensitivity.” It currently contains information on over 200 countries, organizing facts into three categories: 1) “The Basics” (greetings, taboos, etc.); 2) “For Business” (dress, titles, etc.); and “For Students” (class rules, socializing, etc.). Because the guide is user-built, it is always evolving and being updated with new information. There is even the option to Ask an Expert a question!

(If anyone is concerned about accuracy, don’t fret: information on individual countries is submitted by natives, residents, or former residents, and all “information… is vetted by a Culture Crossing staff member and checked for credibility by cross referencing with at least two other sources.”)

2. Commisceo Global’s Cultural Awareness Resources

Commisceo Global has resources for every area of learning! There are Country Guides, allowing one to “learn about the culture, language, people, beliefs, etiquette, business practices and more” for over 80 countries. There are also Quizzes where a person can test themself on the information they’ve learned, with categories of Cultural Awareness, Business Culture, and Country Specific. And for people craving in-depth discussion, the organization also offers a plethora of Country Insight Reports. But now that we have all this information from Commisceo Global, what can we do with it?

Well, how about we use their Self-Study Guide to Cultural Awareness to help ensure we are using our new knowledge respectfully and in appropriate ways? (Sounds like a plan to me!)

Now, the above two resources are incredibly comprehensive and, consequently, a little overwhelming, so let’s dial it down for a moment:

3. World’s Worst Cultural Mistakes

This short slideshow goes over common gestures around the world, explaining how actions that are commonplace in one region might be offensive in another. For example, eye contact may be the norm in Germany, but in some parts of East Asia, extended eye contact is at best uncomfortable and at worst rude. Take note of the slideshow’s “What You Should Do Instead” advice at the bottom of each page!

While all of the previous resources are fantastic in their own right, one could argue that there’s a level of impersonality to them. Perhaps they lack the “human element.” Fortunately, there is still one item left on this list:

4. ViewChange (on LinkTV)

ViewChange is a series of videos from all around the world depicting the stories of real people, typically with a focus on lifestyles or global development. The episodes range in length, from some as short as five minutes to others longer than an hour. These videos offer an opportunity to engage with individual experiences beyond general information about their cultures; as such, they are an invaluable resource and the perfect one to close off this list.

And there we have it: a variety of online cultural resources are but a click away. Keep in mind, however, that culture is not static. As such, we shouldn’t consider these resources the be-all, end-all of information. Our knowledge of other cultures can and will evolve with time, so long as we allow it!

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Dima Ghawi is the founder of a global talent development company with a primary mission for advancing individuals in leadership. Through keynote speeches, training programs and executive coaching, Dima has empowered thousands of professionals across the globe to expand their leadership potential. In addition, she provides guidance to business executives to develop diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies and to implement a multi-year plan for advancing quality leaders from within the organization.

Reach her at DimaGhawi.com and BreakingVases.com.

12 Tips For Communicating Effectively Across Cultures

When it comes to effective global teams, “communication” is often lauded as the key to success, and for good reason! Teams that communicate well are teams that understand each other and thus work well together. So, what can be done to increase effective communication among global teams?

1. Implement Global English in verbal interactions.

English may be the lingua franca of international business, but it is still a challenging language to learn and one that has innumerable regional variations and colloquialisms. Global English is a version of English that focuses on clarity above all else. Speaking Global English involves avoiding idioms that may not translate between different languages/cultures, avoiding slang and regional humor, explaining acronyms/abbreviations before using them, and speaking with literal and specific terms (such as using “write” rather than the business-speak of “draw up”). Using Global English can help decrease the risk of miscommunication and misunderstandings.

2. Make accommodations for non-native English speakers.

While Global English is excellent for verbal interactions when translators are unavailable, linguistic accommodations should be made for other forms of communication, such as emails or other written notifications. Employees should receive company-wide communications in their native language. Ideally, translators should be hired to ensure the nuance and specifics of the message are not lost in translation, but there are other options for organizations that may not have larger budgets. For example, there are intranet providers such as Powell that offer immediate translations for users in 60 different languages.

On the subject of written communications:

3. Be clear with wording and intent in written communications.

The fact of the matter is that every individual will likely interpret a written communication differently in some way, shape, or form. As a result, it is critical to emphasize and highlight the main ideas—literally. Highlight, underline, bold, italicize, etc.! Call attention to what needs attention in order to lessen the possibility of miscommunication.

Also, keep in mind the negatives of written communication: a) people often feel more comfortable being critical in writing and b) written communications are more likely to be perceived with a negative filter, i.e. turning a positive email into a neutral one. To address the former, we must always check ourselves for unneeded or overly harsh criticism. To address the latter, it means we shouldn’t be afraid to emphasize positivity in written communications! Use emojis, exclamation marks, whatever makes us smile.

But on that note:

4. Minimize organization-wide communications.

As important as it is to make linguistic accommodations and to be clear in written communications, it is equally important for leaders not to overwhelm employees with messages. Too many unimportant messages drowns out the critical ones, leading to greater risk of crucial messages being glanced over or ignored entirely, a scenario that will certainly breed misunderstandings.

5. Keep time zones in mind for written communications.

A global team means a variety of time zones, which can be difficult for people to juggle. Fortunately, there is a simple solution to this issue: create a database or list that compiles the location (and time zone) of every member on the global team. With such a resource, team members can determine when their work hours overlap and refrain from unnecessarily contacting each other outside of that period. If additional communication is required, employees can consider concluding their email with a phrase such as Our work hours may not be aligned, so don’t feel obligated to respond to this outside your normal work times.

6. Keep time zones in mind for meetings.

Time zones are also critical to consider when scheduling meetings. After all, a 2 PM meeting in New York City is 3 AM in Tokyo. To address conflicting time zones, teams can host multiple meetings in one day to ensure employees can attend the one that best suits their schedule. Alternatively, especially with smaller teams/organizations, meetings can be rotated. In other words, no time zone is prioritized. This strategy means a majority of meetings will occur at a decent time for most team members, and about once a month every member takes the short straw of attending a meeting at a more inconvenient time.

7. Match appropriate technology to the task at hand.

Global teams beget virtual communication, from emails to video calls. As aforementioned, it is important to facilitate clarity in verbal communications with Global English and to minimize the risk of misunderstandings in written communication through making linguistic accommodations, highlighting important details, and not sending an overwhelming amount of messages to the entire organization. However, another important aspect of effective communication among global teams is knowing what method of virtual communication is most appropriate for specific information being shared. A good rule of thumb is that written communication (e.g. emails and texts) is better for one-way information or information that is not immediate, while verbal communication (e.g. voice and video calls) is better for time-sensitive or personal information.

8. Increase cross-cultural awareness.

One of the most unique qualities of global teams is their inherent diversity. However, this diversity can only be appreciated if team members take the time to educate themselves on the cultures of their fellow employees. Cultural awareness ranges from learning what holidays coworkers celebrate (and perhaps wishing them the appropriate celebratory phrase when the time comes!) to recognizing how gestures common in one country may be rude in another.

9. Avoid stereotyping team members.

Cross-cultural awareness, however, is to some extent a double-edged sword. While team members should be encouraged to educate themselves on the cultures and traditions of other employees, they should never make assumptions based on what they’ve learned. If they are confused or curious about a subject, they should approach the appropriate team member to see if that person would be willing to have a conversation with them.

10. Be responsive, supportive, and open-minded.

“The paradox in dispersed teamwork is that trust is more critical for effective functioning—but also more difficult to build—than in more traditional teams.” Cross-cultural awareness and conscious efforts to avoid stereotyping help contribute to trust among global team members in the personal aspect, but the business aspect must be considered, too. Effective communication is impossible if it’s not a two-way street. In other words, team members must stay on top of responding to others—in accordance with their respective time zones—and should thoroughly process suggestions and ideas from their fellow employees before doing so.

11. Bring team members together.

In an ideal, post-pandemic world, this tip would involve in-person meetings on a regular basis (e.g. annually or semiannually). However, thanks to technology, bringing team members together can also be as simple as a Zoom call! Effective communications among global teams requires that team members be familiar with each other. While cross-cultural awareness is an excellent first step here, it’s also good for team members to know a little bit about one another’s interests, families, etc.! Events such as virtual luncheons, team-building activities, and more are great ways to establish social relationships between employees and heighten effective communication.

12. Last but not least, create a team charter.

A team charter is, simply put, an outline of the basic communication strategies a team will have (and ideally, it should be provided in multiple languages). This charter may include information about how and what technology will be used in the team, standard format for emails, time range for expected responses, and anything else that will make the communication experience easier for everyone involved.

Communication is only as complicated as we let it be. I hope these tips will help all of us thrive and better understand one another as we navigate an increasingly-global world!

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Dima Ghawi is the founder of a global talent development company with a primary mission for advancing individuals in leadership. Through keynote speeches, training programs and executive coaching, Dima has empowered thousands of professionals across the globe to expand their leadership potential. In addition, she provides guidance to business executives to develop diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies and to implement a multi-year plan for advancing quality leaders from within the organization. Reach Dima at DimaGhawi.com and BreakingVases.com.

5 Tips For Leading During a Difficult Economy

Over the course of my career, whether working with individuals, small businesses, or global companies, I’ve experienced my fair share of challenges and have had to also help others through difficult times. Out of everything I’ve learned, when it comes to leading effectively during uncertain times, I keep coming back to these five principles:

1. Put people first

Putting people above the bottom line is crucial for establishing healthy relationships with employees and building trust. We are all busy, but meeting with team members individually to check in and provide support is well worth the time. I know a manager who once had the difficult job of laying someone off. He didn’t want to do it, of course, but he had to. When he delivered the news, the employee began crying. Instead of acting uncomfortably, the manger paused and asked her if the job she had was one she truly loved. As it turns out, it wasn’t. They had a long conversation about what she was passionate about and discussed possibilities for how she could pursue a job she really enjoyed. He used his experience to help her reflect on what she wanted to do. He spoke with her years later, and she was filled with excitement as she shared how his guidance helped her. She was happy and had a job she loved. I think this shows that as leaders, we can put people first and strive to be a partner in our team members’ success, not just at our organization but as part of their overall career growth.

2. Communicate honestly and often

Some managers tend to avoid communicating when times are bad, but that’s exactly when the team needs to hear from their leaders most. When communicating with employees, be direct and transparent and share information as it is becomes available. Lack of communication, especially when an organization is undergoing change, will only lead to frustrations and gossip. I once worked with a client who decided to change their performance review policy without notifying employees. People were unaware of the new criteria, so they didn’t know that their performance score could be negatively affected. When they had their meeting and received a lower score, they were understandably upset. Leadership knew the team would disagree with the changes, and instead of communicating clearly and offering an opportunity to provide feedback, they handled the situation in a way that damaged trust and morale. This demonstrates that not only is honest communication best from the start, but continued and frequent communication is needed to keep everyone aligned. Importantly, providing a way for the team to share feedback shows employees that we are listening and that we care about how small and big decisions affect people on an individual level.

3. Create a sense of togetherness

We can only be successful as a team if we work together and if everyone takes ownership of their roles. It’s natural that motivation might waver during uncertain times, but we can inspire our team by focusing on the importance of everyone’s position and coming up with group goals that encourage teamwork and instill a sense of togetherness. When we look to the future as a team, everyone is more likely to feel empowered to take responsibility for their part. This reminds me of a story my friend told me recently. She’s a small business owner, and during the pandemic, she lost a lot of clients and many of her contracts were put on hold. The business was suffering, but she didn’t want to lay off any employees. She brought the whole team together and had an honest talk with them to share the reality of the situation and to present two options of how they could move forward: She would either have to let some team members go, or everyone, including herself, could agree to take a 20 percent pay cut with the commitment that everyone would keep their jobs and would receive their normal salary after the pandemic was over and the business recovered. The team agreed to the second option, and everyone kept their jobs. It’s a really great example that demonstrates how a team will come together and take ownership of their role when they see that their company treats them as more than a number. Their leader came to them with an alternative and showed that she truly valued them and didn’t want to make any cuts. As a result, the team was motivated to come together to not only keep their jobs but to support their co-workers and help the business survive. 

4. Follow up on promises

In good times and bad, we need to show our employees, our suppliers, and our customers that we are committed to following up on our promises. How we react when things are difficult will reveal our priorities and impact our business relationships. The COVID-19 pandemic challenged many companies to deliver on their promises and remain consistent with their brand values. Airlines in particular were forced to adapt to new procedures and protocols, and some did more than others. Airline companies always say that safety is a priority, and during the pandemic, that commitment took on a new meaning – to protect passengers’ health. There were some circumstances where I had to travel and was incredibly nervous to do so. When I browsed different airlines, it became obvious to me that some were remaining true to their brand promise of safety and others were not. Some companies went above and beyond from extra cleaning to keeping the middle seat open. Others couldn’t wait to pack the plane full of people. That really affected my brand loyalty because when things go wrong, I want to support the company that keeps their promises and puts me, as a customer, first. If we want our customers to come to us and not our competitors, we have to deliver on our commitments, even in turbulent times.

5. Take care of yourself

Self-care has been a really popular topic recently and for good reason. We cannot help others if we are not taking care of ourselves, and we cannot be effective leaders if we don’t prioritize balance. If we neglect sleep, eating well, exercise, mindfulness, and all of those things that support our emotional and physical health, we will easily run out of energy to handle challenges and lead our teams effectively. There was a time in my career where I put work above everything, including my health. I was working on a high visibility project that was extremely stressful; it was particularly challenging because I didn’t agree with some of the higher-level decisions, so I was being tested in many ways – personally and professionally. I neglected my personal health so much that I actually ended up in the hospital for three days, and guess what? I didn’t even get to complete the project. My priority was work, but ignoring my needs as a person meant that I wasn’t able to be a good leader. As leaders, we set an example for our team. If we are able to put our best foot forward and remain motivated, our employees will take inspiration from that. If we are drained and have a negative outlook, the team will pick up on this, and it will affect morale and the tone of the organization.

What about you? What tips have helped you to continue to forge ahead?

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Dima Ghawi is the founder of a global talent development company with a primary mission for advancing individuals in leadership. Through keynote speeches, training programs and executive coaching, Dima has empowered thousands of professionals across the globe to expand their leadership potential. In addition, she provides guidance to business executives to develop diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies and to implement a multi-year plan for advancing quality leaders from within the organization.

Reach her at DimaGhawi.com and BreakingVases.com.

3 Common Mistakes Businesses Make During Difficult Times

During turbulent times, many businesses operate with fear and put the bottom line first. This causes companies to make common mistakes that lead to even bigger consequences.

1. Cutting headcount – When times are tough and the budget is tight, cutting headcount may seem like a solution to reducing spending, but in reality, it creates fear across employees and stunts creativity. Resorting to layoffs indirectly communicates to the team that the organization will put itself above the people who support it.

2. Stopping payments to suppliers – Similarly, when organizations stop paying suppliers, this ends up not only hurting long-term relationships but also hurting the suppliers, potentially causing them to go out of business. When a company puts itself above others, they end up damaging connections they might need later. This short-sighted approach will lead to long-term problems.

3. Not adapting to market demands – Many companies want to lay low during difficult times, but I think there’s an opportunity to evaluate how we can continually evolve our business models to adapt to what the market needs, whether that is a new product, new service, or identifying a new target audience. We can always do better and keep growing. This allows us to find areas of new revenue that we may have missed out on in the past. With a fixed mindset, an organization won’t be able to survive. 

Even difficult times, like the COVID-19 pandemic, bring an opportunity to build trust, strengthen partnerships, and examine our business model. Most importantly, sticking by our team and partners is the best way to relay the unspoken commitment that we are all in this together for the long term.

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Dima Ghawi is the founder of a global talent development company with a primary mission for advancing individuals in leadership. Through keynote speeches, training programs and executive coaching, Dima has empowered thousands of professionals across the globe to expand their leadership potential. In addition, she provides guidance to business executives to develop diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies and to implement a multi-year plan for advancing quality leaders from within the organization.

Reach her at DimaGhawi.com and BreakingVases.com.

# 1 Princile For Guiding Companies Through Turbulent Times

We should focus on people first, and I don’t just mean employees.

Companies should focus on their business partners and suppliers, too. Challenging times provide an opportunity to build trust and show we are dedicated to their success. For example, when the stock market crashed in 2008, there was a Fortune 100 company that brought things within their business to a halt. They stopped paying their suppliers and cancelled orders even when they knew their suppliers had already begun work. Then, there was another Fortune 100 company that made it a priority to move forward with their orders and to pay suppliers in full without asking for discounts or exceptions. They may not have needed all of the inventory anymore, but they believed helping their suppliers stay in business was more important than suffering a short-term loss of their own. Relationships come first and people come first. If companies can’t show commitment to employees, partners, and suppliers when things are tough, how can those people believe that the company will be there for them when things are going well? Turbulent times allow us to demonstrate dedication to our whole team’s success and to continue building trust. 

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Dima Ghawi is the founder of a global talent development company with a primary mission for advancing individuals in leadership. Through keynote speeches, training programs and executive coaching, Dima has empowered thousands of professionals across the globe to expand their leadership potential. In addition, she provides guidance to business executives to develop diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies and to implement a multi-year plan for advancing quality leaders from within the organization.

Reach her at DimaGhawi.com and BreakingVases.com.

Tips for communicating difficult news to the team

How we handle communication with employees and customers during difficult times, especially when delivering bad news, reveals a company’s priorities and can make or break trust between managers and their teams. Even if the news is unfavorable, there is still a way to approach it with empathy. When it’s time to be the bearer of bad news, I recommend thinking about it in three phases – before, during, and after.

Before reaching out to the team

Prepare both emotionally and logistically. What kind of questions will you be asked? How much information can you share? What are your team’s options? These are important things to consider, and I often prepare a list of questions to practice and help navigate even the most difficult questions with confidence. Also think about options or opportunities that may assist the team in moving forward. During all of this preparation, it’s essential to also take care of ourselves. When we are delivering bad news, especially when we don’t agree with the decision, we need to manage our stress, take deep breaths, and be mindful of our emotions so we can approach the conversation feeling balanced.

During the conversation

Be clear and avoid mixed messages both verbally and non-verbally. Pay attention to body language; crossing our arms might make us seem aggressive and fidgeting our fingers can make us come across as nervous. These cues will conflict with the calm and composed environment we’re trying to create. Make sure to also explain how the decision was made to demonstrate that the process was thoughtful. Then, focus on the future. When possible, share options that might help the team to keep perspective, but don’t make empty promises. Throughout the whole conversation, be empathetic and pause and listen to the team as they provide their feedback. Reflect on how they’re feeling and make an effort to connect with them. 

After communicating difficult news

Following up is critical. If you promised something – do it. Also take the opportunity to reflect on how the conversation went to determine areas of improvement.

Of course we hope we won’t have to continually deliver bad news, but it’s better to prepare and learn from past conversations to make the process easier in the future.

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Dima Ghawi is the founder of a global talent development company with a primary mission for advancing individuals in leadership. Through keynote speeches, training programs and executive coaching, Dima has empowered thousands of professionals across the globe to expand their leadership potential. In addition, she provides guidance to business executives to develop diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies and to implement a multi-year plan for advancing quality leaders from within the organization.

Reach her at DimaGhawi.com and BreakingVases.com.

7 Tips For Mentees to Maximize Your Mentoring Experience

When it comes to gaining your footing in a new organization, there is little more exciting or more helpful than receiving a mentor to guide you through the process. However, the transition isn’t always smooth. When I was first working with IBM, I was told early on that I should look for mentors. As such, I was ecstatic when I managed to organize a meeting with the Chief Procurement Officer. When the meeting started, we introduced ourselves, exchanged pleasantries, and he asked me what questions I had for him.

I had no idea what to say.

Plain and simple, I wasn’t prepared! Our meeting was only three to four minutes when an hour had been set aside. This was a negative interaction in twofold, as it was a missed opportunity for me to learn and moreover poorly impacted the CPO’s perception of me. This is a situation no mentee should have to experience. To avoid such disasters, here are 7 tips for what you can do as a mentee to get the most out of your relationship with your mentor:

1. Always be prepared.

While your mentor is your guiding light, they cannot be expected to have all knowledge at hand all of the time! Have questions ready in advance to kickstart communication and ensure you’re getting the most out of your conversations. In that same vein, be organized for your coaching sessions beforehand—maximize what you can learn in the time you have.

2. Make sure you click.

If you are not comfortable with your mentor, then you will never be able to truly learn from their experiences or fully understand their advice. The relationship between mentor and mentee needs to be one where communication occurs clearly and constantly. As such, it should be a safe space for conversation.

3. Be truly open to feedback.

Oftentimes we tell ourselves that we are open to feedback, but the second that feedback starts to sting, we close ourselves off. Real, helpful feedback may hurt, and that’s okay! The “hurt” means the feedback is genuine and demonstrates your mentor truly wants to see you grow and improve.

4. Take action with feedback.

It is crucial to be open to feedback, yes, but taking action with that feedback is just as important. Listen to your mentor’s constructive criticism, absorb it, then implement it into your work. Remember, they want to help you grow. Only by taking action will you see yourself progress!

5. Seek multiple mentors.

As aforementioned, it is unrealistic and rather unfair to expect one person to have all the answers at all times. Thus, to ensure you are getting the most out of your mentorship experience, don’t be afraid to seek multiple mentors, even if some of them are outside of the organization you’re part of! One person may help you with your communication skills, another individual may mentor you in the technical abilities you need to have, and so on and so forth.

6. Learn from each other.

The relationship between mentor and mentee is a two-way street, where a sort of equivalent exchange takes place. You and your mentor give knowledge to and receive knowledge from one another in equal parts, which is another reason healthy and comfortable communication is so crucial. While there is much you will learn from your mentor, they should be learning from you, too!

7. Stay in touch afterwards.

If you have managed to succeed in all the previous tips, then this final one should come with ease! If you and your mentor are comfortable together, communicate well, and actively learn from each other, it is only natural that you should want this relationship to continue even after they are no longer “officially” your mentor. Why? Because your mentor is an important part of your network! Not only can they continue to answer questions you may have in the future, but they may even become your sponsor, where they can open doors for you or make connections you may have struggled to acquire on your own.

This list is a starting point as you begin cultivating your relationship with your mentor(s). 

Happy learning!

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Dima Ghawi is the founder of a global talent development company. Her mission is providing guidance to business executives to develop diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies and to implement a multi-year plan for advancing quality leaders from within their organization.

Through keynote speeches, training programs and executive coaching, Dima has empowered thousands of professionals across the globe to expand their leadership potential.

4 Tips To Boost Morale During Uncertain Times

When the future seems uncertain, it is important to first and foremost be genuine and empathetic. As a leader, these qualities are critical for building a connected and engaged team. With these characteristics in mind, there are several ways we can boost morale and inspire, motivate, and engage the team during turbulent times.

1. Building trust and promoting honesty are the foundations of a strong team. Showing the team we are committed to them and communicating directly and clearly are great ways to foster these relationships. When the team feels prioritized, they will feel motivated. On the other hand, manipulating the team or making misleading promises is the quickest way to lose trust and respect as a leader.

2. When we talk about what it means to be empathetic and how we can put the team first, we can start by taking a step back and recognizing that everyone we work with is human. We all have worries, fears, and difficulties in our personal lives. Make sure to check in regularly and spend one-on-one time with each employee to better understand their situation. When we speak with our employees, we can work with them to find potential solutions and, when possible, create more flexibility with their situation. Showing this type of commitment is a great way to connect and motivate the team.

3. Motivation is a great way to empower individuals, but boosting morale also means empowering the entire team. We can do this by building a sense of togetherness and inspiring collaboration. Show employees how their role contributes to the bigger picture and reinforce that the team excels when we all work together. Instilling this sense of togetherness will engage the team and encourage them to take ownership of their individual roles.

4. With everything we do, we should inspire hope in our team by having conversations about the future. While it is important to recognize that times may be tough, we need to then guide the team to focus on future opportunities to help everyone see beyond today’s challenges and keep the bigger picture in mind. Sharing potential new opportunities and remaining positive will help to motivate and inspire.

What about you? What are you doing to boost morale within your team during these uncertain times?

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Dima Ghawi is the founder of a global talent development company with a primary mission for advancing individuals in leadership. Through keynote speeches, training programs and executive coaching, Dima has empowered thousands of professionals across the globe to expand their leadership potential. In addition, she provides guidance to business executives to develop diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies and to implement a multi-year plan for advancing quality leaders from within the organization.

Reach her at DimaGhawi.com and BreakingVases.com.

5 Tips for Diversifying Board of Directors

In today’s climate, it is common to hear the phrase “we need to diversify,” particularly at upper corporate levels. Namely: the board of directors. But despite the increased citation of this desire, diversity within boards of directors is not yet commonplace. According to a fall 2020 analysis of the 3,000 largest publicly traded U.S. companies conducted by the Institutional Shareholder Services’ ESG division:

“[J]ust 12.5% of board directors were from underrepresented ethnic and racial groups, up from 10% in 2015. The report also found that only 4% of directors were Black (up from 3% in 2015), while female directors held 21% of board seats (up from 13% in 2015).”

Following the murder of George Floyd in May 2020, there were increases in the number of women and racial minorities appointed to Fortune 500 boards, but the majority of directors are still white men. How can this issue of homogeneity be adjusted? Fortunately, there are five crucial steps boards of directors can take to ensure diversity in their ranks:

1. Analyze the Demographics

In order to improve diversity within a board of directors, the board must know where their organization stands. First, look at the racial, ethnic, gender, etc. demographics of the board. Second, look at these same demographics within the community as a whole. What groups are disproportionately represented? Underrepresented? How drastic is this difference? Once a gap in diversity is identified, work can begin on deciphering why this gap exists, and from there a board can begin searching for solutions to resolve it.

2. Offer Training

This step is essential to understand how beneficial diversity is to an organization. By offering diversity training, individuals will better understand why diversity is so crucial in the first place. On a similar note, unconscious bias training is also important, as it helps combat internalized prejudices all individuals have, be they aware of them or not. How? Because “[u]nconscious bias can shape all aspects of the hiring and recruiting process, from the way openings at your organization are posted to the experience employees or board members have once they’re selected.” While no individual can ever be free of bias, making people aware of their biases will allow for implementation of genuine diversity in these upper levels.

3. Expand Your Candidate Pool

When appointing boards of directors, many organizations appoint retired executives. However, appointing active executives is also beneficial, as they are more aware of current situations evolving around them (e.g. in a market, with COVID-19, etc.). Similarly, when appointing new members to a board of directors, an organization should broaden their horizons beyond accepting referrals from current members, as people tend to have connections with individuals similar to them. Consequently, a board is unlikely to see an increase in true diversity with applicants garnered through such narrow recommendations. Expanding the pool of candidates is a simple yet effective way of diversifying a board.

4. Avoid Tokenism

As aforementioned, some boards are interested in diversity only for appearances’ sake. Diversity and unconscious bias training are key ways to address this issue, but another important tactic is ensuring new voices make up at least 30% of the total in a group. By doing so, a board not only avoids tokenism in appearance, but also in practice, as these new members will feel less isolated and therefore will likely be more encouraged to speak their minds. As stated earlier, increased diversity leads to increased innovation, meaning hearing these new ideas more often than not ends up being helpful.

5. Measure Progress

The final step is simple and perhaps the most important: “To stay focused on your objectives and goals, monitor your progress semi-annually.” Yes, it is that straightforward. Diversity is not a simple checklist but a practice. Are the demographics improving and representing the community that the organization serves? Are individuals from diverse groups being appropriately represented? Are their ideas being heard and implemented? Are these individuals staying on? Are they reporting any issues? Keeping track of progress is thus the ultimate step to truly diversifying a board of directors.

While the task of diversifying boards of directors may seem daunting, it is a necessary one, and only through active change can it be accomplished.

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Dima Ghawi is the founder of a global talent development company with a primary mission for advancing individuals in leadership. Through keynote speeches, training programs and executive coaching, Dima has empowered thousands of professionals across the globe to expand their leadership potential. In addition, she provides guidance to business executives to develop diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies and to implement a multi-year plan for advancing quality leaders from within the organization.

Reach her at DimaGhawi.com and BreakingVases.com.

Beyond the Language of "Equal Opportunity Employer"

“We are an equal opportunity employer.”

Companies are required to include this statement or a similar phrase in their job descriptions, a supposed attempt to demonstrate their commitment to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. But how inclusive is this short phrase? Does this generic line truly encourage individuals of underrepresented groups to apply to the job at hand? Does it guarantee a woman’s application will be judged with the same expectations as a man’s, that Black individuals will not be held to harsher standards than white individuals, that the transgender community can expect the same treatment as cisgender people? Most of the time, no. This standard language is exactly that: standard, if not the bare minimum. As such, this standard must be changed.

While there is more to ensuring diverse, inclusive workplace environments than modification of language in job descriptions alone, these smaller steps are just as crucial to the big picture as larger ones. By going above and beyond the standard statement and providing additional, detailed information about inclusivity in the hiring process, companies make important progress in generating inclusion all around. Consider the two examples below:

Deloitte:

“Our diverse, equitable, and inclusive culture empowers our people to be who they are, contribute their unique perspectives, and make a difference individually and collectively. It enables us to leverage different ideas and perspectives, and bring more creativity and innovation to help solve our client most complex challenges. This makes Deloitte one of the most rewarding places to work. Learn more about our inclusive culture.”

“What we do for our clients, we strive to do for our own people: make an impact that matters. We are regularly recognized as a top employer across a range of categories, including inclusion, well-being, innovation, leadership, and places to start your career. To learn more, check out our latest accolades.”

“From entry-level employees to senior leaders, we believe there’s always room to learn. We offer opportunities to build new skills, take on leadership opportunities and connect and grow through mentorship. From on-the-job learning experiences to formal development programs, our professionals have a variety of opportunities to continue to grow throughout their career. Learn more about our commitment to developing our people.”

Mastercard:

“We cultivate a culture of inclusion for all employees that respects their individual strengths, views, and experiences. We believe that our differences enable us to be a better team – one that makes better decisions, drives innovation and delivers better business results.”

A crucial element present in both of these statements can be summarized as “the why.” Not only do these organizations emphasize that they are equal opportunity employers, they provide explanations into why equal opportunity and diverse employment is essential for their workplace. When a company can articulate the reasons behind their desire for diversity, it is a sign they truly value different perspectives. If an organization is able to recognize and lay out the benefits they gain from a diverse and inclusive workplace, then it is safe to conclude the environments they foster are inclusive not just in language, but in practice, too.

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Dima Ghawi is the founder of a global talent development company. Her mission is providing guidance to business executives to develop diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies and to implement a multi-year plan for advancing quality leaders from within their organization.

Through keynote speeches, training programs and executive coaching, Dima has empowered thousands of professionals across the globe to expand their leadership potential.

The Customer is NOT Always Right

Many organizations tout the mantra “the customer is always right.” And while they pursue diversity and inclusion initiatives amongst their employees, they are not always able to enforce that same level of respect from their customers. At hospitals, bigoted patients might see an overweight nurse and request that they be seen by a “thinner” nurse. Other patients have turned their noses up at a Black nurse, demanding that they wanted a white nurse instead. Such hateful rhetoric is not limited to the healthcare sector. At a bank, a customer encountered a Black teller and insisted they would rather wait for a white teller to assist them. Another customer even went so far as to refer to their Black teller as the n-slur. It is evident in these scenarios and too many others like it that the customer is not always right. The question, then, is how companies can create respectful, inclusive environments where their employees feel safe without the fear of losing business. Moreover, how can they create environments where their customers treat employees with the respect everyone deserves to receive.

An important solution is in the language. Instead of being complacent with the notion that “the customer is always right,” organizations can and should articulate specific statements that assert their expectations for customer behavior towards employees. The following companies have mastered the appropriate language, emphasizing that they will not tolerate harassment of employees from their clients:

An airline:

“Your safety and comfort – and that of our team members – are our top priority. We expect our team members to care for our customers with respect. We also expect our customers to interact with our team members and other customers with respect. If you act in a violent or inappropriate manner, you will not be able to continue your journey with us.”

Women’s Hospital in Baton Rouge:

“Women’s Hospital has zero-tolerance for threatening or aggressive behavior. Disruptive visitors will be asked to leave.

Staff is supported in pressing charges for aggressive behavior they encounter while caring for patients.

Incidents may result in removal and possible prosecution.”

Cardiovascular Institute of the South:

“CIS fosters a safe, kind and secure environment for our patients, visitors and team members. We hold ourselves to these standards of behavior, and we kindly ask for your courtesy and respect in doing the same.

We ask that you:

• Show courtesy and respect

• Be appropriate in language, tone and interactions

• Abide by public health rules

• Be an active participants in your plan of care

Please refrain from:

• Discriminatory language

• Rude, threatening or demeaning language or tone

• Profanity

• Verbal harassment”

These statements have important qualities in common.

1. Emphasize the need for mutual respect between customers and employees.

2. Specify that aggressive and hateful behavior will not be tolerated from workers or customers.

3. State outright that there will be consequences for individuals who do not meet these expectations, from as simple as a customer being asked to leave to as drastic as legal prosecution.

The specificity of the languages leaves no room for misinterpretation. By setting firm guidelines, these organizations are being intentional in generate environments of true inclusion, where respect is fostered with every interaction on all levels.

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Dima Ghawi is the founder of a global talent development company. Her mission is providing guidance to business executives to develop diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies and to implement a multi-year plan for advancing quality leaders from within their organization.

Through keynote speeches, training programs and executive coaching, Dima has empowered thousands of professionals across the globe to expand their leadership potential.

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Main Areas of Focus in a DEI Strategy

Embarking on the journey of increasing diversity and fostering inclusion in the workplace can seem daunting. However, with a well-defined diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) strategy, we can establish a clear plan to execute our DEI vision. To fully ingrain DEI into our businesses, we must integrate our inclusion efforts into all aspects of the organization. Through this blog, I will share key internal and external ways to incorporate diversity into our businesses.

Here are some areas to look into as we put together a DEI Strategy for our organizations:

Internal communications: Ensure the leadership team communicates the company’s focus on DEI in its corporate values, mission statement, and other messaging within the organization. 

Feedback channels: Implement ways for employees to share ideas for increasing DEI or to express concerns about discrimination and harassment in the workplace. 

Employee Resource Groups (ERGs): Create ERGs to bring together employees with similar backgrounds, such as women, people of color, LGBTQ+, and emerging professionals. The most effective ERGs are inclusive and open to everyone – both members and allies.

Recruitment: Determine the most common barriers that affect recruiting historically marginalized groups and seek a diverse pool of candidates. Offering unconscious bias training to hiring managers supports diverse recruitment efforts.

Talent pipeline: Create a talent pipeline to develop diverse candidates for future leadership roles, and ensure underrepresented employees are included in mentorship programs. 

Ongoing workshops: Provide ongoing workshops regarding DEI topics like unconscious bias, working across generations, and handling discrimination case studies.

Roundtable discussions: Plan monthly small group roundtable discussions with executive team members and a diverse group of employees to gain input on workplace culture in relation to inclusion. 

Leadership Compensation: Include the focus on DEI in the leadership team’s performance evaluation and compensation plans. 

In addition to making improvements within the organization, we can exhibit our DEI commitments externally:

External communications and branding: Share the company’s focus on DEI by stating the commitment on the website and through social media posts.

Community engagement: Encourage employees to volunteer with associations and universities serving historically underrepresented groups. 

Putting together and implementing a DEI strategy can feel overwhelming since it needs to be integrated throughout all aspects of an organization. The best way to tackle this process is through a phased approach. We begin by identifying and implementing the low hanging fruits:  initiatives that are easier to start implementing. What matters is creating momentum and gaining buy-in. That is when we are able to foster real long-term change in our workplace and surrounding communities. 

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Dima Ghawi is the founder of a global talent development company. Her mission is providing guidance to business executives to develop diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies and to implement a multi-year plan for advancing quality leaders from within their organization.

Through keynote speeches, training programs and executive coaching, Dima has empowered thousands of professionals across the globe to expand their leadership potential.

Tips For Establishing a DEI Council

Establishing a DEI Council makes it possible to ensure a dedicated focus on DEI priorities. This selected group of employees, including executive sponsors, is responsible for setting the short and long-term initiatives identified by the organization, creating DEI programs, and managing their implementation. The DEI Council is a structured and collaborative way to get employees from across the organization to lead, participate in, and own the DEI initiatives. While this council supports the success of DEI efforts, it also provides personal development opportunities and visibility for its members. 

For the DEI Council to be effective, we need to ensure:

• Support from senior leadership.

• A composition of diverse members from different ethnicities, gender, generation, department, and other dimensions of diversity.

• Clear goals and expectations, structure, and leadership.

• An understanding of their roles as an advisory group and the DEI initiatives-focused team.

• Estimated time commitment: 2-3 hours per week per member. For employees that are billable, ensure that the organization issues a DEI non-billable code.

• A dedicated annual budget to support the DEI Council initiatives.

• An actionable project plan and metrics to track progress.

• An effective council chair and leadership team, rotating the responsibility for creating the meeting agenda and taking minutes.

These eight puzzle pieces come together to create an efficient, representative, and dedicated DEI Council for any organization. By gaining the support of executives and incorporating the advice from employees, we can revolutionize our view of DEI, creating more diversity than ever before. Through the implementation of a DEI Council, our organizations can constantly progress towards a brighter and more inclusive future.  

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Dima Ghawi is the founder of a global talent development company. Her mission is providing guidance to business executives to develop diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies and to implement a multi-year plan for advancing quality leaders from within their organization.

Through keynote speeches, training programs and executive coaching, Dima has empowered thousands of professionals across the globe to expand their leadership potential.

Uncover Your Unconscious Biases

Unconscious biases are subliminal prejudices that influence the way we make decisions. These practices often negatively impact our businesses, leading to an unhealthy workplace. We each have over 180 biases. In this blog, I share information about fifteen of the most common ones and provide examples for each. With the knowledge of these biases, we can begin the conversations needed to create an inclusive workplace for all. 

Affinity Bias: Responding more positively to individuals with a similar race, gender, sexual orientation, etc.

 A supervisor is considering employees for a promotion. One team member reminds the manager of themselves when they were just starting out in the field. Based on this information, the supervisor promotes this employee. 

Anchoring Effect: Relying too heavily on the first piece of information offered 

A manager reviewing resumes for possible candidates notices that one individual attended an Ivy League college. Without reading the rest of the resume, the manager offers the candidate an interview. 

Bandwagon Effect: Jumping on board with something primarily because other people are doing it

When making corporate decisions, managers are swayed to agree with large groups and fail to discuss unique options. 

Beauty Bias: Prejudices based upon the attractiveness, superficial personality, or physical appearance of an individual 

A survey of Fortune 500 companies found that male CEOs are 2.5 inches taller than the average man. People unconsciously perceived tall men as powerful, smart, and capable when compared to shorter men.

Confirmation Bias: Seeking information that supports one’s beliefs and ignoring details to the contrary

A CEO who believes the organization does not need to improve diversity and inclusion conducts a workplace survey to investigate the status of diversity and inclusion. When reviewing the results, the CEO highlights and reports all the positive comments and overlooks areas of improvement. 

Guilty By Association: Unfairly judging individuals by the company they keep 

A new employee is assigned a desk next to known slackers in the office. After some time, the employee becomes friends with these individuals, and the manager notices. In performance evaluations, the manager penalizes the new employee for being a slacker, even though they have met all deadlines.  

Hasty Generalization: Making a large claim based on a small amount of information

A supervisor has a team of 300 employees. When conducting a workplace survey, the manager only asks three employees for their opinions. The manager then makes executive decisions based on this small sample size. 

Halo/Horn Effect: Allowing impressions of an individual in one area to influence the overall impression

A manager invites two equally high-performing employees to an upper management meeting. One comes dressed in a well-tailored suit, while the other wears slacks and a button-down. The upper management team believes that the employee in the tailored suit is a more effective employee and should be promoted, while a performance review should be conducted of the other employee.

Herd Mentality: Adopting specific thoughts, prejudices, or behaviors to fit in with a certain group of individuals

A manager joins a company with a pervasive sexist office culture. When given the chance to hire a new team member, the manager only interviews men for the position and unconsciously disregards female applicants.

Hindsight Bias: Believing that a past event was predicted without any reasoning or evidence 

A candidate fails to prepare for a job interview and has a bad interaction with the hiring manager. When the candidate does not get a job offer, they insist that they wouldn’t have been hired anyway. 

Negativity Bias: Allowing adverse events to overshadow equal positive events 

Employees have three great quarters and one quarter below average. In performance reviews, the manager focuses the majority of their evaluation on the negative quarter. 

Optimism/Pessimism Bias: The likelihood to overestimate a positive/negative outcome based on attitude

In the morning, news is shared that the company met all its deadlines and goals and saved money over the past fiscal year. In the afternoon, during a team meeting, the marketing plan for the following year is discussed. Exciting and innovative ideas are presented that will use the entire year’s budget by the second quarter. Everyone is excited and sees the rewards from this plan and gets started right away.

A hiring manager is late to work due to a flat tire. After getting in, they only have a few minutes before an interview. They doubt that the candidate will be hired and think they will need to start the search from all over.

Self-Serving Bias: Taking personal credit for positive events but blaming outside forces for negative events

When getting a promotion, an employee states it is all because of their hard work and diligent effort; however, when falling short of a deadline, the employee blames faults on their team members. 

A manager takes credit for a great quarter of sales but blames their team for the following below average quarter. 

Slippery Slope Fallacy: Rejecting an idea with little to no evidence simply because someone insists it will lead to an adverse major event

A prejudiced supervisor arguing that hiring one minority employee will lead to the deterioration of company culture and, eventually, the fall of the organization. 

Stereotypes: Overgeneralized beliefs about a particular group of people

 A manager assumes that an Asian employee is good with math and assigns them to certain projects because of this belief. This practice prevents the manager from realizing the employee’s real strengths and viewing all team members equally. 

These definitions and examples allow us to spot biases and accurately correct injustices. With this information, we can strengthen our culture of inclusion and empower employees with a deeper understanding of biases. By increasing our awareness of discrimination, we prevent negativity from subliminally spreading within our workplaces. 

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Dima Ghawi is the founder of a global talent development company. Her mission is providing guidance to business executives to develop diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies and to implement a multi-year plan for advancing quality leaders from within their organization.

Through keynote speeches, training programs and executive coaching, Dima has empowered thousands of professionals across the globe to expand their leadership potential.

Four Tips for Creating a DEI Council Charter

            When founding a DEI Council, one of the most integral elements to discuss is the creation of a charter. This document will help guide the group’s meetings, decisions, and initiatives from its conception throughout its future work. A successful DEI Charter interweaves several elements, including a strong mission statement, related goals, leadership assignments, and membership requirements. Through this article, I share the benefits of designing and implementing a charter and breakdown the central tenets of this initiative. 

1.  One of the first things a DEI Council should consider is its mission statement. This set of phrases lays the foundation for all initiatives to come. When dividing the mission statement, consider incorporating key language from the organization’s DEI strategy as well as the central mission of the company itself. Through this piece, we establish the sentiments which will underscore all future efforts of the DEI Council. First, evaluate the general values and goals of the group and devise language that encompasses these ideas into a defined and uniting statement. The following stages of the DEI charter will fall into place under this guiding light.

2. After a strong and clear mission statement has been established, begin listing understandable and achievable goals for the council. Consider employing SMART goals or objectives that are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-based. This step ensures that future initiatives will align with the organization’s mission and create measurable positive change. Attempt to break down larger goals, like increasing the culture of inclusion in the company, into achievable objectives. These smaller and more manageable programs and initiatives will help the council efficiently dedicate their time and resources to achieving their monumental milestones. With the combination of workable projects and affiliated goals, the charter defines the DEI Council’s critical responsibilities and emphasizes positive progress. 

3. Another important aspect of a DEI Council is leadership. In the charter, make sure to include a clear definition of these positions with detailed descriptions of roles and responsibilities. These statements will establish and support the backbone of leadership for the group. While in this section, give some thought to the technicalities of term lengths, elections processes, and committees. I strongly recommend including smaller leadership opportunities to encourage members to develop their communication and interpersonal skills. Additionally, these roles will allow current chairs and officers to recognize and groom organizational talent for upcoming leadership positions. By determining these aspects of the council early on, future transfers of power and leadership changes will progress more smoothly. 

4. The DEI Council charter should establish the central tenets and responsibilities for members. These are enthusiastic about increasing diversity within the organization but may not have the time necessary to serve as council leadership. Similar to the previous section, consider the election of members into the council, expected contributions, and their term lengths — should these be longer, shorter, or the same as leadership term lengths? The answer to these questions revolves around your company’s ideals, employee availability, and DEI strategy. Lastly, establish membership diversity as an integral aspect of the DEI Council. At all times, the council should accurately represent the employee base that they serve. This means a diverse demographic foundation with contributions from different races, genders, generations, and even departments. By integrating these tenants into the DEI Council charter, we ensure that members will remain committed, passionate, and dedicated to elevating diversity and inclusion within the workplace. 

While founding a DEI Council may be daunting, creating a solid charter will provide organizational leadership and future council members with the necessary guidance to enact change and positive progress. Upon establishing the council, set a preliminary meeting aside to either discuss or draft the charter together. Through this act, we gain the support and involvement of employees and move towards a greater understanding of diversity, equity, and inclusion. 

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Dima Ghawi is the founder of a global talent development company. Her mission is providing guidance to business executives to develop diversity, equity and inclusion strategies and to implement a multi-year plan for advancing quality leaders from within their organization. Through keynote speeches, training programs and executive coaching, Dima has empowered thousands of professionals across the globe to expand their leadership potential. For more information, visit DimaGhawi.com and BreakingVases.com.

How to Manage Unconscious Biases

Unconscious biases are constantly affecting our thinking, reasoning, and perception of people and things around us. This quick process of judgments and decision-making can negatively impact our businesses and social interactions. To overcome these unconscious biases, we must make an intentional effort to question our automatic thoughts and begin to reconsider the world around us. Here are a some critical steps to managing unconscious bias. 

Become More Self-Aware

The first step to overcoming unconscious bias is noticing the problem within ourselves. These quick perceptions are ingrained in our minds as a survival tactic. We must first begin to recognize our patterns of bias and slowly work to disrupt them. The perfect way to do this is through self-reflection activities focused on unconscious bias. We can begin by asking ourselves a few simple questions: 

• Who do I feel most comfortable working with? 

• Who do I feel least comfortable working with? 

• What could I do to better understand or work more effectively with my coworkers? 

• How does my behavior in the workplace affect the office culture as a whole? 

These four introduction questions help us think about our own unconscious biases and how they play into workplace relations. To take this to the next level, try bias indicators like Harvard’s Project Implicit. This resource contains a myriad of short modules that test our biases for different religions, sexual orientations, and even our political views! These activities and questions challenge our current assumptions and unveil our unconscious biases. 

Be a Courageous Ally

Being a curious, courageous, and committed ally helps manage unconscious biases and creates a more comfortable work environment for all. As an ally, our job is to stand up for minority team members who may be experiencing discrimination or harassment. Whether directing team members to your Human Resources team or establishing a safe space in the office, do not be afraid to take action. Through dedicated action, we can generate a positive change for our team. By speaking up for those who may not have a voice, we improve organizational culture, increase employee engagement, and create an inclusive workplace for all. 

Expand Our Circles of Friends

This may seem a little out of the ordinary, but our friend groups have an incredible influence on our view of the world. Similar to the Circle of Trust exercise, think about your closest friends and coworkers. Is this group diverse? A homogenous friend group can lead to harmful echo chambers, which reinforce unconscious biases. By expanding our circles of trust, we can become closer with unique individuals and confront our unconscious biases with healthy relationships. The more we interact with diverse groups of people, the more our minds will be opened to others’ experiences. Through this process, we begin to break down harmful stereotypes and establish new ways of thinking. 

Managing unconscious bias does not happen overnight. It is a lifetime commitment to the three steps listed above. We must continuously work to become more aware of ourselves, our actions, and our chosen network. However, our diligent self-reflection and work will lead to a ripple effect of positivity within our workplaces and even surrounding communities.

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Dima Ghawi is the founder of a global talent development company with a primary mission for advancing individuals in leadership. Through keynote speeches, training programs and executive coaching, Dima has empowered thousands of professionals across the globe to expand their leadership potential. In addition, she provides guidance to business executives to develop diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies and to implement a multi-year plan for advancing quality leaders from within the organization.

Reach her at DimaGhawi.com and BreakingVases.com.

How Different Organizations View Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

More and more organizations have rethought their Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) strategies. However, some are still struggling to implement positive change or even acknowledge the benefits of diversity. When I evaluate a business, I categorize their view of DEI into one of the five below. As you and your team embark on your journey towards inclusion, I encourage you to evaluate your current position and think about the initiatives needed to move forward.

Reactive

These businesses take an aggressive stance against DEI measures. Many of these organizations may be led by misinformed leaders who strongly oppose DEI. The main issues with these organizations is FEAR and misinformation.  They resist change and do not want acknowledge value of DEI.

Nice to Have

At a “nice-to-have” organization, DEI is mentioned but not truly implemented. The leadership team focuses on the limitations of money and time, preventing progress towards inclusion. For these companies, it will never be the “right time” to begin a DEI initiative. While they are not outright hostile, leaders continuously push diversity and inclusion to the wayside. In an effort to move to the next level, employees can petition for increased DEI training and look for fiscally responsible ways to incorporate diverse values.

Realizing the Value of DEI

With the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement and the increased visibility of racial injustice, many organizations are recognizing the importance of DEI. In these companies, executives understand that DEI is valuable. These organizations may focus on the public relations aspect of DEI, superficially committing to training and external statements to help their brand, but they are not supported with a clear strategy and detailed initiatives.

Dedicated 

The “dedicated” stage is a positive place for organizations to be! The leadership team have a documented strategy and are intentional in implementing the DEI initiatives. The executives, managers, and employees are bought into the concept of DEI. These organizations are continually learning and progressing in their DEI initiatives and they encourage dialogue related to DEI topics.

Essential

At the “essential” level, DEI is weaved into the fabric of the culture. It plays a critical role in all internal and external communications, hiring and promotion practices, training, personal development opportunities, and supplier business partner selection. Organizations in this phase challenge the norm, establish best practices, and keep DEI at the forefront of their daily operations. While it is great to aspire to be this level, I believe many teams are on their way! 

How do you rank your organization on this scale? Are there any barriers preventing DEI progress in your teams? What can we do to overcome these limitations and create a more inclusive work culture?

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Dima Ghawi is the founder of a global talent development company. Her mission is providing guidance to business executives to develop diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies and to implement a multi-year plan for advancing quality leaders from within their organization.

Through keynote speeches, training programs and executive coaching, Dima has empowered thousands of professionals across the globe to expand their leadership potential.

Common DEI Obstacles from Business Leaders, and How to Overcome Them

Pitching a new diversity, equity, and inclusion strategy to business leaders can be stressful. In addition to presenting the countless benefits of DEI, we must also be prepared to overcome the executives’ fears and their unconscious biases. Here are four of the most common pieces of resistance I face from executives and advice for addressing them. 

“Implementing a DEI strategy will push our traditional clients away. We cannot afford to talk about these subjects internally or externally because we may lose business.”

These executives do not realize that the majority of customers are now looking for companies with a strong DEI strategy, diverse employees, and a focus on inclusion. In addition to strengthening employee engagement and teamwork internally, DEI programs are great for public relations and outreach to minority communities. Big companies like Exxon and BASF consider the DEI strategy of each organization they work with, preferring inclusive teams with racial and gender diversity. Furthermore, a recent McKinsey study found that “companies in the top quartile for racial and ethnic diversity are 35 percent more likely to have financial returns above their respective national industry medians.” Recruiting a diverse team is proven to benefit the bottom line and increase client relations and employee retention. 

“We don’t see color. We hire based on qualifications only!” 

While “not seeing color” is a great idea in writing, it fails in practice. If we fail to see color, we fail to see the disadvantages faced by our minority peers. We fail to see the homogenous office culture we are creating. We fail to see areas where we could advance our DEI strategy and create a more inclusive workplace for all. For these executives, I advise looking at the recent years of hires and evaluating their racial and gender diversity. Do these statistics match up with the demographics of the surrounding community, state, or nation? Do recent hires have a common link like attending the same university or having similar ethnicity. While leaders may have good intentions, “not looking at color” allows our unconscious biases to take the reins and influence major decisions. We must make a conscious and intentional effort to increase diversity within the workplace; this includes a strong DEI strategy. Rather than looking past color, let’s evaluate how race plays into our recruitment and hiring procedures and account for these challenges. By treating all candidates with equity, we can foster inclusion within the workplace. 

“Are you telling us that we have to start hiring people that are not qualified just because they are minorities?”

This question is laced with unconscious bias and stereotyping. Before even considering diverse candidates in the field, some hiring managers believe these unique individuals will be underqualified. These leaders want their company to be functioning at the highest capacity; however, by overlooking minority candidates because of negative untrue assumptions, they are actually hindering their teams. 

This issue can be faced with unconscious bias training, encouraging hiring managers to evaluate their internal prejudices and better understand discrimination within the workplace. Through this process, leaders can gain awareness and a more diverse team.  

“Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) will create a greater divide in our office!”

This statement couldn’t be further from the truth for a well-structured Employee Network. ERGs are a great way to increase diversity, encourage healthy dialogue, and supplement an ongoing DEI strategy. These organizations revolve around minority groups, like parents, people of color, or LGBTQ individuals. Through open events and meetings, ERGs stimulate conversation, create a safe space for difficult discussions, and stimulate relationship building. However, I frequently get this comment when an executive has seen these networks integrated wrongly. If both members and allies are encouraged to attend events and excited to participate in open discussions, these networks will breed teamwork and integration rather than exclusion.

While many of the business leaders may not be aware of their own biases when making these statements, we must have the courage to highlight how these biases have a negative effect on the work culture and the bottom link. With intentionality and determination, we can influence a positive change and create a ripple effect of inclusion within the workplace and surrounding communities. 

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Dima Ghawi is the founder of a global talent development company. Her mission is providing guidance to business executives to develop diversity, equity and inclusion strategies and to implement a multi-year plan for advancing quality leaders from within their organization. Through keynote speeches, training programs and executive coaching, Dima has empowered thousands of professionals across the globe to expand their leadership potential. For more information, visit DimaGhawi.com and BreakingVases.com.

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3 Actions We Can Take To Create An Inclusive Work Culture

It’s been 25 years, but I still remember my first few months in the United States. I quickly fell in love with the melting pot of different cultures in my San Diego community, and I can still picture myself strolling along the sidewalk and encountering people from all different backgrounds. Interesting music and the smell of delicious foods filled the streets as I walked past a variety of restaurants – Chinese, Brazilian, Italian, Japanese, and so many more! I felt part of something much bigger than myself. The feelings of excitement and opportunity made me believe that anything was possible.

Joining this melting pot was an enriching experience for me because it was very different from the Middle Eastern community from where I moved. There everyone came from the same background, followed the same traditions, and held the same values. Now, I was trying new foods, listening to new music, and meeting new people. My curiosity grew, and the diversity I encountered made life much more interesting. Twenty-five years later, I’ve started to question my happy memory of joining an inclusive society. I am starting to think this vibrant melting pot is more like a stained-glass window full of different colors and complementary pieces. While beautiful on the surface, it is fragile and easily shattered. 

Over this past year, the killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and the anti-Asian hate shooting in Atlanta, have brought greater awareness to the violence and hatred that many underrepresented populations face daily.  

When I compare my optimistic arrival to the U.S. with the discrimination I see on the news every day, I see two conflicting realities. One has people who focus on being inclusive, self-aware, and kind. I see this truth in my own close circle of friends and in people I meet every day. The other reality, however, is a world where individuals fear people different than them, feeding hatred and creating a rift within our society. We all play a part in which reality perseveres, and these three actions can help us to be intentional and achieve real change:

Be mindful of the dangers of misinformation by questioning what we are told by influential figures, including politicians, religious leaders, or even family members. We often fear what we do not know, and it is natural to want to put our trust in leaders and the media. However, questioning people’s intentions and seeking information from many sources allows us to be aware of those trying to create division or introduce hate. Remaining curious also helps us to address misinformation that feeds discrimination and harmful attitudes.

 Be conscious of what is feeding our biases by reflecting inward and confronting our buried prejudices. We are not always aware of our own biases, and this contributes to the ongoing cycle of discrimination. Fear only fuels our stereotypes, and while it is easier to ignore these thoughts, it is our responsibility to look inward and act intentionally if we really want to see change. Instead of adapting an “us versus them” mentality, it is important to be courageous, challenge our biases and actively reject hateful attitudes. 

Increase awareness about the prevalence of discrimination by highlighting people’s experiences. The more we learn about others’ stories, the more we realize that we are all the same. Regardless of our background, we all want to be accepted and feel a sense of belonging. If we look beyond our own identities – whether we are American, Asian, or Middle Eastern – and start seeing ourselves as a citizen of the world, we are able to gain a whole new perspective. It is important to share this view and educate the next generation to end the cycle of prejudice. The internet has made us more interconnected than ever, and we can use this as an opportunity to learn more about others, spread awareness about racial issues, and create a more accepting society.

The same streets that excited me and made me feel a sense of unity now represent something more serious. My memory of streets filled with amazing smells, interesting sounds, unique people, and, most importantly, hope is the America that I want all of us to thrive in. This wonderful melting pot where we all live in harmony may today seem more like a dream than a reality, but it is a dream we must strive toward. To break this cycle of discrimination and create a better future for the next generation, we have to be committed to a path that promotes acceptance and love.

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Dima Ghawi is the founder of a global talent development company. Her mission is providing guidance to business executives to develop diversity, equity and inclusion strategies and to implement a multi-year plan for advancing quality leaders from within their organization. Through keynote speeches, training programs and executive coaching, Dima has empowered thousands of professionals across the globe to expand their leadership potential. For more information, visit DimaGhawi.com and BreakingVases.com.

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