Transformative DEI Roundtable Discussions

Equip your leaders with the confidence and competence to lead inclusively—no scripts or formulas, just real, impactful conversations.

What Are Our DEI Roundtable Discussions?

Our DEI Roundtable Discussions offer a unique and powerful approach to fostering inclusivity within your organization. Unlike traditional training where an external consultant leads the conversation, our roundtables are co-hosted by members of your own leadership team. This format builds authenticity, credibility, and engagement, as leaders guide and participate in discussions alongside their peers.

Each session is carefully crafted to create a safe, structured environment where leaders can explore sensitive topics, such as unconscious bias, allyship, and psychological safety. With our expertly designed materials and comprehensive support, your leaders don’t need to be DEI experts. We’ll work with you to identify co-hosts, provide them with all the preparation they need, and empower them to facilitate a meaningful, impactful discussion that resonates.

Key Highlights:

  • Empower your leaders by giving them a role in facilitating important DEI conversations. No prior experience is required—our team provides all the tools and guidance needed.

  • Leaders and participants alike can engage openly, exploring complex topics in an environment free of judgment.

  • Our sessions build more than knowledge; they cultivate the intercultural competence and confidence leaders need to model inclusivity and lead effectively in diverse, dynamic settings.

Why Choose Our Roundtable Discussions?

Our DEI Roundtable Discussions aren’t just another training session—they’re an opportunity for your leaders to develop critical skills, build confidence, and engage in authentic conversations that foster lasting change. Designed for today’s complex and diverse workplace, our roundtables go beyond theory, focusing on real-world application and leader-led engagement.

Our roundtables transform your leaders into advocates of inclusivity, creating a ripple effect that strengthens the organization from within. Empower your team to lead by example and cultivate a workplace where everyone feels valued and respected.

Skill-Building for Complex Situations: Today’s leaders often face nuanced challenges that don’t have simple answers. Our discussions equip them with the tools and strategies to respond thoughtfully in ambiguous, high-stakes situations. Leaders learn to approach sensitive topics with empathy, understanding, and cultural awareness.

Confidence and Competence: Each session builds leaders’ comfort in navigating challenging conversations on topics like bias, equity, and inclusivity. Through guided exercises, real-life scenarios, and reflection prompts, they gain the confidence to lead inclusively, model empathy, and address difficult issues with respect.

Leadership-Led and Credible: By having your own leaders co-host the discussions, participants experience an added layer of credibility and trust. Leaders become active participants in the organization’s DEI journey, fostering a culture of openness, accountability, and growth.

Efficient Preparation for Busy Leaders: We know time is valuable. That’s why we handle the research, design, and content preparation so your leaders can focus on what matters—engagement and learning. We provide all the materials, coaching, and support to ensure co-hosts are fully prepared, even with limited time.

The Process

Our DEI Roundtable Discussions follow a structured, step-by-step process that ensures the designated co-hosts feel prepared, supported, and confident in leading the session. After identifying your co-hosts, our team at Think Hard Solutions works exclusively with them to equip them with everything needed for an effective and impactful discussion.

Here’s how the process unfolds:

We work with you to identify one or two leaders from your organization to serve as co-hosts for the roundtable discussion. These co-hosts will collaborate closely with our team, gaining hands-on experience in facilitation in collaboration with Think Hard Solutions, providing all the guidance and support they need.

1. Initial Meeting

We start by meeting with your team to choose the discussion topic, explore your objectives, and ensure the session aligns with your organization’s specific needs. During this meeting, we’ll identify one or two leaders from your team to co-host the discussion. Our goal is to create a session that’s both impactful and purpose-driven.

2. Review Content

In our next meeting, we will present the completed slide deck tailored to your chosen topic. Together, we’ll review the content, gather your feedback, and make any adjustments to align with your goals. We’ll also discuss facilitation roles, allowing your co-hosts to select the parts they feel comfortable leading—or simply let us know where they’d like extra support. No prior DEI expertise is required; we handle all the preparation to make it as seamless as possible.

3. Dry Run

To ensure your co-hosts feel comfortable and confident, we conduct a dry run of the discussion using the updated slide deck, script, and reflection questions. This session allows co-hosts to familiarize themselves with the material, ask questions, and practice their facilitation skills. We send all materials three days before the dry run, giving your team ample time to prepare.

4. Facilitate Discussion

On the day of the live event, we provide all materials for a productive and engaging session. Participants receive interactive workbooks that encourage note-taking, reflection, and active participation, along with any additional resources to support the experience. With the finalized slide deck and script as their guide, your co-hosts lead the discussion, supported by our experts to ensure a smooth, impactful session that builds confidence and cultural competence across your team.

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Available Topics to Choose From

Our DEI Roundtable Discussions cover essential DEI topics and are designed to resonate deeply with adult learners. Each session integrates best practices from adult learning theory, helping leaders connect new insights to their real-world experiences and equipping them with actionable skills. Through interactive discussions, reflection prompts, and practical scenarios, our sessions are both engaging and immediately relevant. Below are a few sample topics, but this is not an exhaustive list—if there are specific topics relevant to your organization, we’re happy to customize content and support to meet your needs.

Inclusive Leadership: Building a Culture of Belonging

Leaders learn how to foster a workplace where all employees feel respected, valued, and connected. Through interactive discussions and real-life scenarios, this session provides leaders with practical strategies to model inclusive behaviors and set DEI expectations across teams.

The Role of Power and Privilege in Leadership

This session examines how power dynamics and privilege influence workplace culture and decision-making. Leaders explore ways to recognize and address these dynamics to create a more equitable environment, using case studies and self-reflection to build awareness.

Addressing DEI Fatigue: Re-engaging Leaders and Teams

Recognizing DEI fatigue is crucial for sustaining engagement. This session provides leaders with strategies to re-energize their DEI efforts and keep teams motivated, helping to build long-term commitment and resilience in DEI initiatives.

The Power of Allyship in the Workplace

This session explores what it means to be an ally and how leaders can support underrepresented groups effectively. Leaders gain actionable steps to build a culture of allyship, including practical ways to support diverse team members and foster accountability.

Equity vs. Equality: What’s the Difference and Why It Matters

This session clarifies the essential distinction between equity and equality and why both are critical for a fair workplace. Leaders engage in exercises that help them identify and implement equitable practices tailored to their teams, promoting a culture of fairness.

Civility in the Workplace: Practicing Tolerance Even When It’s Challenging

Leaders develop strategies to promote respectful interactions, even amid political tension or disagreement. By recognizing personal triggers and practicing tolerance, participants learn to model civility and composure, setting a respectful tone for their teams.

Psychological Safety: Fostering Innovation and Trust

Leaders learn to create an environment where employees feel safe to speak up, take risks, and express their authentic selves. This session covers key strategies for building trust and encouraging innovation, ensuring team members feel valued and supported.

Unconscious Bias in Decision-Making

Participants learn to recognize and address unconscious biases that impact hiring, promotions, and daily decisions. Leaders leave equipped with tools to promote fairer, more equitable outcomes across their organization, gaining confidence in identifying and mitigating bias.

Systemic Inequities: Identifying and Addressing Organizational Barriers

Leaders learn how systemic inequalities can manifest in organizational policies and practices. This session provides a step-by-step approach for identifying and dismantling these barriers, creating fairer opportunities for all employees.

Bridging Generational Gaps in the Workplace

This session helps leaders understand generational differences and foster collaboration across age groups. Leaders discover ways to leverage each generation’s strengths, creating a more cohesive and inclusive team culture that values diverse perspectives.

Microaggressions: Small Actions Big Impact

This session addresses the often-overlooked impact of microaggressions and how these small actions can harm workplace culture. Leaders learn to identify and respond to microaggressions, fostering a respectful environment that supports inclusion and diversity.

Navigating Sensitive Conversations on Race and Identity

Leaders build skills for holding open, respectful conversations on race, identity, and inclusion. The session covers techniques for managing discomfort, ensuring productive dialogue, and achieving positive outcomes, empowering leaders to engage thoughtfully on sensitive topics.

Overcoming Common Barriers to DEI Conversations

Many leadership teams hesitate to engage in DEI conversations, often due to concerns like lack of time, discomfort, or fear of saying the wrong thing. But meaningful DEI discussions are essential for fostering an inclusive, resilient culture and creating stronger, more cohesive teams. Our DEI Roundtable Discussions are designed specifically to address these challenges, making it easy, comfortable, and impactful for leaders to engage in these critical conversations. Here’s how we address common concerns and help leaders feel prepared, supported, and confident:

  • We understand time is valuable. That’s why we handle the research, design, and content preparation, so your leaders can focus on engaging in the discussion, not preparing for it. The small time investment required pays off in a more cohesive and trusting team culture that drives long-term success.n text goes here

  • Growth often begins at the edge of our comfort zones. We provide a structured, supportive environment where leaders can explore these topics with respect and empathy. Our roundtables create a safe space, helping participants engage in important conversations without fear of judgment, ultimately leaving them better prepared to lead inclusively.

  • You don’t need to be a DEI expert—that’s our role. We work with your team to identify co-hosts for each session and provide them with all the guidance, materials, and support they need to lead confidently. Leaders leave with hands-on experience, cultural competence, and a strengthened ability to lead inclusively.

  • Avoiding these conversations doesn’t reduce conflict—it often heightens misunderstandings. Our roundtables are designed to promote understanding, respect, and trust. By engaging in structured, empathetic conversations, leaders gain tools to navigate complex issues without division, fostering unity and alignment within the team.

  • Our roundtables complement your existing DEI efforts by reinforcing them with hands-on, real-world application. These sessions empower leaders to apply DEI principles in daily interactions, ensuring that your DEI initiatives are more than just policies—they’re lived values within your organization.

  • It’s natural to worry about making mistakes in sensitive conversations, but our roundtables create a judgment-free environment where leaders can learn, ask questions, and grow. With our guidance, leaders gain the confidence to navigate these topics thoughtfully and with respect, making mistakes part of the learning journey.

  • Culture is built on daily interactions, conversations, and modeled behaviors. These roundtable discussions equip your leaders to create a culture of inclusivity, openness, and respect from the top down, creating a ripple effect that strengthens your organization from within.

  • DEI conversations are valuable for every organization, regardless of its diversity. Developing cultural competence, empathy, and adaptability prepares your team to work effectively with a broad range of perspectives and experiences. This also strengthens your ability to attract and retain diverse talent, a key competitive advantage.

  • Our roundtables are structured to create an environment of openness and respect. By engaging in these conversations, leaders learn to navigate discomfort with empathy and understanding, turning potential defensiveness into opportunities for growth, connection, and stronger team dynamics.

  • That’s exactly what we’re here for. From selecting a topic to preparing your co-hosts, our step-by-step process and expert support make it easy to get started. We guide your team every step of the way, so you can focus on creating meaningful, impactful conversations.