Program Components

Mission

The Summit on Leading Diversity is the nation's premiere diversity event and plays an integral role in creating and sustaining inclusive work environments that enable organizations to operate more effectively in a global marketplace. Linkage prides itself on the quality and depth of the program and remains committed to showcasing a collection of the most vital tools, strategies, and best-practices available in the diversity field.

Life Changing Keynotes

The keynote presentations provide opportunities for deep personal growth and reflection. Each presenter is a catalyst for change, and all are our honored guests with important lessons to share. In the end, attendees leave inspired and renewed to continue their important work.

• Ruby Dee
• Phoebe Eng
• Robert Jensen
• Maria Otero
• Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum
• Juan Williams

Learning Tracks

Hands-on and results-focused, the Learning Tracks are designed to provide the know-how necessary to take diversity initiatives to the next level. The sessions address the most pressing issues facing diversity practitioners today, and all are led by dynamic presenters with content expertise.

Practitioner Tracks:

• Workforce Demographics & Trends: Best and Next Practices in Diversity & Inclusion
• Metrics & Accountability: A Practitioner's Guide to Measuring Success
• Social Responsibility: Linking Social Issues to Diversity Progress

Cross-over Tracks:

• 2020 Cultural Competence: Understanding Key Diversity Issues
• Courageous Conversations: Honest Dialogue about Crucial Issues
• Global Strategies: Responding Effectively to Globalization through Diversity Initiatives

Line Leader Tracks

• Transformational Leadership: Behaviors and Attributes of an Inclusive Leader
• Talent Management: Effective Practices From Recruitment to Engagement

Applied Learning Teams

Linkage will organize learning teams based on a pre-Summit survey to identify participants' key challenges, diversity goals and objectives, years of experience, and industry focus. The Applied Learning Teams occur daily on-site at the Summit. Facilitator-led, they feature small groups of peers who discuss common issues and challenges in an open environment. In the end, participants walk away with action tools and best practices, a focused strategy for improvement, and a new peer network.

Summit within a Summit - Diversity in Action: Practical Application for Line Leaders and Business Unit Heads

The Summit on Leading Diversity team offers a learning experience designed specifically for business leaders outside the office of diversity. The Diversity in Action Summit within a Summit provides practical tools, strategies and solutions for applying diversity management techniques to every-day business challenges and opportunities.

Participants will gain skills to help them:

• Source, hire and retain diverse candidates
• Create and sustain an inclusive culture
• Lead with trust and integrity
• Leverage diversity to improve top and bottom line performance
• Penetrate emerging growth markets
• Operate effectively in a global marketplace

Case Study on Building a Cross Functional Team

John Deere sent more than 70 employees to the 2007 Summit on Leading Diversity and 75 employees to the 2008 Summit on Leading Diversity, including leaders and managers from all functions and business units across the organization. Linkage interviewed Deb Taylor, Director of Global Diversity and Inclusion for John Deere, to see how she gained buy in and support to build this team.  Read Case Study >>

Advanced Practitioners Think Tank

The Advanced Practitioners Think Tank was created to meet the needs of senior practitioners who have primary responsibility for leading diversity strategies within their organizations. This highly interactive forum allows experienced diversity leaders to collectively explore the complex challenges and strategies for advancing the diversity field.

Post-Summit Workshops

In-depth and hands-on, these 4-hour workshops will develop the skills necessary for your day-to-day diversity work. Our expert presenters will help you to focus intensively on a specific skill and build an action plan to bring back to the office. Attending a post-summit workshop is the perfect compliment to your Summit learnings.

Wednesday, March 18th, 1:00 - 5:00pm

Mapping Out the Business Case for Diversity & Inclusion with Rochelle Lari

Taking your Complex Global Team to High-Performance with Laraine Kaminsky and Rebekah Steele

Wednesday, March 18th, 1:00 - 5:00pm & Thursday, March 19th, 8:00am - 5:00pm

Leading Across Organizational Boundaries with Nina Coil

Online Mentoring Community

The Summit on Leading Diversity has partnered with Unleash, Inc. to provide online mentoring designed to keep you connected with the Summit community year-round.

This revolutionary online mentoring program enables participants to:

• search for a mentor/mentee within the Summit community that matches development needs
• build an online mentoring relationship
• develop a personal strategic development plan
• foster accountability for personal development goals
• gain access to guided thinking tools and diversity related content
• share best-practices

How it works:

• register your online profile as a mentor and/or mentee
• search for a mentor
• send request to our registered mentor (mentor accepts invitation)
• mentor and mentee create a shared vision
• use your mentor's input to learn and grow
• regularly log on to the online community to receive cutting edge content and real-time advise on current challenges 

Continuous Learning and Support

FREE Diversity Teleconference Series
This event is committed to creating opportunities for attendees to stay connected long after the on-site Summit experience. In support of this vision, all attendees are invited to participate in expert-led teleconference sessions. (If you are unable to attend the Summit, you may purchase the option to participate in the teleconference calls for $495.)