On Being Progressive - Diversity Best Practices · PDF fileOana is an innovative and experienced organizational consultant with a ... five D&I Councils, ... Conveys respect—Uses

© 2016 Language & Culture Worldwide, LLC

On Being ProgressiveHow to leverage your ERGs to make

‘Leading Inclusively’ a practical skill-set

for leaders across your organizations.

Round 2DERG LEADERSHIP:

Influencing Inclusive Leadership


Oana is an innovative and experienced organizational consultant with a

specialization in workforce development that is enriched by over a decade of

international development experience in countries such as Ghana, India, Mexico,

Romania, and China.

At LCW, Oana works with global leaders to develop global acumen, manage

unconscious bias, and remain competitive with their increasingly diverse talent

pool and multicultural customer base. She helps Fortune 500 companies embed

cultural competence into their systems and better leverage global diversity and

the subcultures represented—in all their locations around the world. Her key client

engagements include Mercer, Progressive, US Bank, Kellogg Graduate School of

Business, Parker Hannifin, Allstate, Northern Trust, and General Mills. For these

and others she leads curriculum development, innovates e-learning solutions, and

facilitates high volumes of instructor-led training. Oana is an expert in leveraging

technology and social learning to achieve blended learning outcomes that go

beyond a single classroom experience.

Oana has a Bachelor of Science in International Business from North Park

University, and a Master of Science in International Public Services from DePaul

University. She is also a certified administrator of the Intercultural Development

Inventory (IDI) and member of the Society for Intercultural Education Training and

Research (SIETAR.)

Senior Learning &

Development

Consultant,

Language & Culture

Worldwide

Oana Amaria



As Progressive’s Diversity and Inclusion Talent Consultant for

Progressive Insurance, Marisa facilitates the execution of enterprise

strategies to leverage, advance and integrate D&I within the

organization; and provides consultation for nine ERGs, executive

sponsors, five D&I Councils, and senior leaders. Marisa previously

served on Progressive’s Network of Empowered Women’s ERG board,

bringing women’s leadership development to a large remote employee

audience through engagement, networking, online content, and

video/multimedia.

Prior to joining Progressive in 2007, Marisa held roles in HR

management and consulting in the education and health care fields

where she founded and co-chaired a University’s first diversity council;

and developed workshops related to hiring practices, employee relations,

and diversity and inclusion. She’s served on the board of the

Washington State Association for Multicultural Education and the City of

Bellevue, Washington’s “Conversations on Race and Culture” steering

team, as well as been featured in DiversityInc, and CAREERS and the

disABLED magazines. Marisa holds a Master’s degree in HR

Management and SHRM-SCP and SPHR certifications.

Diversity and Inclusion

Talent Consultant at

Progressive Insurance

Marisa Afzali


Since 1937, the Progressive Group of Insurance Companies has always lived up to its name by being one step ahead of the insurance industry, and finding

new and affordable insurance solutions.

As the fourth largest auto insurer in the country, Progressive provides insurance for personal and commercial autos and trucks, motorcycles, boats, recreational vehicles, and homes.

Based in Cleveland, Ohio, Progressive employs over 28,000 employees in all 50 states.


Senior Diversity

Council is Established

99% of Managers Participate in Full Day ‘Inclusive Leadership’

Session

Individual Contributors Participate in Half-Day ‘Inclusion

at Progressive’ Session

Embed Learning into

New Manager and

Employee Onboarding

First ERGs were established in 2008

Elevating the skillset around leading inclusively

via ‘Creating an Inclusive

Environment’

e-learning


More diverse customers and employees

Understanding of the unique

needs of various communities

- including our ERGs

Develop cultural competence as a skill

Leverage different perspectives and approaches for innovation

Translate D&I into day-to-day behaviors


Position diversity, and especially inclusion, as key to our business success.

#1Create a common understanding of intercultural competence.

#2Demonstrate how to act more inclusively through everyday behaviors.

#3Foster a desire and obligation for further development.

#4


Seeks understanding—Gathers information to learn more

about people from other cultures and backgrounds (e.g., their special issues, social norms, decision-making approaches, and preferences).

Uses diversity as an advantage—Seeks out and uses ideas,

opinions, and insights from diverse sources and individuals; optimizes effectiveness by aligning individuals’ unique talents and abilities with the most relevant activities or responsibilities.

Conveys respect—Uses language and behavior that

consistently reflect and enhance the dignity of diverse customers, partners, and employees; takes actions that show consideration for cultural concerns and expectations; continually examines own biases and behaviors to avoid stereotypical responses.

Champions diversity— Advocates the value of diversity; takes

action to increase diversity in the workplace (e.g., by recruiting and developing people with varied backgrounds and from different cultures); confronts racist, sexist, or inappropriate behavior; challenges exclusionary organizational practices.


At twenty minutes or less, the modules are designed to help

people leaders manage bias, apply cultural competence,

and integrate inclusive behavior into their day-to-day roles.

Titles Include1. Culture & Identity*

2. Managing with Intercultural Competence

3. Conveying Respect*

4. Fostering Collaboration*

5. Evaluating Talent

6. Providing Opportunity

7. Embedding Inclusion

*Appropriate for all employees, not only managers


Key Action: Seeks Understanding

The learning series begins

with Culture & Identity, where

managers practice making

distinctions between values

and behaviors and how

influential formative factors

such as language, family,

ethnicity, or sexual

orientation can be on the

decisions we make and the

values we demonstrate.


Key Actions: Seeks Understanding &

Conveying Respect

In Managing with

Intercultural Competence,

managers quickly learn the

value of intercultural

competence and the

impact worldviews such as

polarization or minimization

can have in the workplace.


Key Action: Conveying Respect

Managers then explore

their own personal values

and what they deem to be

most important in

Conveying Respect. The

module also provides an

opportunity for managers

to experience firsthand

how it feels if their values

are ignored or dismissed.

This sets the context for

insights and examples on

microinequities and how to

practice inclusive

behaviors.


Key Action: Champions Diversity

Managers are provided

powerful examples of

how bias can impact

talent evaluation in

Evaluating Talent. The

module provides

meaningful examples of

how to challenge bias in

ourselves and others and

ensure we’re evaluating

talent objectively, rather

than relying on our

mental models or

shortcuts.


• Defined stakeholders and how

they’d be engaged

• Tied to competencies and key

actions for managers

• Outlined detailed project plan

• Created opportunities to

showcase the modules

• Engaged ERGs and D&I Councils

• Developed supporting resources

• Leveraged Early Adopters



Marisa Afzali, Diversity & Inclusion Talent

Consultant at Progressive

The usability test generated a system usability score of 90.83,

which is very high for usability testing of this kind.

Feedback from the participants was that the content was

relevant, understandable, and easily applicable to

their managerial roles.

They were also very pleased with the design, delivery, and

interactivity of the e-learning.

In March, we began rolling out the modules to over 100

managers as early adopters. Initial feedback from this group is

promising, with 76% rating the information in the first module to

be “Very Effective”.

Given the positive feedback from both usability testing and

early adopters, we feel confident the e-learning will be

adopted and leveraged by managers as we roll it out organization-

wide beginning later this year.


• Engage leaders and influencers

early

• “Bite-sized learning”

• Keep it relevant and ensure it fits

your environment

• Tie it to competencies, objectives,

and/or organizational values

• Consider timing for development

and roll-out

• Leverage internal reviewers

through pilots or early adopters

• Find ways to create “buzz”


Q&A


Marisa AfzaliDiversity and Inclusion Talent Consultant at

Progressive Insurance

Oana AmariaSenior Learning & Development

Consultant, Language & Culture Worldwide

[email protected] [email protected]


Thank You!

Round 2DERG LEADERSHIP:

Influencing Inclusive Leadership

Documents

On Being Progressive - Diversity Best Practices · PDF fileOana is an innovative and experienced organizational consultant with a ... five D&I Councils, ... Conveys respect—Uses