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Diversity Training Tips

As a facilitator of diversity and inclusion training, your job is to make sure participants have the opportunity, learning structure and resources to develop knowledge and skills on building respect and working effectively in today's diverse environment. Although you do not need to be an expert in diversity, you should take the time to know and understand the material, be prepared to contribute your own relevant viewpoints, insights and examples and prepare to address questions and reactions that participants may have about any of the training content or about your organization's diversity policies and/or communication procedures.

It's important to recognize the seriousness of this topic and anticipate common participant reactions. The following tips should help you effectively deal with hot issues such as objections to content, responses to controversial statements or opposing perceptions and questions.

1. Use facilitative techniques to promote healthy conversation.

Diversity training will touch participants' identity and core values. Preparation, combined with an effective facilitation process, is critical to a successful session. Be sure to understand the intent and context of the content, become fully grounded in your organization's policies and procedures that deal with this topic and use levels of appropriate intervention to promote healthy conversation and avoid disruptive behavior. 

2. Release yourself from the illusion of being an expert.

Diversity is an area where the process of learning through dialogue is often more important than the content of the dialogue. Try to see yourself as one who facilitates the dialogue as opposed to being an interpreter of all that is said. Statements such as, "Help us understand..." and "Please tell us more about..." are as powerful as, "I don't know." The moment you decide that you know everything about a group is the moment when learning stops.

3. Know yourself.

Be open and honest with yourself about your attitudes and behavior patterns as they relate to people who represent the various aspects of difference that make up the diversity within your organization. In an organization where differences matter, it is highly unlikely that you are neutral. Asking yourself, "How do I typically react to people in this category?" is an excellent step in the direction of this important area of self-knowledge and will help you avoid misleading or unintentional biased statements.

4. Ask (and encourage others to ask) respectful questions.

The most respectful way to honor the meaning of another person's experience is to ask questions that seek more information or clarification. A question such as, "Could you tell me more about your feelings of being disrespected in staff meetings?" is far more useful than a challenge such as, "How do you know you were being slighted?" Saying, for example, "I have noticed that many Hispanics or African Americans seem to have a certain preference; what has your experience been?" works much better than, "Why do African Americans or Hispanics do that?"

5. Avoid defending perspectives.

An individual's views or experiences may contradict your views or the organization's views. When participants share their thoughts and experiences, it is important to acknowledge the truth without agreeing or disagreeing. For example, if a person sees the organization as being racist or sexist, there is no need for you to offer a defense or to explain the situation from the perspective of your opposite experience. In these circumstances, it is important to redirect the conversation to begin discussion about what can be done to change or improve. This encourages participants to be part of the solution to their perceived problem. An example of how to do this is, "I can tell you feel strongly about ...Let's take a few minutes and discuss what we can each do as individuals to change that."

6. Use reflective techniques.

In responding to controversial or provocative statements, a very simple statement to the effect of, "What I hear you saying is..." is often all that is needed to acknowledge the individual's statement and immediately redirect the conversation. When presenting sensitive or controversial topics, like diversity, many people are more concerned about being heard than about getting agreement or a quick solution to their issues. Acknowledgement (with a smile) is key.

7. Manage the process.

Ensure that activities are delivered as designed for cumulative learning experiences and that key learning points are presented, understood, emphasized and applied. Remember that different people will interpret video demonstrations and discussion differently and may react negatively to behaviors or comments they perceive as absolutes. Acknowledge participants' rights to express their views, encourage discussion about the gray areas and segue back to the intent and context of the content.

8. Breathe and allow silence to work for you.

Before responding to a point of conflict or a difficult issue, avoid interrupting a participant or jumping in with a comment too quickly. Instead, take a deep, mind-clearing breath and exhale slowly (without exaggeration). Do not be afraid of silence. Sometimes up to ten seconds of silence helps provide a space that allows for issues, which may be causing the conflict to dissipate. Silence allows participants time to reflect and assess their own thoughts.

Sollah Interactive programs that incorporate F.A.I.R. or M.E.E.T.