Talking about issues related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) can be complex and difficult to discuss, making it hard to have real, honest, and candid conversations. In this interactive workshop, award-winning author and artist Melanie Ho will guide participants through a unique and powerful approach to confronting difficult DEI topics using comics. Participants will learn how drawing can serve as a tool for exploring the concept of intent vs. impact, the business or organizational impact of bias, and how “default culture” affects underrepresented and underestimated groups. We’ll explore the critical role of allyship and actions that all of us can take every day. By the end of the workshop, participants will have gained a set of tools for difficult DEI conversations and will commit to concrete action steps to continue the work.

Learning objectives:

1. Understand the many ways that bias negatively impacts institutional objectives

2. Develop a shared vocabulary that allows team members to feel more comfortable having candid DEI discussions

3. Develop an action plan for your team that balances short-term wins and long-term transformations.

Advanced supplement

As a Part II to “Drawing Out DEI,” a follow-on advanced workshop — “Understanding the Water We Swim In” — allows for a deeper analysis and discussion of team, organizational, or institutional culture and the development of a roadmap for change.

Looking at the numbers, women are well-represented in higher education. But wage disparities persist, women are still underrepresented at the most senior levels, and continue to face persistent double standards. The situation is even more challenging for women of color. Because the “real talk” about what women face in higher education happens most frequently behind closed doors, it can be hard for women to openly discuss the biases they face and also difficult for everyone across genders to understand where allyship is needed. In this empowering session, Dr. Melanie Ho will guide participants through the intricate landscape that women in higher education navigate daily, examining how we can support our colleagues across gender, racial, and generational differences, and more.

This session can be presented as a keynote, workshop, or combination

David Foster Wallace’s famous commencement speech “This is Water” describes two young fish swimming along when an older fish swims by and casually asks, ‘How’s the water?’ Once the older fish is gone, one of the younger fish turns to the other and asks, ‘What the hell is water?’ Wallace used this story to talk about how the most important, obvious realities are often hardest to both see and discuss — an apt metaphor for what makes it hard to get to the next level in diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts.

In this workshop, we’ll use the metaphor of the “water” to discuss the hidden undercurrents of privilege and bias. These undercurrents are often taken for granted yet are deeply embedded in our workplace norms and culture. The session aims to spark candid conversation about the 'red flags' that are often overlooked and the actions that can be taken both individually and collectively.

Learning objectives:

1. Examine your organizational culture to uncover the most common 'red flags' of embedded biases in workplace norms.

2. Explore next-level allyship strategies, focusing on proactive and meaningful actions to support and advance DEI efforts.

3. Create a roadmap for continued learning and action in challenging and transforming biases in the workplace.

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Note: This is a more advanced workshop that complements and builds upon the themes introduced in "Drawing Out DEI,” offering a deeper opportunity for cultural self-examination.

Did you know that Jeff Bezos was inspired to create the Kindle after reading Neal Stephenson’s science-fiction-classic The Diamond Age? A growing number of universities, businesses, and other organizations are finding that the tools of the imaginative arts — fiction, drawing, theater — can provide a powerful way to design new futures, shift mindsets, and align stakeholders around a common vision. In this unique interactive session, participants will use the tools of “design fiction” to create aspirational future visions for how to better meet the shifting needs of their audience (whether employees, customers, stakeholders, or constituents).

Learning objectives:

1. Gain hands-on practice with tools from fiction, art, and theater to develop creative solutions.

2. Engage in “blue sky visioning” to develop new solutions for current strategic needs

3. Bring disparate stakeholders together to co-create bold visions for the future

Leading during times of complexity and rapid change presents unique challenges. Situations can quickly escalate into high conflict, making it crucial for leaders to master the art of facilitating difficult conversations. Leaders seek ways to support their staff at all levels, who must master new competencies when all organizations are already feeling change fatigue and the strain of systemic burnout. In this transformative workshop, we’ll explore the evolving role of leaders and equip participants with the tools for the conflict, complexity, and uncertainty that are necessary parts of true transformation.

Learning objectives:

1. Learn how to provide transparency about uncertainty without fueling anxiety

2. Develop strategies for aligning silos when dealing with numerous moving parts

3. Identify personal blindspots in complexity management, change adoption, and stakeholder mapping

In today's fast-paced and ever-changing landscape, it's easy for leaders to get caught up in the day-to-day demands and distractions that pull us in multiple directions. Urgent emails, back-to-back meetings, constant fires, and competing priorities can make it challenging to stay focused on what matters most.

In this transformative workshop, you'll learn proven strategies for aligning your time, energy, and priorities with your most important goals and values, even in the face of constant demands and distractions.

You’ll gain practical tools for:

1. Identifying the highest value uses for your time, whether individually, in 1:1 meetings, or in team discussions

2. Setting clear boundaries and saying no to low-value requests and distractions

3. Communicating your priorities and expectations effectively to stakeholders at all levels

4. Creating the space and structure for deep work, reflection, and strategic thinking

5. Cultivating a sense of purpose and meaning in your work, even in the face of challenges and setbacks

Through a combination of interactive exercises, self-reflection, and action planning, you'll develop a personalized roadmap for leading with greater intention and impact. Whether you're a senior executive or an emerging leader, you'll come away with a renewed sense of clarity, purpose, and control over your time and energy, and the tools to inspire and empower your team to do the same.

In this workshop for existing C-suite leaders as well as directors and VPs aspiring to senior leadership, we’ll explore the mindsets required at the top and increasingly important at all levels. Today's complex environments require strategic, long-term thinking beyond silos. But urgent operations often dominate calendars and meeting agendas. Participants will gain tools to mitigate burnout risks during times of change, create space for strategic work, and learn new tactics for cross-silo collaboration. We'll also discuss how leaders can cultivate strategic mindsets across their teams.

Learning outcomes

1. Assess the critical mindsets and behaviors required for senior leadership roles in today's complex environments.

2. Develop personal strategies and tools to find more space for strategic, long-term, cross-silo work

3. Create a roadmap for cultivating strategic leadership skills in yourself and across your teams.