Submitted
The Noblesville Diversity Coalition convened more than 100 Hamilton County leaders from over 70 organizations last month at its first Inclusive Leadership Summit.
The daylong event, held Sept. 27 at Conner Prairie, drew positive feedback from attendees.
Mojo Up Media + Marketing’s Travis Brown, a highly sought-after brand strategist, motivational speaker, and DEI thought leader who lives in Hamilton County, kicked off the event by challenging attendees to be adaptable.
“You will become irrelevant if you are resistant to change,” Brown said.
Hamilton County is changing. As the community continues to grow, it is becoming more multicultural, multigenerational, and diverse – a fact that is driving leaders to help their organizations adapt to better reflect their communities, allowing them to attract and retain top talent and stay competitive and innovative.
The Summit aimed to equip leaders to do just that through a dynamic group of speakers, including Andrea Mazzocco of Deloitte, who introduced attendees to the firm’s Six Signature Traits of Inclusive Leaders. The framework defines inclusive leadership through six traits: commitment, courage, cognizance of bias, curiosity, cultural intelligence, and collaboration.
In addition to presenting the business case for inclusive leadership, Mazzocco said leaders must shift their mindset and take intentional actions that lead to creating diverse teams – and addressing systems that exclude some people.
Two breakout sessions gave Summit attendees the opportunity to explore individual traits in more detail, giving them practical tools and insight on how to apply the learnings to their lives and workplaces.
Hyatt
“I loved how many examples of diversity were discussed throughout the day,” said attendee Tonya Hyatt, Executive Director of the Northern Hamilton County Chamber. “Many think of diversity as race or gender, but it can also include disabilities, languages spoken, religion preferences, etc. This [realization] allowed us to expand our conversations as to how we subconsciously categorize.”
When the group reconvened, Mazzocco wrapped up the Summit discussing the final trait: commitment. She led the group through a “5-5-5” planning framework, challenging them to write down and commit to what they would do in the next five days, five weeks, and five months.
Many thanks to the Crosser Family Foundation, Duke Energy, and the Hamilton County Community Foundation for their generous support of the Summit.
For more information on the topics and speakers, visit NoblesvilleLeadershipSummit.org.
Noblesville Diversity Coalition invites you to come find common ground with your fellow Americans
Submitted by Noblesville Diversity Coalition
Divisiveness inhibits critical conversations and destroys relationships. What’s the solution?
No doubt, it isn’t easy to curb divisiveness. However, Noblesville Diversity Coalition (NDC) believes we can make a difference by starting here in our community.
One way NDC makes a difference locally is by gathering community members around a table for rich and meaningful discussions through Community Conversations. Community Conversations is a collaborative effort to encourage more civil conversation in our personal and community lives.
NDC launched the Community Conversation initiative in 2022. Since its inception, over 400 people who live or work in Noblesville have gathered around the table to listen and share their thoughts and opinions on various topics. In 90 minutes, a small group of community members walk through three rounds of thought-provoking questions guided by a trained table host. After a brief introduction and some ground rules, the conversation begins. The trained host guides the pace and participation, ensuring equal opportunities for sharing and listening. The goal is to foster better ways to engage with one another and make Noblesville a more welcoming and inclusive community.
“It’s all about creating a safe environment for sharing and listening,” NDC Board President Dana Randall said. “In these conversations, not only have we seen community members leaning in and gaining a broader perspective, we’ve also seen common ground unearthed.”
The goal is civil conversations, increased understanding, and widening our perspectives. We can learn to see and hear each other through respectful and meaningful conversations. Together, we can grow in understanding, build connections, and bridge the divide that separates us.
Even though divisiveness exists, according to an Ipsos poll conducted in 2021, “Most Americans (71%) continue to agree there is more common ground among the American people than the media or political leaders portray.”
For those interested in participating in their first Community Conversation, NDC will host a Community Conversation on “More Curious, Less Furious” at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 25 at The Gathering House, 1372 Cherry St., Noblesville. Becoming more curious increases empathy, reduces fears, encourages self-awareness, and promotes a greater sense of connection. Curiosity sparks imagination and draws knowledge both to us and from us.
Then at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 8, a timely conversation will happen around “Navigating the Holidays with Family and Friends.” This discussion will center around family dynamics and expectations, allowing you to make the most of your holiday gatherings. This Community Conversation will be held at Mustard Seed Gardens, 77 Metsker Lane, Noblesville.
Community Conversations are free but do require registration for planning purposes. Please visit noblesvillediversitycoalition.org for more information and to register.
About the Noblesville Diversity Coalition
In February 2018, a group of Noblesville residents, leaders in the faith and business communities, and organizations formed the Noblesville Diversity Coalition (NDC) to build a more welcoming and inclusive Noblesville.