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SIETAR: Unlocking Innovation and Creativity using DEIB

SIETAR: Unlocking Innovation and Creativity using DEIB

Register here:https://lnkd.in/dZqPyZsT for SIETAR Event March 27 Unlocking Innovation and Creativity in Teams using DEIB Strategies (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion Belonging) . Listen to SCT’s David Rigby and others

Unlocking Innovation and Creativity in Teams using DEIB Strategies

Join us on March 27th, from 18:00 to 19:15 CET, for an exploration of “Unlocking Innovation and Creativity in Teams Using DEIB Strategies” as part of SIETAR Europa’s ongoing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) Learning Series. This strategic DEIB training initiative is designed to foster active and actionable approaches to DEIB within the workplace, cultivating a more inclusive and innovative environment.


The DEIB Learning Series aims to deepen our understanding and integration of DEIB contributions within the intercultural workspace, aligning with our commitment to creating a safe, supportive, and respectful environment for all members of our community. In our dedication to advancing knowledge and addressing DEIB challenges, we are pleased to present guest speakers who will share their expertise:

  • David Rigby: Executive Business Coach & Consultant, Managing Director of Smart Coaching Training
  • Patricia Malidor-Coleman: Author, Speaker, Certified Life & Career Transition Coach, Founder of Globaliscious R retreats
  • Edwin Hoffman PhD: Lecturer, Trainer, developer of the TOPOI -model and together with Arjan Verdooren the author of Diversity Competence. “Cultures don’t meet, people do”
  • Magdalena Szumna: Founder of indigo, Diversity Competence & Intercultural Trainer
  • The session will be moderated by Papa Balla Ndong, DEIB AI Strategist.


These experts will provide actionable strategies to drive change and promote a more inclusive and equitable world.
During this session, we will delve into important questions such as:

  • What does DEIB look like in the workplace, especially concerning AI such as ChatGPT?
  • What are the common barriers to DEIB?
  • What does the TOPOI model entail?
  • And more…

This is a unique opportunity to reflect on psychological safety, wellness, Spiral Dynamics vertical development, soft skills, leadership, and DEIB.

Please register via the Link below Register here:https://lnkd.in/dZqPyZsT

We look forward to your participation and collaboration!

hashtag#SIETAR hashtag#CULTURE hashtag#LEADERSHIP

Smart Coaching & Training works with 20 associates, in four continents speaking 12 languages and raised and working in a wide range of cultures. See our associates here.

Written by David Rigby © 2024 Smart Coaching & Training Ltd

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Cognitive Interculturality for TM

Cognitive Interculturality for TM

Cognitive Interculturality is the most important skill for Diversity

“We are going to look at Why Cognitive Interculturality is the most important skill for Diversity But first – what is it ?”

This topic was recently presented by David Rigby at Toastmasters Madrid – watch it here

Cognitive Interculturality Toastmasters Madrid March 2024

Have you ever wondered why you can talk to some people more easily than others? This because some people think the same way as you , others think differently .
All people sit somewhere on the line between introvert and extrovert. Some people work with their emotions others are much more logical . Every one is a combination of all but some are more prevalent.

Cognitive Profiling

In Smart Coaching & Training we use Cognitive Profiling tool C-me which describes people by assigning colours Red Green Blue And Yellow.
• Reds are extrovert and logical – they don’t do detail or feelings.
• Blues are introverts and logical – they like rules and details – emotions not allowed
• Greens are introverts and emotional – they want to make sure every one is ok
• Yellows are extrovert and emotional – brilliant at networking terrible at finishing tasks .


Cognitively Diverse teams are Teams with all four colours are able to take advantage of all the ways of thinking. Cognitive Interculturality is being able know yourself and be able to communicate with all the others.

C-me Cognitive Profiling showing types and Communication Preferences

C-me Cognitive Profiling showing types and Communication Preferences

Most people think Diversity about differences you can see – race/ethnicity, sex/gender, age and perhaps sexuality and neurodiversity. These are the ones which get the most publicity and are measured. But there are many other types of diversity – religion, class, education, country of origin, country of birth/residence, nationality, wealth, which part of the country, accent/

Stereotypes

There are stereotypes.  Spanish people are like this – turn up late etc, are emotional  and outgoing.   Dutch are not emotional and direct and on time. That means they behave according to particular colours.  Hofstede has  analysed countries according to 5 criteria.   But the reality is most people in a country do not behave according to the international perception of their culture.

Cognitive Interculturality – one more thing to consider

The most successful teams are the ones where the members think differently- that is cognitively diverse,  And where the individuals are expert at communicating with each other – and that’s Cognitive Interculturality. It’s one more very important thing to think about on top of the usual intercultural topics. Read more here .

Smart Coaching & Training works with 20 associates, in four continents speaking 12 languages and raised and working in a wide range of cultures. See our associates here.

Written by David Rigby © 2024 Smart Coaching & Training Ltd

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What the butler saw

What the butler saw

Executive Assistants and Work Ethic

I have just finished listening to The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro. In it, the protagonist Stevens, a butler, reviews his life. By putting his duty to his boss above all else he fails to support his father and wrecks the opportunity for a relationship – indeed doesn’t even recognise it. He was privy to many meetings held by his boss, significantly about the treaties after the first world war and meetings with the Germans immediately before the second world war. Never questioning the wisdom of his boss he wonders how his responsibility for the provision of the perfect cup of tea helps with the meetings .

How relevant is this for today?

An Executive Assistant appears to be similar to the role of Butler. Making sure that everything runs smoothy. Recent articles have asked whether the EA should be on the board? To me, lets say at a meeting, it depends on whether the EA is in part responsible for the outcome of the meeting. Providing input and opinion as well as ensuring the smooth running behind the scenes as it were are different responsibilities and different roles . And it depends whether the EA is paid for those different responsibilities,

1975 show of Joe Orton’s 1967 play What the butler saw

The Work Ethic

Working 72 hours per week not only ensures you are not working at your most effective at work but it can completely remove any hope of a personal life. During a coaching session for a client, we had developed a strategy for his career, and I asked what his personal goals were. He replied- to find a partner, get married etc. There was no space in his life to even build a strategy to find a partner let alone execute it. It took him ten years to find a partner.

Perfectionism and Delegation

The butler believed his standards were the only ones, and was incapable of delegation of responsibility. Complete failure to recognise what is ‘good enough’, and that there are other ways of doing the job. The ‘extra mile’ is fine every once in a while.

The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro : the book, the film, the audio book

Getting the coffee

It was the butler’s role to provide the tea (and maybe coffee) . These days the first half hour of a meeting can be: going around the room, taking coffee orders, someone leaves the meeting to go to Star*ucks  (and therefore does not participate during that time), then there is this skill of each participant trying to remember what they ordered.  A butler could arrange this, but an Executive Assistant with responsibilities couldn’t because they need to be present. (Personally, as I am in Spain I would insist on a proper coffee from a local café , thereby extending the ‘coffee’ process).

The Remains of the day

In the novel, this refers to how much of your life is left, and the things you might regret

  • Spending too long at the office
  • Not building up connections and lifelong friendships nothing to do with work
  • Not getting a life or even organising a life
  • Not getting too many responsibilities and if you do, making sure you are paid
  • Not finding space to reflect, learning new stuff, changing your strategy.

Gen x/z and the 35 hour week

My Mother always said that if you can’t do your job in 35 hours a week then you are incompetent or in the wrong job .  The butler’s only life was his work.

It used to be: you clocked off your work after 8 hours and clocked back in the next day.  Technology, flexible working and working from home meant being always available, a slave to your job.  So welcome back the 35 hour week and not being always available. And eat the remains of your dinner while it still hot and have a proper Spanish two hour lunch break

It’s your misguided choice to work 72 hours a week, therefore doing someone else out of a job as well as wrecking your own life, . Just don’t expect others to do so. And remember this lifestyle is YOUR CHOICE. Smart Coaching & Training’s coaches can help you get a balanced life .

Smart Coaching & Training works with 20 associates, in four continents speaking 12 languages and raised and working in a wide range of cultures. See our associates here.

“What the butler saw” is also a play by Joe Orton

Written by David Rigby © 2024 Smart Coaching & Training Ltd

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Enjoying Interculturality

Enjoying Interculturality

Being fully present in multiple cultures simultaneously

Many people find intercultural encounters scary as they are frightened of doing or saying the wrong thing. Gaining experience of different cultures and people can help with your confidence. Knowing your own culture – its benefits and pitfalls – is essential. Being aware of the cultural behaviours of the other cultures you maybe encountering is also useful.

The Christmas period

I live in Spain. During the Christmas period (and for me that’s what it’s called) I had the pleasure of seeing my Argentinean friends and experiencing again how they celebrate Noche Buena (Christmas Eve) with lots of meat well into the night. My guests of the period were my former lodger from Antigua and his mother.  I took them for a very British Traditional Christmas lunch on the seafront at Benidorm where it was warm enough to sit outside.

Hombre G 40th anniversary intergenerational concert

The in-between Period

On the 28th I was fortunate to be invited to a rock concert in a stadium in Madrid. The 40th anniversary concert of the Spanish Band “Hombres G”. Witnessing how middle aged Spanish (therefore Intercultural and Intergenerational) behave: standing up for 2.5 hours singing all the words.

New year Period

Noche Vieja (New years eve) was spent with a traditional Spanish dinner. The next few days were spent in Madrid with one of my best friends from Dubai. We had great fun trying (and succeeding) to find Pork-free and Alcohol-free food on Spanish Menus. Fortunately as part of my personal intercultural training I know my way very well around Spanish Menus. Fortunately also, my other friends and I didn’t feel the need to exclude ourselves from indulging in both, indeed we were encouraged.

Roscon for Reyes,, typical Spanish food, Indian food in Spain, British Christmas lunch

The Reyes (three kings) period

On the night of the 5th of January the Spanish leave a shoe by the Christmas tree in the hope of receiving gifts from The Three Kings. This is why the sales in Spain start January 7 rather than December 26 in UK. There is a traditional cake called a Roscon which is a sweet bread-based ring-shaped dessert which is eaten on January 6th. So we had to abandon eating the British Mince Pies with Brandy Butter for two days to focus on the Roscon. It was great to experience Spanish Epiphany Mass in a village church.

Celebrating Interculturality

None of this would have been possible without the effort made to know people from different cultures, and understand their cultures and also introduce them to mine.
I had a great time because I knew what I was doing, was proud of my own culture and took the time to learn about others. Rather than taking the safe middle ground for fear of upsetting, this was enjoying one’s own and other traditions to the full. You can also do this . Read more here

Smart Coaching & Training works with 20 associates, in four continents speaking 12 languages and raised and working in a wide range of cultures. See our associates here.

Written by David Rigby © 2024 Smart Coaching & Training Ltd

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Ditch or Desire? Finding what behaviours and mindsets you want to have

Ditch or Desire? Finding what behaviours and mindsets you want to have

 

New Year New Behaviours and Mindsets

 

         Many people look forward to the New Year for a new start on old habits”

-Anon

 

 

Everyone knows that New Year is when we rush around making decisions about what resolutions we need to make, knowing that 9 times out of 10 they won’t stick. So how about stepping up a level, looking at this from a different perspective, being creative, inspirational and a bit playful?

Ask yourself these two Big Questions:

     Big Question One

[i type=”icon-ok” color=”icon-blue” bg=””]What behaviour or mindset or way of thinking or habit would you dearly love to ditch / eliminate from your life?

     Big Question Two

[i type=”icon-ok” color=”icon-blue” bg=””]What behaviour or mindset or way of thinking or habit would you desire to have/want to invite into your life?

Have a really good think about them; think what your life will look and feel like without that behaviour or mindset; and what will it look and feel like with the new habit or way of thinking or mindset; what will it bring you to ditch the old ones and invite in the new ones; what will be better; what will be the benefits?

Years ago Volkswagen’s Fun Theory initiative looked at how to change behaviour for the better, specifically getting people to take the escalator rather than the stairs. It worked because – yes, you guessed it – people had fun!  Have a look…

Changing behaviours and mindsets

 

So now you’ve decided what your answers to the two Big Questions are, spend some time playing around with some possible ways of ditching the habits / behaviours / mindsets / ways of thinking that you don’t want, and developing the ones that you really desire.

Be as wacky, ingenious and creative as you want at this stage. Get a load of post it notes and write ideas on each one. Or find a big sheet and felt tip pens and draw your ideas. Or make a super complex spreadsheet if that’s your creative medium. Whatever, have fun!

The final part of this bit of creative play is picking a few of those options to start building some goals from. The subject of ‘Goals’ is another whole conversation; for here and now, stepping into 2019, when you pick a few goals, focus on the first small steps to take towards them. If you want help going further with your goals get in touch with us.

Right now, enjoy your Ditching and Desiring and remember…you’re doing your own Behaviour Change Marketing – on yourself.

 

Changing perspective

Isla Baliszewska 

Contact Info

+44 (0)7788 425688
[email protected]

Smart Coaching & Training Ltd, Reg No 08362126

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