Diversity Leadership Summit Planning

Want to know a secret? When I was at SAP I spent a lot of time benchmarking our events against the competition.  Heck I even attended them in person - frequently. Why?  Because it meant I was able to design better events for my company.  We all know that knowledge is power, and competitive benchmarking can be your secret weapon. Areas to look at include: ✔️ Event Theme & Audience Value Proposition - Dive into the event’s soul. Explore websites, read justification letters, and understand the narrative they're weaving. This isn't just about the 'what,' but the 'why' behind the event. ✔️ Overall Agenda - Quality or quantity? Assess the balance between content, networking, and downtime. Do they have a rhythm that keeps attendees engaged without burnout, or are they holding them hostage? ✔️ Event Communications - Stay in the loop. Opt-in to communications and dissect the messaging strategy. How are they keeping the audience hooked pre, during, and post-event? ✔️ Content - The core of any event. Break down the sessions by number, tracks, and format. What learning styles are they catering to?  What type of formats are they offering? ✔️ Sponsors - Follow the money to understand the event's support system. Who are the sponsors, and what levels of engagement are they committing to? ✔️ Sponsorship Prospectus - If you can get your hands on this consider it a masterclass in their event strategy. Analyze their pricing model and audience mix. What's the ROI for sponsors?  What are the unique offerings? ✔️ Registration Fees - Price points are storytelling. What does the fee structure say about the event's accessibility and audience targeting? ✔️ Speakers - A lineup can make or break an event. Look beyond the star power to the mix of voices and expertise. ✔️ Logistics - Details matter. Venue choice, room rates, and ancillary events create the canvas for attendee experience. ✔️ Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) - Scrutinize not just who is represented, but how. Look at speaker lineups, attendee demographics, session content, accessibility for diverse groups, and inclusive practices. ✔️ Sustainability - Does the event have a clear sustainability policy? Look for commitments to carbon neutrality, waste reduction, and energy efficiency. Post event look for the event's sustainability report. ✔️ Hybrid Approach - What's the balance between live and digital? This model speaks volumes about an event's adaptability and audience inclusivity. These elements are more than just boxes to check. They allow us to understand how events and attendee expectations are evolving. Use the knowledge not just to keep up, but to lead the way in creating events that resonate, inspire, and drive impact. And don't forget to share the analysis proactively with your stakeholders. What elements do you prioritize in your competitive benchmarking? Share your thoughts below! Found this useful? ♻️ Please re-post so others can leverage the insights.

What are your critical steps for holding a successful summit? ⛰️ Have you found a simple playbook for successful summit planning? We all know that mindfully crafted and executed summits serve as very powerful catalysts for change, alignment, and action - but it’s no easy feat! I’d like to share my playbook for planning successful summits: 1️⃣ Set a clear purpose. Start with the why. Be clear about what your summit objectives are and why your team should care. The scope and objectives will drive all other aspects of the meeting - who should attend, what the key topics will be, and pre-work required. 2️⃣ Determine attendees. The number and identity of invitees should be based on the scope and objectives of the meeting. For example, a brainstorming session benefits from a large and diverse group of participants, while decision-making is best made by smaller teams. And if you’re thinking about adding outside experts to the mix, make sure their expertise tightly relates to your meeting’s objectives. 3️⃣ Craft powerful summit messaging. Given the investment required to hold a summit, it is critical that there is a compelling message to attendees regarding your objective and intention of the summit. What do you want the team to do with the knowledge, information and insights shared when they return to work? 4️⃣ Obtain team input. Given stated summit scope and objectives, ask attendees what they would find interesting, helpful and of value. This will make sure your team is as invested in the event as you are. 5️⃣ Develop the *right* content. Ensure that your content is both compelling and aligned with your objectives. A summit is not about top-down information sharing, rather it should be used for two-way communication and interaction, e.g. brainstorming, problem solving, and team building. 6️⃣ Plan. The tactical aspects of summit planning are just as critical as the content. Necessary steps include: • Sending calendar invites • Securing the venue, meals/ snacks and facilitation materials (pens, flip charts, post-it notes, whiteboards, etc.) • Creating a robust facilitation guide, with a structure that compels progress • Compiling and distributing relevant data • Sending a pre-read and agenda 7️⃣ Develop team building exercises. A summit presents a unique opportunity to build team morale and connections. Team building and morale activities should be included as discrete sessions, as well as embedded in facilitation methods. 8️⃣ Measure success. Conduct a survey shortly after the summit ends to identify improvement opportunities for future sessions. I would love to hear from you! What are your critical steps for holding a successful summit? #womenleadership #leadership #management #innovation #offsite

This is wild, and entirely unnecessary. A conference agenda lineup so homogenous that the organizer resorted to creating fake speaker profiles to boost (the appearance of) gender diversity. Need help finding speakers from underrepresented backgrounds? Here are some tips: 💡 Diversify your agenda committee. Agenda committees typically source speakers who they know. And who do they know? People's networks tend toward homogeneity, especially so for white Americans (source: https://lnkd.in/gn8DuE9E), so creating a diverse agenda committee is a good first step. 💡 Think more broadly about what creates expertise. Basing speaking offers on corporate titles and whether someone has spoken before can create a closed and homogenous loop (not to mention lack of fresh ideas and new content).  💡 Look for and use diverse speaker databases. You can likely find many by googling. I'd be remiss if I didn't plug Choir's Voices platform here. https://lnkd.in/ga6CXJGt  💡 Intentionally expand your network! Attend and support conferences for under represented groups. For example the Grace Hopper Conference or Afrotech.  💡 Engage sponsors and event stakeholders to let them know you are actively seeking greater representation on the agenda and ask for their help. Need more tips? DM me. This is the work I do every day at Choir! https://lnkd.in/g-Ut9MgZ

We had a great session with DEI thought leaders from across the US on Encouraging Allyship and Advocacy with CEO Action. A big part of a successful DEI strategy is to evolve with the times and stay connected with your employees. People work, learn, and communicate in very different ways. It is important to recognize that as you plan inclusive engagement opportunities. CIBC US is a proud partner of CEO Action for Diversity and Inclusion. Below are a few take-aways from our group discussion. I hope you find this helpful! Takeaways and Ideas : ·      Execute segmented trainings, create a series, allows for follow-up and retention of topic ·      Give employees time to Learn and Think over things to really retain training concepts ·      Partner with Creative Diverse Strategic Partners i.e. : Second City, Center on Hasted, Humanity Rising ·      Have a Ted talks with discussion groups on DEI Topics ·      Host ERG Fairs to educate employees and to join as Allies ·      Host Diversity Partner Fairs to educate on external engagement opportunities ·      Encourage Allyship through cross ERG events i.e. : Honoring Asian Women Leaders during Asian America and Pacific Islander Heritage month Women’s ERG + Asia ERG ·      Balancing: Hybrid, In-person, and Virtual events=Inclusive Audience ·      Encourage break-out rooms during virtual events to share thoughts and stories ·      Quarterly Book Club Series on DEI Topic, provide books and host an open discussion ·      Playing Kahoots with various DEI topics at Town Halls , keep it short ·      Connect ERG strategy to Business organizational strategy ·      Connect Executive Sponsors to ERG’s through Allyship vs Identification ·      Empower ERG’s with a  budget to leverage resources from their networks and communities; helps create more inclusion for organization ·      Collaborate with external diversity partners on speakers, trainings, and networking events ·      Suggested Topics: Gender Equity, Implicit Bias, Unconscious Bias Training , Imposter Syndrome, Intersectionality, Psychological Safety, Mental Well Being, Neurodiversity ·      Resources and Speakers Shared: LeanIn , Employee Resource Group Excellence, Dwinita Mosby Tyler 

Inclusivity at events — it’s so important. Let’s talk about it! 🤗 This list isn’t comprehensive, but it’s a start. Keep these six things in mind: 1. Accessibility: Ensure the venue is accessible to people with disabilities. Does it have great ramps, elevators, and accessible restrooms? And for your sessions, are you offering captions, transcripts, or sign language interpreters? 2. Diverse representation: Choose speakers, panelists, and moderators who look like the general population. You should have all sorts of genders, races, ethnicities, and backgrounds represented. 3. Inclusive language & signage: Prioritize inclusive language in all of your communications, and consider offering pronoun badges for attendees. Also, be sure your signage is easy to read and includes multiple languages if necessary. 4. Dietary considerations: Provide a variety of food options to cater to different dietary needs and preferences, including vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, halal, and kosher options. Also, be sure to clearly label all food with allergen information. And don't forget the mocktails. 5. Cultural sensitivity: Be mindful of religious and cultural holidays when scheduling events, and respect cultural practices and customs, such as prayer times and attire. 6. Inclusive spatial planning: Designate a specific Mother’s Room, Prayer Room, and Meditation Room to let attendees step away and attend to their personal needs.