Happy New Year!! My top seven blogs of 2015

Happy New Year from Stan Kimer, President of Total Engagement Consulting by Kimer and aspiring competitive adult figure skater!

Happy New Year from Stan Kimer, President of Total Engagement Consulting by Kimer and aspiring competitive adult figure skater!

I had some much fun looking at my website statistics the past two years and listing my top seven most read blogs of the year that I decided to now make this an annual New Year’s feature. I normally blog about my two areas of consulting a few times each month: Diversity with a specialization in the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender) workplace and marketplace; and career and skills development based on my innovative Total Engagement Career Mapping process. And once in a while I throw in a more personal blog or rant about something that is irking me. (I plan on 3 rants in January so be looking for them.)

Here are the “Top 7 of 2015” in reverse order:

7. The seventh most read blog was actually published at the end of 2011; “The End of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell – One Year Later.” I summarize about how all the horrible things some detractors predicted never happened, but instead the removal of the ban contributed to a fully open, accepting and diverse environment with everyone performing and contributing at their peak.

6. My most popular blog of 2013 was actually googled quite a lot and finished as number 3 in 2014 and number 6 this year: “Five Common Misconceptions about Gay People.”

5. From March, “Religious Freedom Restoration Act – Discriminatory, Unnecessary and Harmful.” A bill was filed in the North Carolina state legislature similar to the earlier one signed by the Indiana Governor that caused all kinds of back lash. Fortunately, it was withdrawn and never voted upon.

4. After the US Supreme Court made marriage for same gender couples available nationwide in late June, I wrote, “Congratulations on Your Wedding, Condolences on Losing Your Job.” Though now all couples can marry, an LGBT person can still be fired in a majority of US states simply for being a gay or transgender person.

3. A personal blog I published at the end of 2014 finished 3rd, “Finding A New Passion at Age 59.” I share my journey of actually getting on the ice to start figure skating at age 59, and the absolute joy of discovering a new passion. Getting older does not mean I can’t embark on new life adventures!

2. Also from June, I wrote a follow on blog to one in May about a rural NC teacher who read a book about two princes getting married to address bullying and gay slurs in his class, “This Black Gay Third Grade Teacher Under Fire Should be North Carolina’s Teacher of the Year!”

1. And the top most read blog was also the top blog in 2014 and was actually published way back in 2011! As many people search for online resources about diversity training, they found and read my 2011 blog “Three Components of Diversity and Inclusion Training,” where I discuss the three major components required for diversity training and exactly who within an enterprise should be trained. I have also updated that blog to include links to more resources including to a new blog sharing the sample contents of diversity and inclusion training.

Thanks to all the readers who enjoy and share my blogs. In 2016, if you want to be notified each time I do publish, you can like my business facebook page (Link), or if you subscribe to my monthly e-newsletter, I include a short summary and links to the past month’s writings.

Wishing all my readers a wonderful 2016 filled with much contentment and success!

Content of Diversity and Inclusion Training

Hot emerging areas of diversity in the workplace (clockwise starting at top left): LGBT, Generational, Veterans, Multicultural / Religious

Hot emerging areas of diversity in the workplace (clockwise starting at top left): LGBT, Generational, Veterans, Multicultural / Religious

Please feel free to contact me to discuss how I can provide customized and exciting diversity and inclusion training for your organization. Stan Kimer, 919-787-7315. Stan@
TotalEngagementConsulting.com


This new blog compliments my most popular blog entry “Three Components of Diversity and Inclusion Training” (link) where I wrote about the importance of engaging the mind and the heart in diversity and inclusion training, as well as including a call to action.

I now want to share a sample outline of what I typically include in diversity and inclusion training. I always customize my content to best address the needs of the particular client, and sessions can range from a series of short webinars to a 90 minute session to half a day. Of course in longer sessions I can provide more interactive exercises and case studies for group discussion.

Typical Outline:
• The importance of diversity and inclusion to your company or organization’s goals
• What exactly is meant by diversity? The many dimensions of diversity. Various diversity theories
• An exercise: understanding your own diversity
• The business case for diversity and inclusion being a strategic organizational imperative
• Diversity concepts: prejudice, privilege, racism, sexism and more
• Deep dives into current hot, emerging areas of diversity (client can select as many as they want from the list)

o Generational
o Multicultural and Religious
o People with Disabilities
o LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender)
o Engaging Veterans
o Global Leadership Competencies
o Diversity of Thoughts and Ideas

• Stereotyping as a large inhibitor to diversity, including an interactive exercise to explore how we all stereotype
• Do’s and don’t’s of interacting with people different than you
• Group discussion of various diversity scenarios which I develop and customize to your particular company environment
• Summary / Action Planning / Evaluation

Feel free to contact me at any time using the contact link to set up an appointment to discuss your particular diversity and inclusion training needs.