Tiye Sherrod-Robinson
Trainer. Speaker. Educator.
We Don't Debate...We Dialogue
Whether it's facilitating a formal dialogue, a staff meeting that addresses these tough topics, or a difficult classroom discussion, there are some basic fundamentals of facilitation that everyone should have. The Exploring Diversity and Inclusion Workshop is a one day training seminar designed to provide participants the tools they need to engage in meaningful dialogue through dynamic experiential learning. The training is the level one program that is available with a basic 3-month consulting package. By the end of the training, participants will be able to:
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Describe social identities and have comfort with open discussion of their personal identities.
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Understand the concept of implicit bias and microaggressions.
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Use the tools of curiosity, humility, and empathy to engage in challenging conversation.
If you'd like to learn more about this program, please click on the icons below to discover more. If you'd like to purchase the DIY program or schedule an in person training session, please email tiye@tiyerobinson.com!
Rule number one is to know the difference between dialogue and debate. When we debate, we are trying to win, whereas dialogue is about learning. This is a fundamental takeaway from the training program as it is the foundation of any meaningful dialogue.
Whether you are facilitating this training for everyone or training members of your organization to facilitate these conversations, ensuring safety is critical to fostering brave spaces. It allows people to engage in uncomfortable or challenging dialogue. This training provides the tools to ensure that can happen effectively.
This may seem easy, but when discussing tough topics, it must be handled delicately. This can vary from keeping the group on task due to time restraints to stopping a participant from being overbearing. Future facilitators taking this program will learn to feel secure in their time management skills.
As they say, equality is making sure everyone gets a shirt, while equity is making sure everyone gets a shirt that fits. Participants will learn about the communication tools of curiosity, humility, and empathy to ensure authentic dialogue that prioritizes equity.
Every now and then, someone will explode in a dialogue session like it's the fourth of July. This training will help aspiring facilitators learn how to recover your discussion and get comfortable dealing with the inevitability of emotional triggers.
Every facilitator must know their limits. This means knowing when to 'parking lot' an issue and return to it later when it's more productive to do so. This training clearly defines what the 'parking lot' is and how it can used to effectively manage dialogue.