ELE brings leaders together across companies and industries to work through the messy stuff: decisions, risk, handoffs, execution drag, and what it takes to move from idea to action.

UPCOMING CALENDAR

LATEST IDEA EXCHANGE

RECENT INSIGHTS

WHO WE ARE

About ELE

Schedule a Local Meetup

Companies In Our Network

Contact ELE

Figure out if ELE is for you. Straight answers on what ELE is, who it’s built for, and how contributing members actually work together. Still have a question? Contact us.

Deloitte

Session Focus: Global DEI learning journey combining on-the-job application, peer coaching, and experiential learning to improve business impact.


This session provided deep insights into designing impactful DEI programs that go beyond traditional compliance training.
<blockquote>Julian Malnak from Goodyear emphasized the importance of cohort-based learning by stating, “Our reason for cohort learning is to make it not feel like a compliance exercise. If it becomes a box-checking activity, the impact is lost.” </blockquote>
This reflects a broader shift in DEI training—one that prioritizes meaningful engagement over mere completion.

Here are three key takeaways for senior HR talent leaders looking to design more effective DEI programs:
<ol>
 	<li>Prioritize Social Learning and Interaction: DEI topics demand real, honest conversations. By implementing cohort-based learning, organizations can foster deeper engagement and personal connection with DEI issues, helping participants reflect on their own biases and behaviors.</li>
 	<li>Avoid Compliance Mindsets: Successful DEI initiatives must feel purposeful and not just another box to check. HR leaders should focus on creating programs that inspire reflection, self-awareness, and actionable steps, rather than mandating participation.</li>
 	<li>Design for Flexibility and Reflection: Asynchronous learning allows participants to digest and reflect on sensitive DEI topics at their own pace. Providing flexibility while maintaining engagement ensures that employees feel included and can fully participate in these critical discussions.</li>
</ol>
By following these strategies, HR leaders can create DEI programs that have a lasting impact, fostering a culture of inclusion and belonging within their organizations.

DEI Transformation | Designing Cohort Learning to Scale

evidence-based research

Engagement &amp; Culture

Peer-to-Peer Learning

learning design

cohort learning

collaborative learning

learning culture

inclusion

mike.kester

julian.malnak

edward.desrosiers

jesse.james

leadership development

talent management

flow of work

Learning Agility

employee engagement

employee experience

ariel.mcgrew

erg-brg dei groups

Equitable Inclusive

organizational development

diego.frausto

learning and development

tim.chudy

Semi-synchronous Collaborative Peer-Learning

Scalable Global Cohorts

diversity

belonging

DEIB

alan.todd

robert.burnside

brian.bianca

HR leadership

HR Strategy

Designing Cohort Learning to Scale

workplace diversity

DX Learning Solutions

This session provided valuable insights into the evolving role of DEIB in driving organizational success.
<blockquote>One key takeaway stood out: "DEIB isn’t an HR issue; it’s an organizational issue. If leadership doesn’t champion it, no one else will." - <a href="https://www.ele.llc/members/matt-sandel">Matt Sandel</a></blockquote>
For senior HR talent leaders, this quote serves as both a reminder and a call to action. DEIB cannot thrive as a standalone initiative—it must be embedded in the culture, processes, and decision-making at every level of the organization.

Here are three actionable insights from the discussion to guide your strategy:

1️⃣ Leadership as the Linchpin: Success starts at the top. HR leaders must partner with executives to position DEIB as a critical organizational priority, ensuring it’s championed visibly and consistently.

2️⃣ Empathy as a Strategic Skill: Empathy is the foundation for fostering equity, inclusion, and belonging. Encouraging leaders to understand and value diverse experiences lays the groundwork for meaningful cultural transformation.

3️⃣ Systemic and Continuous Commitment: DEIB isn’t a destination; it’s an ongoing journey. HR leaders should focus on embedding DEIB into all aspects of talent management—from recruitment to retention—ensuring it evolves alongside the organization.

By prioritizing these principles, senior HR leaders can help create organizations where diversity and inclusion are not just initiatives but integral to the way business is done.

What steps are you taking to ensure DEIB thrives in your organization? Let’s discuss! 🌟

How L&D can Drive DEI, Culture Change and Business Impact

engagement &amp; culture

future of work

Leadership

people strategy

blended learning

matt.sandel

melissa.mcdow

diversity &amp; inclusion

strategic alignment

guillermo.gutierrez

hybrid workplace

hybrid learning

darcy.pierson

karin.jacobson

talent

insights-wise-2022-virtual

inclusive leadership

organizational culture

Workplace Inclusion

Empathy in Leadership

HR Best Practices

Sustainable Leadership

An organization's employees are its biggest competitive advantage. Performance gains can be achieved through cost saving, process improvement or technology adoption, but the biggest difference is made by people. This means that recruiting, engaging and retaining the very best talent has never been more important.

Crucially, these employees should be a diverse group of people with different approaches, skills and strengths in problem-solving and driving innovation. As well as focusing on gender, race, age and class, it is critical that businesses also develop a neurodiverse workforce if they are committed to outperforming the competition and achieving sustainable business growth.

Neurodiversity at Work is a practical guide that explains what neurodiversity is, why it's important and what the benefits are. It covers how to attract, recruit and engage neurodiverse talent and provides guidance on how to adapt HR policies, processes and workplaces to ensure that all employees, including the 2 in 10 employees in the UK who are neurodiverse, can reach their full potential.

Neurodiversity at Work is packed full of case studies from leading organizations like Microsoft who are already seeing the productivity, performance and financial benefits of neurodiversity in the workplace. Individuals in these companies are also experiencing benefits in their working environments. Also featured are interviews with prominent figures in the neurodiversity community and people who have successfully adapted their HR processes for neurodiversity, including members of the ND@IBM Program and the Head of People and Culture at Autotrader. With tips, advice, examples and 'how to' actions in every chapter, this is essential reading for every HR professional.

Neurodiversity at Work: Drive Innovation, Performance and Productivity with a Neurodiverse Workforce

talent development

denis.sternberg

ana.bedard

ann.brownell

peter.hogaboam

delaney.buenzli

business innovation

lauren.marder

brandon.carson

neurodiversity

inclusive work culture

employee productivity

HR management

inclusion strategies

organizational psychology

team performance

ashanti.morgan

The bestselling guide to cross-cultural leadership

Since its original publication, Riding the Waves of Culture has been considered the definitive guide to one of the 21st century’s most pressing management concerns―effectively leading people and organizations in an increasingly global business environment.

Today’s business landscape is barely a shadow of what it was only a few years ago, when managers’ main concerns were being aware of cultural differences and preventing embarrassments. Now, you must take it a step further to leverage cultural differences for maximum competitive advantage.

The highly anticipated third edition of this business classic brings you completely up-to-date in a world transformed by radical changes in politics, society, the economy, and technology. Retaining its detailed descriptions of the underlying cultural frameworks that affect day-to-day business, Riding the Waves of Culture, Third Edition, provides new, evidence-based information and insight on:
<ul>
 	<li>M&amp;A―how dealing with (national and corporate) cultural differences can enhance and improve chances of success in these often risky endeavors</li>
 	<li>An Increasingly Diverse Business World―including improved and expanded measurements of competences, dilemmas and their reconciliations, servant leadership, innovation, and remote-team effectiveness</li>
 	<li>Cultural Convergence―analysis of changes in the past 25 years bringing the world closer to a single “global village”</li>
 	<li>The ability to lead effectively in a global business environment is perhaps the most valuable skill anyone can bring to an organization. The most thoroughly researched and highly respected resource of its kind, Riding the Waves of Culture doesn’t just help you stay afloat in today’s diverse work environment; it provides the knowledge you need to seize the advantage and compete for the long run.</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;

Riding the Waves of Culture: Understanding Diversity in Global Business

Global Teams

yolanda.mangram

Strategic HR

Diversity and Inclusion

Global Leadership

Cross-Cultural Communication

International HR

Global Talent Management

Cultural Intelligence

Globalization

Intercultural Competence

Human Capital Strategy

Cultural Sensitivity

<blockquote>This is the first authoritative book on building employee resource groups (ERGs) to empower underrepresented employees and positively impact diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts within organizations and in society at large.</blockquote>
For decades, ERGs originated from affirmative action policies and have evolved into powerful sources of employee activity and engagement. Organizations can leverage ERGs to support business goals, but ERGs can also play a critical role in creating a more inclusive work environment for marginalized individuals. ERGs represent a balance of serving company interests and empowering employees, offering the opportunity for innovative leadership within organizations.
This book is a practical guide on how to manage ERGs effectively and how they inspire a deeper connection between employees and companies while helping us progress toward the DEI goals that we aim to accomplish. Participating in an ERG can help professionals of color and other historically excluded groups advance their careers, thereby increasing diverse representation in leadership. Farzana Nayani provides foundational tools for starting ERGs and outlines the five Ps—purpose, people, processes, planning, and priorities—needed to operate them successfully.

Unlike other ERG handbooks, this book is people-centric and socially conscious and thoughtfully takes into account the experiences of employees and leaders during current times. It also serves as a deeper call to action around how ERGs can foster authentic organizational change, creating a global transformative impact.

Login