Wade Alliance DEI Diversity Equity and Inclusion Consulting

Diversity, Inclusion, and Leadership Discussion Prompts

There are many options for conducting a group discussion on diversity, inclusion and leadership. Take a look at the nine discussion prompts below. Prompts are listed in order from least to most challenging, based on the difficulty most groups have with the topic. They provide a way to start a conversation within your organization. In order to provide adequate time for thoughtful consideration, we recommend that the selected links to the context of the topic be forwarded to the group prior to the discussion. We suggest using this 50-minute format because it has been proven to be most effective:

During the first 10 minutes review the links (below) that give context to the topic; alternatively, you may choose to watch one of the videos. The purpose of this is to ensure that everyone is at the same starting point.
Use the next 5 minutes to restate the topic and establish the ground rules of the discussion: listen; use “I” phrases; and only share with permission.
Spend 20 minutes in groups of three to eight people discussing the prompt. This will allow everyone an opportunity to share.
In the final 15 minutes everyone should reconvene to determine appropriate action items. Some examples are provided at the conclusion of each discussion prompt below.

“How does our attitude influence our communication?"
From being “hangry” to depressed our ability to communicate depends on how we feel.

The following links provide context on the topic:
"Communicating while upset"
"Managing Emotions in the Workplace" (podcast available - 9.5 min)
"Positive Emotions"

Potential action items:
- Practice and document self-awareness during the day.
- Rely on a trusted observer to give feedback on our message delivery.
- Postpone, when possible, conversations while upset or irritated.
“Is empathy necessary for effective communication?”
It may be impossible to listen when you are focused on your own response.

The following links provide context on the topic:
Forbes article on Charity, Empathy and Storytelling
Women are better empathizers than men
A quick empathy refresher from Brené Brown (3 min)

Potential action items:
- Try to see other people as being multidimensional.
- Ask someone you want to connect with to share one of their formative stories.
- Try to show empathy at least three times on social media platforms.
"When does our group identity influence our behavior?"
We all have multiple identities. Discussing them and their consequences are challenging.

The following links provide context on the topic:
Us vs. Them
Thandiwe Newton's TED Talk "Embracing Otherness" (14 mins)
How to Avoid "Us vs. Them" Thinking in Your Team

Potential action items:
- Make a list of as many of your group identities as you can.
- Actively seek to better know someone in a different group.
- Speak up as an ally for someone with a different group identity.
"Do we communicate differently with people with disabilities?"
We all have a disability in one form or another; most are not easily seen.

The following links provide context on the topic:
Attitudes towards individuals with disabilities as measured by the Implicit Association Test: A literature review
Stella Young TED Talk "I am Not Your Inspiration" (9 min)

Potential action items:
- Listen for and note how many negative phrases you hear regarding disability (defective, demented, gimby, lame, etc.).
- Identify your disability and write down how you would want someone to describe it. (It’s unlikely to be a label.)
“Does having power decrease your empathy?”
“You can easily judge the character of a man by how he treats those who can do nothing for him.” - Malcolm S. Forbes

The following links provide context on the topic:
"Becoming Powerful Makes You Less Empathetic"
"A Sense of Power Can Do a Number on Your Brain" (4:17 min podcast)
"How Do Human Gain Power" Video (7:50 min)
"Soft Power vs. Hard Power" Video (5:44 min)

Potential action items:
- Decrease the power differential by collaborating on topics with shared ignorance.
- Move to a neutral or unfamiliar setting to decrease the power differential.
- Identify the conversations during your day with uneven power.
“What does Diversity in Leadership look like?”
If every executive is interchangeable there is no diversity.

The following links provide context on the topic:
Women in Health Leadership as reform
The value of diversity in leadership?
An interesting TED talk on inclusion (10 min)

Potential action items:
- Take note of who is making the high stakes decisions.
- Amplify someone else's point.
- Ask for input from someone outside of your inner circle.
“What does ‘Imposter syndrome’ mean and is there a cure?”
Some people hear that negative voice everyday saying, “You don’t belong.”

The following links provide context on the topic:
Podcast about Racial Imposter Syndrome (29 min)
Stop telling women they have "Imposter Syndrome"
Feeling like a Fraud?

Potential action items:
- Actively encourage and validate someone else. You never know who is struggling with doubt.
- Share your doubts with the right person.
- Use doubt as a source of motivation to improve.
- Don’t criticize yourself more than you would a friend.
- Recall your history and note what you have already accomplished.
"Does the messenger matter when confronting discrimination?"
We all receive messages differently dependent upon the messenger.

This single video is enough to give context (3:48 min)

Potential action items:
- Speak up when you recognize an injustice.
- Treat everyone the way you wish to be treated.
- If someone shares their story of discrimination do not try to justify the negative behavior. If you can only listen that is a good start.
"How do we address unintentional verbal offense?"
Offending someone is inevitable; what happens next makes the difference.

The following links provide context on the topic:
Micro-aggression (Disclaimer – use of profanity)
A video on micro-aggression
Micro-inequities (link is external)

Potential action items:
- Apologize as soon as you realize the offense.
- Recognize that a large gap in social or administrative power hinders communication.
- If offended, assume that the person would want to know that they offended you.
- Find a confrontational phrase that fits your character, example: “Are you joking?”

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Diversity, Inclusion, and Leadership Discussion Prompts

“How does our attitude influence our communication?"

“Is empathy necessary for effective communication?”

"When does our group identity influence our behavior?"

"Do we communicate differently with people with disabilities?"

“Does having power decrease your empathy?”

“What does Diversity in Leadership look like?”

“What does ‘Imposter syndrome’ mean and is there a cure?”

"Does the messenger matter when confronting discrimination?"

"How do we address unintentional verbal offense?"