Leadership Training Workshop on DEI and Belonging

• What is missing in common DEI efforts?
• Why does DEI training fail to change people’s behavior?

Leaders shine when they bring people of different backgrounds, talents, and opinions together. The knowledge presented in this workshop goes far beyond the traditional Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion training. It provides an unambiguous, scientific explanation of what drives people apart and what pulls them together. New and experienced leaders can rely on science and apply actionable insights to bridge various divides to reach their goals.

America is becoming more and more divided. Race, politics, religion, and socioeconomic status are the common causes of increasing conflicts that pit certain groups against others. Newly minted divisions keep dominating the spotlight and creating pain and anxiety.

We treat Us with kindness and generosity. We have little trust and empathy toward Them, but plenty of animosities and even aggression. Throughout history, Us-vs-Them divisions have led to bigotry, racism, wars, genocides, and unimaginable human suffering. Today, numerous Us-vs-Them conflicts are tearing us apart and threatening our way of life.

Workshop: Advance DEI with Neuroscience

Based on decades of Neuroscience research, it is evident that our brains seek group belonging and group identity. Wherever there are groups, there is Us and there is Them. Us-vs-Them divisions happen automatically without our conscious awareness. Exploitation and weaponization of this vulnerability have caused tremendous harm.

Learning Objectives:

• Discover Our Fundamental Desire for Safety: The human brain evolved to seek group affiliation because groups mean better protection and more resources.
• Examine the Role of Group Identity: Humans have multiple group identities which play a vital role in shaping emotions and behavior.
• Become Aware of How We Categorize People: Humans identify Us and Them based on similarity, proximity, and familiarity subconsciously.
• Explore How We Judge Us and Them: The brain sees Us and Them very differently. Negative emotions arise when seeing Them and lead to hostilities and aggression.
• Reduce Us-vs-Them Divisions with Belonging: Research has provided valuable tools to cultivate belonging and bring people of all backgrounds and talents together.
• Gain Insights into the Dynamic of Us-vs-Them: With multiple group memberships, the line between Us and Them constantly shifts, influencing our behavior.

Target Audiences and Details:

• New and seasoned leaders of all levels.
• All employees, especially HR professionals.
• The workshop lasts 3-4 hours.
• The ideal audience size is 10 to 50 participants.

Apply the Science of Diversity and Belonging

For several decades, tens of billions of dollars have poured into DEI initiatives and training. However, those hefty investments have yielded limited results. Some DEI efforts intend to preempt lawsuits and meet quotas. Others rely on outdated and divisive practices that drive various groups further apart.

DEI won’t deliver without fostering a sense of belonging. To humans, belonging means safety. It is as critical as food and water. Cultivating belonging is much more than paying lip service. Instead, it requires a deep understanding of what turns Them into Us. Scientific research into belonging has given us much-needed guidance that proves to be effective.