Synchronizing Top Management

Aligning top management on DEI is way more important than you think – and we’ll help your executive team get there by playing with LEGO®

Diversity & inclusion journeys are long and need stable motivation. There’s probably no bigger obstacle than executives at cross-purposes.

Culture change is a bit like sailing – you can flail about on deck as much as you want, but you’re going nowhere without a strong wind. In this metaphor, top management is that wind. Unlike sailing, which can be fun no matter what direction the wind blows in, creating a culture of inclusion needs management right at the back, pushing the DEI agenda forward. When management isn’t aligned, the rest of the company won’t know what to do – there’s accountability – and any DEI initiative will falter and fail. Worse, anyone who’s on the fence about leaving the company because of a lack of inclusion will get the message that it’s time to move on.

Synchronizing the executive team on DEI makes it clear to everyone in the company that not only are diversity and inclusion important, but something will be done about them. At LIVING INSTITUTE, we can help with that synchronization in a huge way, using something called LEGO® Serious Play®.

What does LEGO® have to do with synchronizing top management?

DEI strategies are a little different from other corporate strategies. Most executives don’t know what they know about the subject – they’ve got a lot of (implicit, unconscious) opinions (and biases) and mixed feelings, but the best way forward is a mystery. They may even have seen tons of data on the importance of DEI – but it’s still not real to them. They need space to explore those feelings, in a group setting, to make sure that everyone is on the same page. At LIVING INSTITUTE, we use the LEGO® Serious Play® methodology to do that. LEGO®, with their infinite customizability and striking simplicity, are perfect for capturing complex feelings about a complex topic like DEI. In a one- or two-day workshop facilitated by experts, we give executives the space to reflect on their as well as others’ feelings in a perfect demonstration of inclusivity

“[LEGO® Serious Play®] is a way of bringing everyone’s truths together and helping everyone understand another…Our truths all coexist and if top management does not understand that, they tend to forget the truth that is closest to them.”

Heidi R. Andersen, Founder of LIVING INSTITUTE

Our workshops save nearly a year in time.

We’ve seen that even with just a one-day workshop, executives are quick converts – it shaves as much as six months to a year off the time needed to get on board with DEI. Partly this is because we really focus on the “ah-ha” moment that snaps everything into focus. This perfectly complements all the data you’ve no doubt seen about how critical DEI is for the survival of your business. By the end of the workshop, you’ll know the importance of DEI at pretty much every level – intellectually and in your gut.  

“…What we need to do in order to synchronise top management is to take them beneath this conscious level to their unconscious knowledge. We also have to help them tap into their feelings, because this is what makes them trustworthy to others when they speak about this agenda.”

Heidi R. Andersen, Founder of LIVING INSTITUTE

Other Solutions

When you know your unconscious biases, you’ll have way better control of all your business decisions

Unconscious Bias

Unconscious bias throws a wrench into any plans to make diversity work. That means it’s the greatest enemy of belonging and psychological safety. Which means it’s the greatest enemy of innovation. Our workshops can help you see your unconscious bias and take control of it. That means better decision-making and a better workplace.

Events & Free Webinars

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Book

Diversity Intelligence: How to Create a Culture of Inclusion for your Business

Heidi R. Andersen, founder of Living Institute, has stuffed over 18 years worth of experience into a practical handbook on making inclusion an essential aspect of your company culture.
The book is on the recommended read list of 238 accredited business schools and universities – including Insead, Oxford University, London Business School, Said Business School etc.