THANK YOU for making the time to participate and contribute to the Governance Series in Equity and Inclusive Practices for Opera Company Board Members training, as coordinated by Association for Opera in Canada. Please find below the descriptions and the most currently-used visuals for following modules:

  • Board Readiness and Inclusion Literacy

  • Understanding and Disrupting Unconscious Bias

  • Strategies for Diverse Recruitment for the Board

Also below are the results of the polls from each of the sessions. If you would like one of the slides as a PDF, or have a question or some feedback, please feel free to send us an email directly at info@iexcellencestrategy.com.

This page will be updated to reflect future modules.

Module 1.
Inclusion Literacy

Poll Results Only

Outcomes-driven organizations lead with intention, clarity and a strong sense of excellence. This module was focused on: 

  • Establishing a basic literacy around diversity and inclusion; 

  • Providing a common understanding of the journey towards inclusive excellence;

  • Acknowledging real-life challenges of fostering a more diverse or inclusive workplace; and 

  • Affirming the contribution of inclusion towards psychologically healthy and safe workplaces.

This module introduced:

  • A 3-dimensional framework of diversity (Inherent, Experiential and Thought diversity);

  • A model for the stage-by-stage process towards institutionalizing inclusivity in a workplace culture (below).

  • The business case for a more equitable, diverse and inclusive arts and culture industry;

  • Deloitte’s research on the three factors employees need to feel included (below).

Source: Deloitte and Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission (2013).

 

Module 2.
Understanding and Disrupting Unconscious Bias

Poll Results Only

At the core of inclusive leadership and intercultural capacity is self-awareness: a deep understanding of one’s implicit (or personal) bias and the systemic biases that affect all kinds of decision-making. As an extension of the emphasis on self-awareness in the MBTI training, this module was devoted to understanding key forms of implicit bias that commonly affect workplaces (affinity bias; confirmation bias; and social comparison bias) in general, and three behavioural biases that specifically disadvantage women in the workplace. This module led participants in identifying and sharing examples of unconscious bias in the workplace and other work-related environments.

With a specific focus on bringing awareness to and disrupting unconscious and cultural bias in the selection process of new hires, this session provided an understanding of how biases are formed in our unconscious, and specifically addressed the following:

  • Affinity bias;

  • Confirmation bias;

  • Social comparison bias;

  • Attribution error;

  • Distance bias.

Gender Biases:

  • Maternal bias;

  • Competency/Likeability trade-off bias;

  • Performance attribution bias.

Unconscious Bias Handout Package (Download PDF)

“How To Fight Racial Bias When It's Silent And Subtle.” (NPR)

Resources

Books:

Interviews:

Videos:

Module 3.
Strategies for Diverse Recruitment for the Board

Poll Results Only