Dala team attends PRSA Dallas Drinks and Diversity Mixer: Five key takeaways from this packed event
Last month, the Dala team headed over to Capital Factory in Dallas after work for a Drinks and Diversity mixer in celebration of PRSA’s National Diversity and Inclusion Month. PRSA Dallas and ColorComm Dallas hosted the sold-out event, which featured Bernard Coleman, III, global head of diversity and inclusion at Uber, as the keynote speaker.
To say Bernard is an expert in diversity and inclusion is an understatement. Prior to his role at Uber, he led Hillary for America’s diversity initiatives and was the first ever chief diversity and human resources officer in United States history for any presidential campaign of either political party. Bernard has a strong history working with human resources, talent recruitment, analytics, marketing, communications, and branding in an effort to enhance diversity throughout an organization.
The packed room was engaged in the discussion as Bernard shared what we (as public relations and marketing pros) can do to overcome obstacles and thrive when we find ourselves at the center of implicit bias.
Here are five tips for success anyone can use when faced with bias at work:
Call out the action: Rather than calling people out for being racist or sexist, we should focus on how and why the language they used was oppressive. People can reflect on and address the impact of their actions rather than focusing on defending their character or intentions.
Share perspective: Engage in dialogue to reconcile biases and open conversation with peers to help motivate people to change their behavior.
Use storytelling as a tool: Share a personal narrative to create a deeper understanding and to produce greater empathy.
Sponsorship: Seek a “sponsor” or a champion to help you access essential networks, which will help bring your achievements to the attention of upper management.
Act as a catalyst: Ask your company what they plan on doing to promote equality and reduce discrimination.
Join the conversation on PRSA Diversity and Inclusion Month by clicking here.