Clients tell us that our training is different. Safer. More scientific. With actionable insights they aren’t finding elsewhere. We are sometimes brought in after less-careful or less-sophisticated training has gone wrong.
We also offer post-training support structures that guide people to maintain and apply their new knowledge. This post-training support is the best way to actually create change.
Each of our workshops has been reverse-engineered to answer a common client question or problem.
The Foundational Series
Are you looking for training on everyday or unconscious bias? These are the workshops for you! By the end of the series, your team will be able to 1) accurately identify bias at work, and 2) productively discuss bias using scientific and neutral language.
The first two workshops in this series are required; the third is optional, but highly recommended.
Identifying the Language of Bias
How can we address bias at work?
By understanding how it shows up in everyday interactions.
This workshop uses linguistic anthropology to lay out a clear framework of everyday bias. We unpack the frequent gap between intent and impact. And we analyze and discuss real-world examples of problems at work.
You’ll leave with a 7-point Bias Alert Checklist you can use to identify any and all future expressions of bias.
Addressing Bias with Rupture and Repair
What do you do when someone says or does something biased?
The answer can be found in “rupture and repair,” which comes from therapeutic psychology.
“Nice” doesn’t always align with good impact, and healthy relationships can’t be frictionless. People need to apologize in real ways and work to repair the problems they have created.
You’ll leave with the Worthwhile Protocol, which gives you the 6 steps you need to call out, discuss, and repair problems.
Are you looking for a workshop about microaggressions? This is it.
Foundational Ally Skills
What does it mean to engage in ally work? Why is it important, and how can we make sure we do more good than harm?
In this session, we build a solid and shared foundation for ally work. We cover the motivations for doing ally work and the three burdens it is designed to relieve. We go over common complications that arise doing all work. And we spend time applying new skills and principles to real-world scenarios.
You’ll leave with solid practice going through the Worthwhile Protocol and an understanding of how to apply the ally toolkit on your own.
Contact us to talk more about our Foundational Series.
“This Training is gold”
“Sooooooo awesome! I’m so glad our company does this.”
“I wish this session was required for all employees.”
“Should be a training for ALL managers!”
Popular Talks and Workshops
Our customized workshops are based on rigorous social science. Each training addresses a different aspect of language and bias at work. The courses below are our most popular offerings. Don’t see the topic you’re looking for? Contact us to talk about other options.
Secret Culture Clashes
How do you know you’re correctly interpreting the people you work with?
Diversity shows up as more than just race or gender. There is also diversity in how we were trained to communicate – and you may be misinterpreting your colleagues due to hidden cultural differences.
In this workshop, people learn the hidden rules and meanings of conversations. They also learn how to identify the common “secret culture clashes” that may lead to misjudgments of character and performance. Participants fill out a “Communication Profile” and discuss how this profile has impacted their interactions at work. Communication Profiles can be used to improve team dynamics, set up project communication norms, and onboard new people.
“Language Policing” and Women at Work
Books, articles, and performance reviews are filled with suggestions about how women should communicate at work.
“Stop apologizing so much!”
“Don’t use just!”
“Vocal fry makes you sound insecure.”
But how does this language policing relate to gender and the ways people actually communicate? And how do stigmatized ways of speaking affect women’s success in the workplace?
In this talk, we use the science of linguistic anthropology to take a look at language policing. You’ll leave knowing more about what to pay attention to, what to ignore, and how gender bias might be playing a role in evaluating work performance in your organization.
Unconscious Demotions and Impostor Syndrome
A doctor is mistaken for a nurse. A lawyer is assumed to be a secretary. An executive is treated like cleaning staff. Why do these mistakes keep happening? And what makes these kinds of “unconscious demotions” so dangerous?
This talk explains the science behind unconscious demotions. We’ll go over how they show up in all kinds of workplaces, why they can be so harmful, and how they contribute to impostor syndrome. We also go over the most common ways impostor syndrome shows up at work, and how it affects work allocations and promotions.
Incorporate Growth Mindset at Work
“He just doesn’t have executive presence.”
“We don’t want to lower the bar just to hire a diverse candidate.”
“I’m not good enough to try for that new role they just posted.”
These kinds of statements show up in companies everywhere. What do they have in common? They are all expressions of fixed mindset and bias.
In this workshop, you’ll learn about the key role that growth mindset plays in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging. We’ll look at the negative impact of fixed mindset at work, and how a growth mindset can help you discover talent that has been overlooked. And we’ll talk about language that holds people back or sets them up for change and growth.
Rethink Professionalism
What is “professional”? Who has defined it, and what has it excluded? How has living through a pandemic caused lines to blur and definitions to change?
This talk draws on cognitive linguistics to unpack the systematic ways that supposedly neutral judgments of “professionalism” actually encode hidden bias.
Masking Language and the Myth of the Neutral Workplace
“We should keep politics out of the workplace.” “Let’s keep this professional.” “We prefer a neutral workplace.” These phrases, and others like them, are commonly heard when someone asks that bias be recognized and addressed. Why are they problematic? Shouldn’t workplaces be neutral? Learn about “masking language” and the social and professional realities that it masks.
Code Switching, Code Crossing and Covering at Work
Some people are allowed to speak their home dialect or language at work, while others need to code switch into a “work-appropriate” way of speaking. We unpack what it means to code switch and how it relates to “covering,” a behavior that places a heavy cognitive burden on under-represented people. We also examine “code crossing,” when people cross over into someone else’s code (such as “Girrrrrl!” and “Hasta la vista!”), and its impact.
Looking for a keynote rather than a workshop? Visit www.suzannewertheim.com for topics and booking information.
Talk to us about your training needs.
Hello, World!