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Accountability Groups are becoming common practice - they can serve lots of different functions and mean lots of different things to different people. They are any group of like professionals who want to provide support for, provide personal and professional growth opportunities for, and build relationships with others in their field. Read on for the benefits of these groups.
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One of the questions organizations struggle with regarding diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) is, “How do we measure our efforts to ensure we are making the impact we are striving for?” Data-driven decisions are a good way to eliminate bias in any situation. There are research studies out there demonstrating the fact that successful DEIA efforts do lead to more innovative, productive, and higher earning organizations over their competitors. To share those types of results and narratives, we must have the data to support them.
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Hotel sourcing is a difficult proposition these days. We have short sourcing windows coming out of the pandemic. Hotels have limited availability based upon the number of rebooks they’re fielding. It’s easy to get trapped in the dates, rates, and space formula with little regard for much else. But organizations should reflect on what’s most important to them as it relates to DEI and customize a series of questions to help them make more informed decisions about the people and the venues with which they partner.
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During the pandemic, I was introduced by my colleague to the University of Michigan Inclusive Campus Collaborative which seeks to foster a campus climate in which all community members feel respected, valued, and empowered to engage in the life of the university. Among the resources developed and shared by the Collaborative are two identity wheels, which I’ve found useful in helping association staff, volunteer leaders, and/or members better understand themselves, one another, and how they can improve their interpersonal relationships.
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There are two primary groups of people involved in your organization’s strategy work: participants and stakeholders. Depending upon their lived experiences, tenure in your industry, engagement with your organization, and a host of other factors, the opinions, insights, and recommendations of your members are going to vary greatly. Want to test it out? Ask a group of 10 members how to solve just about anything and you’re likely to get several dozen suggestions. And that’s because how people see the world, including the blocks and barriers impeding our organizations from achieving their preferred visions, varies.
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During a recent strategic planning session, participants were working in small groups when Aaron overheard a participant make a comment that didn't sit well with their colleague. Aaron and his co-facilitator brainstormed a course of action and turned to nonviolent communication. This is how it went.
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