Diverse City Perspectives Manual for Leading Dialogue (07.2011)

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1Perspectives: Dialogue on Leadership

and Diversity Session Leader Manual

DiverseCity: The Greater Toronto

Leadership Project


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Leadership Project


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Leadership Project

DiverseCity Perspectives

Manual for Dialogue Session Leaders

Table of Contents

1) Introduction...................................................................................................................................... 42) Defining Dialogue ............................................................................................................................ 63) Session Leader Tools for Dialogue on Leadership and Diversity ............................................... 8

Plan a Dialogue Session .................................................................................................................... 8Prepare for a Session ...................................................................................................................... 10Lead the Session ............................................................................................................................. 13After your dialogue ........................................................................................................................... 18

Post Script ....................................................................................................................................... 18

4) Resources ...................................................................................................................................... 19Facilitation Tips ................................................................................................................................ 19Dialogue and facilitation references and definitions .......................................................................... 21DiverseCity and Maytree Resources on Diversifying Leadership Available On-line ....................... 23Other On-line Resources on Diversity & Leadership ........................................................................ 25

5) Additional Resources: Tracking Forms ....................................................................................... 26Participant Evaluations (copy, share, collect, and report) ................................................................. 26Tracking Impact (for session leader to fill in and report back to DiverseCity) .................................... 28Participant Contact Sheet ................................................................................................................ 30


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DiverseCity is a joint initiative of Maytree andthe Greater Toronto CivicAction Alliance(formerly the Toronto City Summit Alliance),funded in part by the Government of Ontario. Itaims to increase the prosperity of the greaterToronto region by transforming the leadershiplandscape so that it better reflects the ethnicand racial diversity of the region. DiverseCity isled by a 40-person Steering Committee ofleaders from different sectors across thegreater Toronto region.Why is diverse leadership important?The Greater Toronto Area is one of the mostdiverse regions in the world. Almost half ofresidents of the GTA are visible minorities fromdiverse ethnic and racial groups. And yet, only14% of our leadership are visible minorities.This is a missed opportunity. Researchconducted by The Conference Board of Canadaindicates that diversity in leadership cancontribute to the following:

Improved financial and organizationalperformance;

Increased capacity to link to new globaland domestic markets;

Expanded access to global anddomestic talent pools;

Enhanced innovation and creativity; and Strengthened cohesion and social

capital.

Beyond that, many companies, organizations,and institutions report a wide range of benefitsthat they and the communities they serve gainfrom having a diverse leadership.

What actions will diversify leadership?

The DiverseCity Counts report series hasidentified key actions that individuals,governments, organizations, companies andthe community should take to ensure that ourregion leverages its diversity at the leadershiplevel:

Count: Analyze and report on diversityrates at all levels (What gets measuredgets done)

Set targets: Set targets or

representation criteria and measureresults

Lead: Make diversity a strategic prioritywith leadership from the top

Develop the pipeline: Inspire futureleaders to reach their potential, recruitwith focus, and provide access tonetworks and mentors

Develop and sustain excellent human

resources practices

Communicate to influence:Mainstream diversity in all aspects ofthe organizations activities andreinforce the business case for diversity

Visit www.diversecitytoronto.ca for moreinformation.

Introduction

Manual for Dialogue SessionLeadersThis is a guide designed for anyone whowants to lead a group dialogue amongleaders on the topic of diversity atleadership levels within any organization orin the region.The rest of this guide is brokeninto four sections: Defining Dialogue How to lead a dialogue circle Resources on the topics of dialogue

and diversity

Information forms to help keep track ofparticipation in the DiverseCItyPerspectives project

DiverseCity: The Greater TorontoLeadership Project

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DiverseCity Perspectives

DiverseCity Perspectives is one of the eightprograms of DiverseCity: The Greater TorontoLeadership Project.

DiverseCity Perspectives aims to engageleaders and communities in a transformationalworkout that will stretch and re-shape how wethink about leaders and leadership, with thegoal of allowing a new kind of leadership toemerge.

By encouraging leaders to connect with eachother in dialogue and by sharing diverseleadership stories, DiverseCity Perspectives willexplore how we can experience the benefits of

diversity in leadership and uncover approachesto transforming leadership.

Why dialogue and storytelling?Who is recognized as a leader and how peopleare selected for leadership opportunities canoften be influenced by unspoken assumptionsand subtle biases. When these blindspots stayunnoticed and accumulate over time, the endresult can be systemic barriers that leave uswithout the many benefits of diverse leadership.

Dialogue and storytelling can catalyze shifts inhow we imagine ourselves and others asleaders. They can bring to the surface newways of seeing each other and shed light onwhat we might not have seen before.

Catalyzing DialogueDiverseCity Perspectives catalyzes dialogueacross the region by inviting partners in Peel,York and Toronto to start leadership dialogues.Through this process, we encourage leaders torise to the opportunity to demonstrate their

leadership in creating inclusive environmentsand driving for measurable change.

Perspectives offered workshops for those whowant to organize and lead their own dialogues.This manual was part of that workshop training.

We also encourage participants to learn aboutand take practical steps to diversify leadershipby exploring resources on how to diversifyleadership and governance structures, such asthose included in resources section of thismanual.

The audience for the dialogues is leaders whohave the potential to influence diversity andinclusion at the leadership level and to builddiverse leadership teams. This potential toinfluence might flow from their decision-makingauthority to set strategic direction, improvepipelines to leadership, and encourageinclusion. Ultimately, everyone has a role toplay. Any leader can promote diverseleadership by opening doors, expandingnetworks, and developing new relationshipsthat bring forward leaders from diverse

backgrounds.

These dialogues should include a range ofperspectives, and would benefit from having amix of established and emerging leaders fromdifferent backgrounds. Where it might enrichthe conversation, leaders from outsideorganizations and/or other sectors could alsobe included.

Leadership VideosDiverseCity Perspectives offers a series of

leadership videos that spotlight diverse leadersin different positions from across the greaterToronto region. These videos represent adialogue that can take place virtually across theregion; you may find that you wish to use thesevideos as conversation starters.

In these videos, each leader brings a differentperspective on leadership and how to opendoors to diversity in leadership. The profiledleaders were asked to share personal stories ofopportunities and challenges that theyencountered as they developed as leaders, andto offer what they have learned about diversityand leadership.

The videos can be found on-line in theDiverseCity Perspectives section of thewww.diversecitytoronto.ca website.


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Listening is anattitude of theheart, a genuinedesire to be withanother whichboth attracts and

heals.~ J. Isham

Defining Dialogue

Basic Concepts

Dialogue is

The word dialogue comes from Greek andsuggests a flow of meaning. You haveprobably had conversations that moved youdeeply. Perhaps something changed within you.Perhaps you behaved a little differently as aresult. Nobody trained you and it was not theresult of implementing a plan. You werechanged because you participated. That is thepotential for transformation that DiverseCityPerspectives is trying to explore: if we can talkwith one another respectfully and bring forwarddifferent perspectives then some kinds ofchange are certain to emerge if we payattention. Dialogue has the potential to bring tothe surface views on diversity and leadershipthat can help us transform how leaders areimagined, shaped, and chosen.

The quantum physicist David Bohm is the mostfamous explorer of dialogue. Others like Mihaly

Csikszentmihalyi study dialogue as a state ofsynchronicity and flow. There have beenmany attempts to describe the experience ofdialogue; of those moments when people listento each other so well that they understand whateach other means, not just hear the words.

Time stands still in a way. We experience asense of sharing, connecting and growing. Wecome away changed.

Dialogue is simple and commonplace. Most

people experience some form of dialogue intheir lives however not many bother to reflecton the experience. So we take it for grantedand sometimes do not notice how we changeand grow. In a sense dialogue usually does notrequire sophisticated facilitation processes andexpertise, just commitment to the values ofrespectful communication. Therefore it oftenseems spontaneous. In this case you as

session leader put people in a place wheredialogue can emerge.

Dialogue is not

Dialogue is notdebate, discussion,or argument fromdifferent positions.Winning and losingare irrelevant.Instead weassume that

everyone can holdmultipleperspectives. Theso-called truth islike a multi-facetted diamond: the more facetsexposed to the light, the greater the beauty ofthe gem. Dialogue can occur when individualslisten to the meaning behind the words of otherpeople and speak about, what is alive in me.

Dialogue is not training and planning. Trainingis an essential tactic for leadership

development by increasing what we KNOW.Creating and implementing plans to improve thediversity of leadership circles and workforces isan essential strategy for DOING change.However, addressing who we ARE as leadersis the missing ingredient that can take trainingand planning to a new level.

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Being

DoingKnowing


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The greatest giftyou can giveanother is thepurity of yourattention.~ Richard Moss

Dialogue is not hardwired to prescribedoutcomes. Csikszentmihalyi warns that as soonas you try to link this state of flow toperformance, outcomes, money, etc. thenyou lose it. Joe Jaworsky attempts to describe ashift in the nature of commitment that isrequired, from aggressive to receptive.

Participants come as they are and leave asthey will. Dialogue cannot be forced, faked, orfailed, so relax and let it happen. DiverseCityPerspectives hopes a dialogue on leadershipand diversity can generate new perspectives ondiversity in leadership and produce subtle shiftsamong participants that inspire them to takeaction to the diversity at leadership levels oforganizations. Exactly what those shifts mightbe is an open question. It is theopen question.

To lead a

dialogue processlike the one inthis manual, onedoes not needto practicegroup processtechniques. Sothe busy-ness ofa facilitator is lessimportant. The most important thing is holdingthe values of respectful communication.

Diversity is

The topic of discussion for the dialoguesessions is diversity in leadership. DiverseCity:The Greater Toronto Leadership Project aims toaddress representation of ethnic and racialminorities in leadership positions. However,

any form of identity or personal characteristicinevitably intersects and overlaps with others.For many, the term diversity encompassesnumerous elements of diversity. So expect adialogue on race, ethnicity, and culture to raisequestions of gender, sexual orientation, etc.Some people may find it safer or more polite to

discuss diversity as it applies to personality,communication and learning styles. While thatis understandable, it is straying farther from thetopic of ethnic and racial diversity in leadershipthat is DiverseCitys focus .

Leadership is

The primary topic of discussion for the dialoguesessions is leadership. It is not narrowlydefined here and does not limit itself to formal

positions of leadership. Leadership can varyfrom one situation to another, as well as restwith a position or role. Anyone is or canbecome a leader in some way. The DiverseCityinitiative promotes diversification within formalleadership roles of organizations -- in boardrooms, senior management teams, and electedoffice as well as in roles of influence, such asthose in civic and community leadership and asrepresented in media. DiverseCityPerspectives targets transforming leadership inpositions. That said, it would be easy to adapt

dialogue circles to audiences that are justemerging to see themselves as leaders too.

In this context, leadership has one more layerof significance. Creating a diverse andinclusive leadership requires demonstratingleadershipby being champions of diversity inleadership.


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Session Leader Tools for Dialogueon Leadership and Diversity

The following section contains checklists and instructions on how to lead a dialoguecircle on the topic of diversity in leadership.

Plan a Dialogue Session

This will get you started. The most important part is to engage more than 7 or 8 people.

A dozen or more would be better. Even larger groups can follow this process with more

time. Add in your own reminders to the checklists.

Initial steps

Create a team with other facilitators or allies to plan your dialogue.

Plan a framework for your dialogue. Identify the best entry-points and formats for this dialogue.There are several possible variations that could follow the same dialogue guidelines:

Stand-alone dialogue, as an internal session or public event.

Dialogue as one part of an existing meeting agenda or conference.

Dialogue as one part of an on-going leadership development series.

Get permission to do this work (if necessary).

Seek out champions from your network to support the dialogue and open doors.

Be clear why you are convening leaders for your dialogue session and, based on your context andaudience, choose your dialogue questions and prepare your story of leadership and diversity to setthe context.

Recruit the leaders (broadly defined) of your organization or across multiple organizations to jointhe dialogue. Invite a nice mixof people because diversity of perspectives is key.

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Role Clarity

If there are 2 or 3 session leaders working together as a team, then who will do what? For example,who will be the time keeper? Handle the evaluation forms and letter writing? Provide information aboutdiversity materials and programs?

Genial Host: Who will welcome participants and introduce you (if necessary)? This is usually aperson with higher positional power; a legitimizer if you will.

Dialogue Session Leader(s): Who will pose the questions and protect individual right toparticipate?

Logistics: Who will schedule the meeting, book the space, set up the chairs and equipment, andtake everything down again?

Selecting your Focus Question

Depending on your assessment of the group and how they might communicate with one another youmight rephrase the question a bit. Keep it positive, assuming there is wisdom to draw on. Avoidplanning-type questions or judgmental phrasing like, What should we do?

What does it mean for you to BE a leader in an organization that reflects the racial, ethnic, andcultural diversity of the GTA?

What is the stance of a leader who reflects the diversity of an organization or community?

What did it require of you to diversify the leadership of your organization?

What is the secret to your success in diversifying the leadership of organization x?

What was an experience that transformed how you saw yourself as a leader?

What are other questions that might work for your audience?


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Prepare for a Session

Preparation Checklists

Logistics before the dialogue

Book the room or get time on the meeting agenda.

Prepare Participation Guidelines on a flip-chart paper.

Write the Focus Question on a flip chart in big bold letters.

Write the Agenda on flip chart paper too.

Stick the Agenda, Participation Guidelines, and Focus Question on the walls where everyone inthe group can see them easily.

Arrange straight chairs (not too cushy) in a close circle. Prepare just enough chairs for theparticipants, leaving only 1 or 2 open for latecomers.

If you are showing the DiverseCity Perspectives videos, prepare the videos in advance (optional)

Projection and sound equipment set up, tested, and ready to roll (optional).

Materials to Prepare Ahead of Time

Prepare flipcharts ahead of time to reduce confusion moments before the start of the event. Use large, thick-tipped dark magic markers if you can so the letters are easy to read from far

away. Print as neatly and straight as you can. It just needs to be readable. Use dark markers (black, blue, perhaps dark green) for words and lighter ones (red, green) to

highlight titles and bullet points. Copy the points below. Adjust the timing as necessary. For example a larger group requires more time to introduce

themselves and to talk. Ideally, a group needs time to get to know one another, so even a small

group of 7 or 8 people might prefer 90 minutes in total.


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Examples of flipcharts to prepare:

A) Focus Question

Written very large andalone on the page.What does it mean tobe a leader in anorganization that reflectsthe ethnic diversity ofthe GTA?(Or use an alternativequestion.)

B) Purpose, Agenda &

TimeFive clear bullet points.Ideally, use a differentcolour markers forPurpose statement, theAgenda items, and thetime note.

Purpose:To explore thetopic of leadership anddiversity together.

Agenda:1) Introduction 5 min., 2) dialogue onleadership and diversity 60 min., 3) closingcommitments 15 min..Adjust time to fit the sizeof the group.

Time:End by __:__ =Approximately __minutes apiece.

C) Participation

Guidelines (Values)Ideally, use threedifferent colours: Brightfor the title, darker onesfor the values and rules.A larger group needs 2separate flipchart sheetsfor the values and rules,and write them reallylarge and clear.

Values =Respect

Everyone has wisdom.

We need everyoneswisdom for the wisestresults.

There are no wronganswers.

Confidentiality: what issaid here will not be

attributed to you.

D) Participation

Guidelines (Rules)

Rules =Respect

Speak one at a time,taking turns

No criticisms orinterruption (especially ifyou disagree)

Say what is alive in you;

speak from your ownexperience

Watch your tone

Questions ofclarification only


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Materials to bring to the dialogue

Flipcharts (and tape and extra markers)

For the commitment letters: One envelope and one sheet of paper for each participant to write theirpersonal commitments to themselves, seal, date, and give back to you.

Standard sheets of blank stationery for participants to write a letter to themselves at thecommitment stage of the process.

Standard envelopes for the letters.

Example envelope with your address written clearly on the front and the date to mail itwritten small but clear on the back.

Example of how to fold the letter so it fits into the envelope.

Large manila envelope for the commitment letters to be collected in. Label it with large letters using a marker pen so it is obvious for participants to put their

letters into it. This can be given to DiverseCity for eventual posting, but make sure themailing addresses are complete.

Evaluation forms for every participant.

Large manila envelope for the evaluation forms, addressed to:DiverseCity Perspectivesc/o Greater Toronto CivicAction Alliance110 Yonge Street, Suite 1900Toronto, ON M5C 1T6

Sign up sheet for participants to share their contact information with DiverseCity.

Tracking form for yourself to catch your thoughts and share the details of the session with theDiverseCity Perspectives initiative.

Handouts on DiverseCity: The Greater Toronto Leadership Project and other resources on

diversifying leadership for those who might be interested.A box of tissues handy in case anyone sneezes or sheds a tear.


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Lead the Session

Setting the Context

Decide how you want to start the session. We recommend that you prepare it for

yourself so it is in your own authentic voice, not the authors of this manual. Include

the following:

1.Welcome the dialogue participants and setthe context for why you are hosting a

dialogue session and why you thinkdialogue is valuable.

2.Tell a very short story of a real experienceof your own that motivated you to want tohave conversations about leadership anddiversity in your organization (or in thecommunity). The bottom line is: Thats whyI decided to host a meeting like this.

3.Talk through the purpose and focusquestion, steps (agenda), participationvalues and rules, and timing. It is essentialthat these elements be written on flipchartsand stuck to the wall where everyone cansee them and use them to monitor their ownbehaviour so you dont have to.

4.Review the values and rules one by one,and confirm with the group that they agreewith them. The ones listed in this manualare essential to the entire process and notoptional. They will help you and the group tofocus and listen.

5.Declare your role. You are relying on

everyone to monitor their own behaviour.You offer to watch the time for everyoneand point out the rules and the topic if westray too far.

6.Ask for permission to proceed because ifparticipants cannot abide by the boundariesyou set it is best that they declare it andleave or postpone the meeting. Look ateveryone briefly and see if they nod

agreement or say, yes.

7.Have a quick round of introductions (30seconds each).

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Example script for setting the context

The following is an example of a script that can be used by the session leader. It contains numerousblanks because it needs to include your own succinct story about breaking through your self-image as aleader. A script like this only takes a couple minutes to deliver if it is your own voice. If you like to startwriting from scratch, the basic points to touch on are: topic, importance, process, product, use,guidelines, roles, and timing.

Welcome. It is great that all of you committedto making time for this interesting and importantconversation.

My name is ___________________ and I am aleader. Its odd for me to say it so plainly butsaying it out loud does something to me inside:My name is __________________ and I am aleader. (Pause) And I have othercharacteristics as well, some of which you mayknow already. I am a _____________,

________________, and_______________________.

But I didnt really see myself as having a role toplay on the topic of leadership or diversity until__[date]__ when I was working on

________[project]________ and someonesaid _________[quote]________ and did

_________[describe]________.

Those few words broke through my image ofwho I am and how the world works. Somethingclicked in me.

I realized that _______[truth]______ and thisunlocked my capacity to do

_______[leadership role]________ .

That begins to explain why I personally thinkthis dialogue on leadership and diversity isvitally important, so lets explore this topic in ourdiverse company / agency / department. Its

really important for us to explore it as a groupbecause there is still so much opportunity andpotential for us to benefit from diversity in ourleadership. I believe that opendialoguecanhelp us really uncover those benefits and whatit takes to experience them. Maybe this is thefirst one of many.

Your leadership story:


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Lets do a really quick set of 20-secondintroductions around the room, just your nameand one thing about yourself that reminds therest of us who you are. Ill introduce myself firstto demonstrate how fast this is. Hi. My nameis _______ and Im a __[role]__ at

__[organization]__.

The next ____ minutes or so is not supposed tobe more training or planning you alreadyknow and do a lot that demonstratesleadership. The purpose of this dialogue is tounderstand what it means to BE a leader; totransform thinking about leadership, andparticularly to leverage the diversity at theleadership levels of our organizations. Justhaving the conversation can cause a shift inhow we operate. Amazing changes happen

when whole groups of people experience a shiftin how they see themselves and thepossibilities for transformation all around. Bythe end of this conversation I hope we can allunderstand what kinds of changes you areconsidering that DiverseCity can track and,more importantly, to build your own networksstarting with the people in this room.

The process or agenda for this dialogue circle issimple: 1) an introduction, which I am doingnow, 2) a time for everyone listen while one

person at a time speaks to the topic ofleadership and diversity, and 3) a closingexercise. We could inject a little moreceremony if we wished but since this is our firstdialogue circle lets just do what is comfortablefor ourselves.

As for my role, I rely on everyone in the room toshare responsibility for timeliness and respectfor one another. I ask your permission toremind everyone of the time and invite you todo the same with me. Would that be ok with

you if I play timekeeper? I might also restatethe focus question from time to time and pointout the ground rules if necessary, but I urge allof us to do that.

If we are almost ready to get started, thissession is governed by a few values, a fewrules, and a topic question we can all speak to.They are all on these flipcharts hereListening to one another is the most essentialprocess today.

Values: Respect Everyone has wisdom, and We need everyones wisdom for the wisest

results There are no wrong answers (or right

ones. We need to be clear but we do NOTneed to agree. So lets leave winning andlosing behind for a few minutes.)

Confidentiality: what is said here will not beattributed to you by name.

Rules: Respect Speak one at a time, taking your turn. (we

can simply go around the circle) No criticism or interruptions especially if

you disagree! (We might need to take a fewseconds of silence to let things pass if weneed to)

Say what is alive in you on this topic (Addyour perspective rather than knockingsomeone elses).

Watch your time (So I dont have to urgeyou along.)

Questions of clarification only, i.e.: forjargon and acronyms.

Given that we only have _______ minutesremaining, please limit your comments to about5 minutes apiece. If you do not get the hint I willpolitely ask you to summarize as best you can.I invite everyone to refer to this list of valuesand rules to manage ourselves and please donot expect me to rescue the group fromanything.

After we are done, if you want to host a similarconversation with a different group, thats easybecause DiverseCity has materials you canuse. In fact I am using those materials today.

Are you OK with these guidelines? If so, thenlets go.


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What does it mean for you to be a

leader in an organization thatreflects the racial, ethnic, andcultural diversity of the GTA?

The Dialogue

The Dialogue is very simple. Each person gets a few minutes to speak to the question

of leadership and diversity from their own experience, not hypothetically. Some peoplewill have more to say and some less.

Example of what you would say:

We will just proceed around the circle one at atime.

Here is the focus question. You are the expertson the topic, so just say what is alive in you in

response. Who would like to start?

Thanks.

Let me ask the question aloud one last time toget launched:

After everyone has had their chance to speak to the question, ask the whole group the

following open-ended questions and get more than one answer for each, from different

people.

Now that we have all had a chance to addinsights to this leadership and diversityquestion, lets take a couple of minutes to saywhat we heard. I will ask a few of questions andif we get 2 or 3 quick answers from differentpeople, it would help all of us make even moresense out of this discussion.

a) What were some of the words and phrasesthat someone else used that caught your

attention? (Quick! What else! Somethingelse! Just call it out!)

b) What were some of the larger patterns orthemes you heard among all ourresponses? (Another larger pattern amongour responses?)

c) What was one of the deeper insights aboutleadership you personally got out of thisdiscussion? (Somebody else?)

d) Now, what is one thing you will do (or do

differently) as a result of having had thisconversation? (Next person until everyonewho wishes to has spoken)

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Commitment

While handing out the blank papers and envelopes, explain that they will write a

commitment letter.

I will ask you to make a choice that you write ina note or reminder or letter to yourself that I willmail back to you in the future.

Place yourself in the near future. Imaginemaybe a week or a month or 3 months fromnow but not more. You open a letter addressedto you and in it there is a short message thatinspires and motivate you to be or do thechange you are called to do.

Think for a moment.

What does that message need to say?

Write that message you want to receivein the form of a note to yourself, likethis (Show an example letter).

Fold it and put it into an envelope andseal it shut so no one else can read it.

Write your mailing address on the frontand the date you want it sent on theback. (Show the example envelope youprepared ahead of time)

Drop your letters into this brown manilaenvelope when it comes around(pass it)

Without telling anyone what your personal lettersays, lets get maybe 2 or 3 comments: Howare WE different as a result of having had thisconversation?

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Closing

If you wish to lead a discussion like this in yourworkplace or in the community, please leaveyour contact info on this form(Show them thecontact information forms).

Please fill out this brief evaluation form to helpus learn about your experience. (Hand theseout.)

If you want more materials about DiverseCity:The Greater Toronto Leadership, an initiativethat aims to change our leadership landscape

so that it reflects our regions diversity, orresources to help you diversify leadership, Ihave some for you to take with you on this tableover here(Show them the materials).

And, as my last step before you fill in anindividual evaluation of this exercise and beginto leave, Id like to close with

________________________ (Here you maywish to share quotes or a story or parable aboutleadership and change.)

After your dialogue

Send the following Commitment letters (with dates of when they will be mailed) you can redistribute them or

if you need you can send them to DiverseCity

Evaluation forms completed by participants

Your Tracking Impact form

Debrief with your fellow organizers and with DiverseCity Perspectives

Follow up with anyone who expressed interest in working with you to organize more dialogue

Post Script

You can recommend that participants visit the DiverseCity website for ways to take action:

Join the movement of almost 200 organizations and companies across the GTA that aresupporting diversity in leadership

Learn more about the advantages of diversity in leadership

Get a snapshot of diverse leadership in the public, private, and non-profit sectors in the GTA

Find new board members

Learn about Ideas that Work in diversifying leadership

Find conference connectors whom you can invite to speak

Contribute your leadership to one of the DiverseCity programs

Share your stories of success

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Resources

Facilitation Tips

How to prepare yourself ahead of time

1. Quietly review the ParticipationGuidelines with yourself before starting.Confirm for yourself that you actuallybelieve that everyone HAS wisdom and thatwe NEED everyones wisdom for the wisestresults. Check that you understand thatthere are no right answers, just as thereare not wrong answers, so you can even

listen to someone you disagree with.

2. Find your curiosity: Are you curious aboutwhat other people think about leadershipand diversity? If so, everything will be justthe way it needs to be and all the other tipsare minor.

3. Work in pairs or teams to support oneanother, share the tasks, holdaccountability, and have some fun too.

4. Debrief with your partner or colleagues or, ifyou do not know who to talk to help youdigest a facilitation experience, set up atime to talk with a facilitator from ICA at(416) 691-2316. John Miller will know whatyou are talking about but all the otherfacilitators there are competent to coachand mentor you too.

How to behave during the dialogue itself

5. Ask an open-ended question, smilecomfortably, and WAIT patiently forparticipants to answer. Relax because itsnot about you.

6. Use / read from these guides and your

own notes. There is no requirement thatyou memorize things and try to look likesome kind of expert public speaker.

7. a) If someone is acting inappropriately,point out the Participation Guidelines.

The trick is, if the Participation Guidelinesare written on a flip chart and stuck to thewall of the room then you can look at thepaper, point to it, and suggest to theWHOLE group that, Maybe we shouldcheck these guidelines over here. It saysthere are no wrong answers, sowe do notneed to agree with one another. We can

just ADD our insights to the conversation.So, __[person]__ what would you add?ie:Blame the paper on the wall rather thanconfront that person directly.

b)If someone says something offensivesometimes it is sufficient to interject and askthe whole group, Could we please pausesilently for 5 seconds and reflect on theparticipation guidelines? In the silenceusually the person who said somethingoffensive will realize the offense and try tofind another way to express him or herself.That is usually sufficient. There is no needto fix the person or win. It is moreimportant to ensure everyone has a chance

to speak from their own lived experience.

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8. Watch the clock discretely andrelax. Ifthe conversation is running late, just tell thegroup how much time they have left andthat you want to make sure we get to thelast couple of questions at such-and-such atime. They can usually moderate their own

behaviour. ASK how they wish to proceed,because they may say: keep answers shortOR extend the meeting OR end on timeeven if not everyone has spoken. Let themdecide.

9. Dont write or talk while other people aretalking. Look at participants attentively.Perhaps say thanks to each one aftertheystop talking. ie: Do not practice youractive listening skills too much (if youhave them). IE: Do NOT paraphrase,

summarize, say, Good point! or evenagree with anything anybody says. You arenot the arbitrator of what is good or bad.It is the whole groups dialogue and activelistening can interfere with it.

10. Listen for jargon or acronyms and do notassume that everyone knows what theymean. If you see other participants havepuzzled expressions because the speaker isusing jargon, quietly ask the speaker if theycould take a second to clarify what the

jargon word means.

11. If someone doesnt wish to comment orsays, Pass, Thank them as pleasantly asyou would someone else, but do not rush tothe next person like you are watching theclock. Give a second or 2 to allow theperson who said Pass to change their

mind or for the silence they offer to have itseffect.

12. If someone starts to become visiblyupset, once again, avoid any compulsion torescue the group because this can benormal. Without saying anything, justquietly step outside the circle, walk aroundto a spot behind the speaker and offer thetissues. 98% of the time that gesture ofsupport is sufficient and the participant willregain their composure. 75% of the time

someone else will do it automatically tend tothe person who cries so it is not entirely upto the session leader. Avoid walking in frontof them through the centre of the circlebecause they are probably trying to saysomething important.


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Dialogue derives from the Greek word, dialogos. Logos can be explained asmeaning of the word and dia means through. Dialogue can be among anynumber of people, not just two. It is a stream of meaning flowing among andthrough us and between us, in the whole group, out of which may emergesome new form of understanding or shared meaning.- David Bohm, On Dialo ue

Dialogue and facilitation references and definitions

Here is a definition of dialogue that routinely appears in the literature on dialogue:

For a collection of explanations of what dialogue means, check out the NationalCoalition for Dialogue and Deliberation at:http://ncdd.org/rc/item/1501

Other resources:

David Bohm, Wholeness and the Implicate Order, (London, Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1980).

Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience, (Harper Perennial, 2008).

William Isaacs, Dialogue: The Art of Thinking Together (Crown Business, 1999)

The practice of dialogue circles is also featured in literature about the learningorganization, such as:

Peter Senge, The Fifth Discipline (Doubleday/Currency 1990) pp. 238-269

For the concept of sequencing open-ended questions to stimulatedialogue and reachwell-considered conclusions, see:

Brian Stanfield, The Art of Focused Conversations, (Vancouver, New Society Publishers, 2009).


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For a catalogue of facilitation resources, see the International Association of Facilitators(IAF) website: http://www.iaf-world.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=4369

The IAF link includes industry standard resources that most facilitators have on their

bookshelves to get started, such as these by former Canadians:

Ingrid Bens, Facilitation With Ease, (Jossey-Bass 2005).

Sam Kaner, The Facilitators Guide to Participatory Decision Making, (Jossey-Bass, 2nd edition2007).


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DiverseCity and Maytree Resources on Diversifying Leadership Available On-line

DiverseCity: Ten Tips to Accelerate ProsperityDiverseCity compiled the following tips for diversifying leadership from public,private and non-profit institutions in the GTA:

1. Make diversity a strategic priority2. Break out of your comfort zone3. Capitalize on all your networks4. Be proactive through targeted recruitment and cultivation5. Ensure engagement, not just representation6. Recognize that there is no quick fix7. Create a culture of diversity8. Line up senior internal ambassadors9. Develop the pipeline10. Count and report on your results

DiverseCity: Ideas that WorkThe DiverseCity website (www.diversecitytoronto.ca ) includes promisingpractices from organizations including the following:

Ontario Trillium Foundation

TD Bank Group

Harbourfront Centre

United Way of Toronto and more.

DiverseCity Counts:A Snapshot of Diverse Leadership in the GTADiverseCity Counts is a three-year research project conducted by RyersonsDiversity Institute to study diversity in leadership in the Greater Toronto Area(GTA). The research focuses on the municipalities with the highestproportions of visible minorities: Toronto, Mississauga, Brampton, Markhamand Richmond Hill. Together they account for just under four million peopleor 72.5% of the GTAs population, of which 49.5% are visible minorities. The2010 DiverseCity Counts report tracks 3,348 leaders across the corporate,public, elected, education and nonprofit sectors. Findings show that just 14%of leaders are visible minorities, up from last years 13.5%.


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Diversity Matters: Changing the Face of Public BoardsDiversity Matters provides public boards with an action plan to achieve boarddiversity, starting from policy to goal setting, to accommodating diversity. Itfeatures promising practices from the Ontario Science Centre, City ofToronto, Toronto Board of Health, and York University.

Diversity in Governance:A Toolkit for Inclusion on Nonprofit BoardsThis toolkit for inclusion on nonprofit boards outlines how to develop a boarddiversity policy, establish a baseline and track progress, create a diversitycommittee, establish an open and transparent board recruitment process,provide orientation and on-going training, support diverse board members,and embed diversity in all board policies and practices.

The Value of Diverse Leadership(Prepared by the Conference Board of Canada for DiverseCity)

In a report prepared for DiverseCity, the Conference Board of Canadaidentified the five most important benefits of diverse leadership: improved financial and organizational performance; increased capacity to link with new global and domestic markets; expanded access to global and domestic talent pools; enhanced innovation and creativity; and strengthened social cohesion and social capital.


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Other On-line Resources on Diversity & Leadership

Maytree Diversity in Governance Awards (includes profiles and stories of winning institutions)

Career Advancement in Corporate Canada: A Focus on Visible Minorities ~ Diversity & InclusionPractices (Catalyst Canada)

A Call to Action: Diversity on Canadian Not-for-Profit Boards (Patricia Bradshaw, ChristopherFredette and Lindsay Sukornyk, Schulich School of Business)

Diversity Whitepaper: Vision for Inclusive Boardrooms (Corporate Knights)

The new global mindset: Driving innovation through diverse perspectives (Ernst & Young)

Diversity Briefing: Questions for Directors to Ask (Chartered Accountants of Canada)

Board Diversity Training Toolkit (Pillar Non-Profit Network)


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Additional Resources: Tracking Forms

Participant Evaluations (copy, share, collect, and report)

Quick Impressions: Yes or No

1.Did you get a chance to share your insights?

2.Did other participants seem to hear and appreciate your insights?

3.Did the insights of other participants influenceyourthinking about the topic ofleadership and diversity?

4.Were you able to make some kind of commitment to yourself by the end?

5.Did you give the session leader a letter to yourself for DiverseCity to mail back toyou in the future?

6.Did you sign up to learn how to lead this kind of session yourself, or are youinterested in continuing this kind of dialogue?

Insights:

7. How important is it to have this kind of conversation about diversity in leadership and why?

Its important to have these kinds of conversations becauseorIt is NOT important to have these kinds of conversations because

8. What new insights do you have on leadership and diversity?

9. What will you do differently as a result of this conversation?

10.What are one or two differences that this session seemed to make on you and/or your colleagues?

5


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Yes or No

11.These results will be reviewed internally. Is it acceptable to you if these insights areshared with other people externally, for example in promoting the project?

12.Would you recommend attending this session to other people?

13.Who else needs to be contacted to become part of this project, as a participant in the dialoguesessions, as a session leader, as a sponsor or promoter, or any other role?

14. Please share your feedback and suggestions on the overall dialogue experience.


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Tracking Impact (for session leader to fill in and report back to DiverseCity)

Basic Data:

1. Todays date of report:

2. Name of session leader/facilitator:

3. Time, date, and location of the session:

Group Context:

4. How would you characterize the group as a whole? (eg: Are they an in-house group at a workplace

or the general public? Are they new to discussing diversity, or familiar? Do they see themselves asleaders already or not yet? etc.)

5. Number of people attending:

6. Number of evaluation forms collected and submitted to DiverseCity with this form:

7. Number of envelopes collected at the end of the session for mail-back:

8. Number of names and contact information of people who want to get involved with DiverseCity:

Dialogue Session:

9. What was your focus question?

10.Which video did you show, and why?

11.What information or materials on DiverseCity: The Greater Toronto Leadership Project did youprovide?


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Insights:

12.What did you learn from leading this dialogue?

13.In your opinion, what was the value of holding this dialogue?

Continuous Improvement:

14.What did you do or not do as a facilitator, and why? What suggestions do you have to improve thesession plans and execution?

15. How well did the training equip you to lead this kind of dialogue session? What suggestions do youhave to improve preparedness?

16.What other ideas and suggestions do you have for where you might want to take this project next?It could be as simple as another group you plan to meet.


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Participant Contact Sheet

Date of dialogue session attended:

Name(print clearly) Organization Contact info(email &/or phone) InitialsI agree to allowDiverseCity tocontact me


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Notes:


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Documents

Diverse City Perspectives Manual for Leading Dialogue (07.2011)