Building capacity: Navigating organizational opportunities as if they were a subway system

8th Annual NW Diversity Learning Series (2006)

Initiating and negotiating difficult conversations:
Diversity Parthership Skills Checklist

As part of the second session of the NW Diversity Learning Series (March 23, 2006), Bill Proudman and Kristin Chung-mei Lensen, White Men as Full Diversity Partners®, Portland, OR, introduced us to the diversity partnership skills.

Participants utilized and practiced the diversity partnership skills to discuss some of the "undiscussables," or questions related to access to opportunities with their peers.

Partnership Skills:

1. Our respective roles are clear. We ask in order to understand, rather than assuming the other's meaning.
2. We agree on how we will resolve conflict.
3. We use frequent direct feedback about what works in the partnership and what doesn't work. We listen to understand. We talk about how my partner's contributions affect my commitment to our work.
4. It's our job to understand each other's worldview and their influence on how we work together. We acknowledge the steps we've taken to support and challenge each other. We recognize that our diversity partners may have very different views and understandings of the issues we are facing together. We acknowledge that our frames of reference have been affected by differences of gender, race, class, sexual orientation, experience, etc.
5. We show respect for each other in the moment, when it counts. Some of these moments will occur when my partner is not present. These will be opportunities I can use to demonstrate respect for my partner and our partnership.
6. We attend to a broken trust between us, rather than assumed is a lost cause. 'Once broken, never regained' is unacceptable as our first response. Tears in the fabric of our partnership are used to test our commitment, demonstrate tenacity and build skill. We refuse to hold on to misunderstandings. Instead, we schedule time to air and resolve them.
7. We take time to find out whether our perspectives match or not, and we look at how each of us demonstrates inclusive behaviors.

The 2006 NW Diversity Learning Series (now in its 9th year) focused on the theme, Building Capacity: Navigating organizational opportunities as if they were a subway system.

Using the metaphor of a subway system, each of the six-bi-monthly morning seminars explored some of the ways that access to organizational opportunities and career development are hidden and therefore more difficult for women and people of color, as well as people who speak English as a second language, to utilize. The purpose of this Series was for everyone to become more aware of organizational culture and how it impacts building people's capacity, and for everyone, managers and employees, to become better at navigating these cultural obstacles along career paths.

For more information about the NW Diversity Learning Series, please visit the Series section of our website.

2006 Series Sponsors:

Gold Sponsors:

Silver Sponsor:

Bronze Sponsor:

Supporting Sponsors: