INTERNAL CAPACITY BUILDING
Diversity Trainer and Consultant Development

In today's business environment, executives are expected to model effective leadership behavior. This leadership challenge is amplified several fold when working across differences. Most leaders want to feel competent in addressing diversity issues with subordinates and team members, but are uncertain in their abilities and have difficulty finding the time to train themselves. Executive coaching gives these leaders the confidence to be more effective, to track important issues and to address difficult emotional issues – both their own and those of their coworkers. It can also be scheduled to meet the time demands of most busy executives.

As an intervention matures, executives and managers must intentionally and strategically cultivate the internal capacity to carry out a diversity initiative. To be successful in this phase, the capability must reside in all areas of the organization, not just human resources. By developing a cadre of skilled champions inside the company, you can reduce reliance on and the expense of external consultants over time.

We have collaborated with many organizations to develop internal capacity and train selected employees to:

• facilitate specific workshops,
• conduct focus groups,
• facilitate discussions across differences to resolve diversity issues,
• provide coaching and consulting to supervisors and managers,
• assist in diagnosing of the change process, and
• manage resistance.

Programs can be designed to do any or all of the above over a specified period of time. In addition to workshop participation, some of the curriculum might include self- assessment, textbook reading and theory integration, on-the-job application, internal consulting, observing and co-training with our trainers/consultants and final assessment of capability. The programs we use to achieve internal capacity are:

• Training of Trainers – for internal training staff
• Diversity Practitioner Development Program™ - for internal division directors
• Diversity Trainers and Consultants Program – a comprehensive, long-term process for internal or external practitioners

Sample program overviews, outcomes and curriculums are available upon request.