Case Study: Lind Electronics
“How to have uncomfortable conversations was an important lesson learned.”
WHERE WE STARTED
- From Ally to Accomplice 5 Month program for 12 leadership staff members
- Leadership Team Engagements
- Executive Coaching
WHERE WE ARE
- Built new recruitment partnerships to improve hiring
- Increased awareness of and fostered antiracist practices in all facets of life
- Identified areas for improvement within the organization
- Established social justice & equity as an organizational value
- Created more equitable recruitment & hiring practices
- Learned how to have difficult conversations
About the Organization
This global electronics manufacturer is a company whose reputation is built on innovation, reliability and durability. The organization includes 12 members of the leadership team, with a total staff of 85 full-time and temporary employees. They are a leading provider of rugged mobile power solutions to the U.S. military, public safety and warehousing industries.
Before The Woke Coach
Before working with The Woke Coach, many folks in this organization “didn't know what we didn't know.” The work that the organization and The Woke Coach did together shined bright lights on areas that needed significant improvement. Before the training, the organization thought they were aware, during the training, the team felt like they were learning a lot, and after the training, they realized how much more there is that they still need to learn.
Why did they engage The Woke Coach?
Following the murder of George Floyd, the president of the organization contacted The Woke Coach looking for a partner to help them take action professionally and personally.
The Work
The Woke Coach engaged a cohort of 12 leadership team members in the five-month version of our signature program, From Ally to Accomplice®. This offering is specifically designed for leaders and managers who are committed to authentic personal and professional cultural competency leadership development, and creating inclusive workplaces.
The program included:
- Intercultural Development Inventory® (IDI) for each cohort member and a team review session
- 5 one-on-one coaching sessions for the team lead
- 4 team engagement sessions for the full cohort
- 1 capstone session for the full cohort
“The Woke Coach really helped our people start talking to each other in a very real and honest way. The Woke Coach team will kick things off and the lead discussion, but it's up to you to decide how or where your organization wants to make changes. They didn't judge us or even make recommendations, they simply led a series of conversations that challenged us to think about how we are structured and where we can do better. Learning how to have uncomfortable conversations was an important lesson learned. We have used the phrase ‘learn how to be comfortable while uncomfortable’ quite a bit since working with The Woke Coach.”
Results
Since completing the program, the organization feels the biggest impact was sending the message to all of its employees that social justice and equity is important to the company. The organization identified areas to improve and is actively working toward making changes. Immediate changes were made to the hiring and recruitment process, including who to select as partners and how to include a diverse group of candidates when filling positions.
The leadership team also got to know each other in a much deeper way than they ever would have through their work with The Woke Coach. Their understanding of each other and of the lived experiences of other employees have all broadened and inspired them to be a more inclusive workplace.
Why should people hire The Woke Coach?
“Our time with The Woke Coach® was really enlightening from a corporate standpoint but even more for us as individuals. Some of our team's initial responses may have been defensive, and there were some internal struggles to really assess history honestly. That is mainly because so many of us were taught history from a cultural perspective presuming white dominance as ‘normal’. After deeper analysis, many things that we had taken for granted as being fair or equal were based on rules, laws, and traditions that were far from it."
“They set great boundaries and offer supportive coaching and facilitation, while also creating accountability in the space. Furthermore, the ‘homework’ assignments are incredibly meaningful and thought-provoking – these kept the learning moving forward in between sessions and prompted many (still) ongoing conversations. “