“OUCH! That Stereotype Hurts” Promotes Workplace Inclusion

OUCH! That Stereotype Hurts is a training program designed to explore communication skills for promoting inclusion and respect in the workplace. Based on the book by Leslie C. Aguilar, Founder of International Training and Development, LLC, the program allows participants to experience the impact of stereotypical comments, jokes and emails, and explore why people don’t speak up against stereotypes and other biased behaviors.

Through videos, a PowerPoint presentation and other training tools, including reminder cards with Ouch! techniques, participants are encouraged to:

• Understand the impact of stereotypes and biased statements, even when casually said;
• Identify the most common reasons people sit silent in the face of bias and stereotypes;
• Enhance skills for speaking up against stereotypes without blame or guilt.

Stereotypes touch every person – we may send stereotypes, be the recipient or target of stereotypical statements, or be a bystander witnessing stereotypes. There are many reasons people remain silent in the face of stereotypes or other biased statements, even if they’d like to speak up – embarrassment and discomfort, fear of social isolation or negative implications, or they don’t know what to say.

In order to make the training relevant and personal, participants are asked to describe a time:

• When they were exposed to stereotypes in media (TV, movies, music, etc.), and explore the message it sent;
• When they have been the recipient or target of a stereotype, and how it affected them;
• When they have witnessed someone else being stereotyped, and how they responded.

The Ouch! program emphasizes that anyone can speak up in the face of demeaning or stereotypical comments. A simple phrase or question can turn a conversation from destructive to productive. The program offers several techniques for speaking up without blame or guilt, ranging from assuming good intent and explaining the potential impact to interrupting and redirecting or simply saying “Ouch!” to get the attention of the source of the stereotypical behavior.

For more information visit www.OuchThatStereotypeHurts.com or www.Ouch-Video.com.

To learn more about how Training and Development Solutions can deliver customized, on-site SHP/Diversity training incorporating “OUCH! That Stereotype Hurts” techniques for all levels of your organization, call MariAnn Fisher at 925.249.9372 or email [email protected].