{"162021":{"#nid":"162021","#data":{"type":"news","title":"\u2018Dialogues\u2019 Spark Discussions about Diversity","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EEvents such as the Diversity Roundtable and Diversity Symposium bring people together from across Georgia Tech and spark discussion about diversity and inclusive excellence on campus \u2014 but how can you get meaningful discussions going within your department?\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECheryl Cofield, director of the Culture, Diversity and Inclusion Unit in the Office of Human Resources (OHR), has just the solution \u2014 dialogues her team facilitates that are designed to foster authentic discussions at the unit level.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cTo ensure we are distinguished by not only academic excellence, but by truth pursued, it is important that the Institute champion civility of discourse as a fundamental cornerstone. We need widespread, high-quality dialogue to generate shared understandings,\u201d Cofield said. \u201cThrough dialogue, we can explore new ideas and alternative perspectives that make us more well-rounded and humane. As we transform ourselves, we transform our relationships and improve the condition of our collective culture.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESince 2011, Cofield and her colleagues have facilitated dialogues for units including the Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts, Scheller College of Business, Office of Information Technology, Georgia Tech Research Institute and OMED. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECofield and Pearl Alexander, senior director of People Strategies in OHR, are also scheduled to facilitate dialogues for new school chairs in the College of Engineering, as well as groups from the Library and the Learning Excellence Administrative Council. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe two plan to become certified in Stephen Covey\u2019s \u201cLeadership at the Speed of Trust\u201d model this month so they can also begin facilitating dialogues focused on leveraging credibility and high-trust behavior as critical leadership competencies.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDialogues can be tailored to suit the needs of individual departments and a few of the topics offered include:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003ELeadership Conversations: Developing Managerial Capacity for Inclusive Excellence Through Dialogue: This two-hour dialogue teaches participants effective ways to foster engagement among diverse teams and individuals, and how to create safe spaces for discussing sensitive issues, which often go unaddressed.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EA Singer Named \u2026 Susan: This two-hour dialogue uses video footage of Susan Boyle from the television program \u201cBritain\u2019s Got Talent\u201d to generate insight about unconscious bias, the impact of perceptions on feelings, thoughts and behaviors, and our collective responsibilities in relation to the work environment.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EMicro Messages, Inequities and Triggers: During this two- to three-hour dialogue, participants learn how we send hundreds of minimessages, often without saying a word, as well as the power and impact of slights that often take the form of subtle looks, gestures or voice tones and other unintentional acts.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe\u2019re hoping to create a culture of dialogue one unit at a time, one person at a time.\u201d Cofield said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor more information about dialogue topics or to invite Cofield to facilitate a dialogue in your department, email her at \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:cheryl.cofield@ohr.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Echeryl.cofield@ohr.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EEvents such as the Diversity Roundtable and Diversity Symposium bring people together from across Georgia Tech and spark discussion about diversity and inclusive excellence on campus \u2014 but how can you get meaningful discussions going within your department?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Events such as the Diversity Roundtable and Diversity Symposium bring people together from across Georgia Tech and spark discussion about diversity and inclusive excellence on campus \u2014 but how can you get meaningful discussions going within your depa"}],"uid":"27445","created_gmt":"2012-10-15 13:19:30","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:12:58","author":"Amelia Pavlik","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2012-10-15T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2012-10-15T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"161951":{"id":"161951","type":"image","title":"Cheryl Cofield","body":null,"created":"1449178908","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:41:48","changed":"1475894796","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:46:36","alt":"Cheryl Cofield","file":{"fid":"195443","name":"cofield_6534e.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/cofield_6534e_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/cofield_6534e_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1184529,"path_740":"http:\/\/tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/cofield_6534e_0.jpg?itok=iML8nM3y"}}},"media_ids":["161951"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/ohr.gatech.edu\/","title":"Office of Human Resources"}],"groups":[{"id":"1259","name":"Whistle"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"}],"keywords":[{"id":"46451","name":"Cheryl Cofield. diversity dialogues"},{"id":"736","name":"diversity"},{"id":"41081","name":"inclusive excellence"},{"id":"8122","name":"Office of Human Resources"},{"id":"8726","name":"OHR"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:cheryl.cofield@ohr.gatech.edu\u0022\u003ECheryl Cofield\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EOffice of Human Resources\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}