Sondra Thiederman

Sondra Thiederman Speaking Topics

• Defeating Unconscious Bias: Your Workplace Advantage

  Unconscious bias not only short-circuits the ability to create an inclusive workplace, but it also compromises business success. Provide your team members with the skills needed to identify and defeat the biases that compromise their ability to work and lead effectively.

  PROGRAM CONTENT

  The following will be customized to meet your needs and program format. Points are made through a mixture of audience interaction, commentary, respectful humor, anecdotes, and client-specific examples.

  • The definition of “bias” and an interactive discussion of how biases work in the brain to distort our perceptions of others
  • Examples of how unconscious bias negatively impacts your organization, the object of the bias, and the holder of the bias
  • Two interactive techniques for becoming aware of and identifying unconscious bias
  • Questions to ask to distinguish a bias from a flexible generality
  • Three research based and immediately-applicable tools for defeating unconscious bias

  THE PRINCIPLES THAT SHAPE THIS PRESENTATION

  • True learning is always enhanced by participant interaction.
  • Anecdotes, examples, and a light-hearted approach are powerful tools for reducing resistance, overcoming discomfort, and enhancing retention of the material.
  • Although all human beings have biases to some degree, biases do not make us bad people. It is what we do about them that matters.
  • Blame and guilt are poor tools for bringing about change.
  • It is possible to become aware of many of our biases through skill, alertness, commitment, and habit.
  • Most biases can be defeated through the consistent application of specific skills and tools.

  SUPPORT MATERIALS FOR YOUR PARTICIPANTS

  Sondra’s book, "3 Keys to Defeating Unconscious Bias," is a natural companion to this presentation. Purchase for all attendees is recommended. Discount rates are available.

  PROGRAM CUSTOMIZATION

  This program can be customized to meet your needs. Sondra will work closely with you to assure that the presentation speaks directly to your audience and to your goals.

• Cultivating Common Ground: Innovation, Trust, Bias Reduction

  Overcome workplace bias and increase innovation by identifying shared values, interests, and goals while valuing diversity.

  PROGRAM BENEFITS

  • Increased inclusiveness through the ability to value diversity while identifying shared values and interests
  • Increased opportunities for innovation and creativity
  • Reduced conscious and unconscious bias in the workplace
  • An environment of increased comfort, trust, and harmony
  • Improved employee willingness to speak up with ideas and information
  • Stronger empathy between team members

  PROGRAM CONTENT

  The following will be customized to meet your needs and program format. Points are made through a mixture of audience interaction, commentary, respectful humor, anecdotes and client-specific examples.

  • An interactive discussion of how identifying what we have in common – while valuing diversity – enhances workplace innovation, trust, fairness, and commitment
  • An overview of how identifying what we have in common helps defeat unconscious bias
  • An interactive discussion of the four values all human beings share
  • Four immediately-applicable skills for identifying common ground in the workplace
  • How to keep Common Ground top of mind
  • How to enable goal-oriented inter-group contact
  • How to develop two-way mentor partnerships
  • How to develop Employee Resource Groups and other entities around shared needs and goals.

  SUPPORT MATERIALS FOR YOUR PARTICIPANTS

  Sondra’s book, "3 Keys to Defeating Unconscious Bias" is a natural companion to this presentation. Purchase for all attendees is recommended. Discount rates are available.

  PROGRAM CUSTOMIZATION

  This program can be customized to meet your needs. Sondra will work closely with you to assure that the presentation speaks directly to your audience and to your goals.

• Gateways to Inclusion: Turn Tense Moments into Productive Conversations

  Learn the skills needed to convert moments of workplace tension into gateways for increased understanding and stronger workplace relationships.

  WHY ORGANIZATIONS NEED THIS TALK:

  Have you ever been offended by someone’s comment but didn’t know what to do about it? Have you ever said something insensitive and didn’t know how to take it back?

  If so, welcome to the crowd.

  Unfortunately, these moments of diversity-related tension are all around us. Sadly, they cause confusion, embarrassment, anger, lost work time, hurt feelings, and resentment – the list goes on and on. The good news is: It doesn’t have to be that way! This presentation shows audiences how to handle those moments more comfortably, using them as springboards to better working relationships. Handled well, these events can serve as positive gateways to increased understanding and better working relationships. That’s why Sondra calls these “Gateway Events.”

  PROGRAM BENEFITS

  • The ability to convert moments of tension into better working relationships
  • Reduced bias through improved communication
  • Time saved for management from having to intervene in diversity-related conflicts
  • Increased teamwork and workplace harmony
  • Less tension among team members.
  • Increased employee retention as a result of an increased atmosphere of respect and inclusion
  • Reduced risk of employee complaints and litigation

  PROGRAM CONTENT

  The following will be customized to meet your needs and program format. Points are made through a mixture of audience interaction, commentary, respectful humor, anecdotes, and client-specific examples.

  • Discussion of how moments of diversity-related tension can be converted to opportunities for improved communication and reduced bias
  • Examples of “Gateway Events” that are pertinent to the client organization
  • Survey of the specific ways in which effective dialogue skills positively impact relationships

  • Exposure to four key skills for effective dialogue. Each skill will be accompanied by examples and extensive audience interaction. These include:

  • Skills to manage the emotions that typically block our ability to dialogue with respect and clarity

  • Guidance on how to set productive goals for each conversation – and how to achieve those goals
  • How to handle the dilemma of intent versus impact
  • How to make respectful verbal choices that encourage rather than shut down productive conversation

  SOURCE MATERIAL

  This presentation is based on Sondra’s training video package Gateways to Inclusion: Turning Tense Moments into Productive Conversations

  PROGRAM CUSTOMIZATION

  This program can be customized to meet your needs. Sondra will work closely with you to assure that the presentation speaks directly to your audience and to your goals.