In this expert session Ben discusses fostering an inclusive workplace for the LGBTQ+ community by encouraging visible, proactive allyship. Focusing on developing self-awareness, a willingness to learn, visibility, and support for others, the four "pillars" of his Allies Framework, he emphasises the importance of understanding and managing personal biases and emotions.
He also introduces the UHT model (I understand... however... therefore) as a method for engaging in respectful dialogue on sensitive or challenging interpersonal dilemmas.
Ben encourages ongoing learning about LGBTQ+ identities and challenges, advocating for visible and vocal support for an invisible characteristic. By providing practical guidance, he highlights the significance of everyday actions, such as pronoun usage, sharing resources and speaking up, to enhance inclusivity within the workplace.
Ensuring your company's Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) are supported by dedicated and proactive allies will ensure that employees engage in constructive discussions, even when disagreements arise, fostering a supportive workplace.
During the expert session, Ben Ritchie engages the audience through various means, including a Q&A session, live demonstrations using the Mentimeter app for interactive exercises, and encouraging participants to share their ideas and commitments to creating a more inclusive workplace for LGBTQ+ individuals. The discussion covers topics like self-awareness, effective communication, the importance of learning about the community, and showing support through everyday acts.
Audience members ask questions on topics such as handling disagreements within the community and respecting privacy at work. Ben provides valuable insights and encourages open conversations to promote understanding, acceptance, and support for all members of the LGBTQ+ community.
Recognize your biases and limitations to create a more inclusive workplace for LGBTQ+ individuals. Accepting your feelings and educating yourself helps build empathy and understanding.
Use the "I Understand...However...Therefore" model when discussing sensitive or challenging topics related to LGBTQ+ inclusivity. Acknowledge perspectives, explain yours, and offer a solution for an inclusive and respectful conversation.
Stay informed about the LGBTQ+ community and its various identities. Engage in small acts of support like wearing visible symbols, sharing resources, and speaking up against discrimination.
In this expert session Ben discusses fostering an inclusive workplace for the LGBTQ+ community by encouraging visible, proactive allyship. Focusing on developing self-awareness, a willingness to learn, visibility, and support for others, the four "pillars" of his Allies Framework, he emphasises the importance of understanding and managing personal biases and emotions.
Ben begins by highlighting the importance of self-awareness in exploring and accepting where our current limitations and comfort zones lie. This includes understanding and accepting our feelings, biases, and limitations, helping us to respond appropriately when faced with challenging situations.
He also introduces the UHT model (I understand... however... therefore) as a method for engaging in respectful dialogue on sensitive or challenging interpersonal dilemmas. By acknowledging others' perspectives, explaining our own, and providing solutions, we can create an inclusive environment where all individuals feel valued and heard.
Ben emphasises the importance of being willing to learning about various identities, terminology, and challenges faced by members of the LGBTQ+ community. By exploring the diverse support available through literature, media, and engagement with colleagues, he provides practical guidance to help you feel more comfortable asking questions and learning about the LGBTQ+ community.
He encourages participants to be both visible and supportive, showing that they are standing with their LGBTQ+ colleagues by wearing visible symbols of solidarity, introducing themselves using preferred pronouns, and fostering a welcoming environment where individuals feel safe to express their identities.
He also stresses the importance of engaging in everyday acts of support, such as sharing educational resources or speaking up when needed, as essential aspects of making workplaces more inclusive for the LGBTQ+ community. He highlights that being an effective ally isn't a linear journey but a cyclical one, and that you need not feel like an expert in LGBTQ+ culture to have a positive impact.
Ben also discusses the significance of effectively supporting Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) by offering ideas, supporting events, and promoting an inclusive environment.
When addressing disagreements within the LGBTQ+ community regarding allyship, Ben suggests focusing on providing trusted opportunities for learning and engagement rather than expecting uniform agreement. Recognising the unique needs and experiences of each person within the community is crucial in fostering a supportive and inclusive workplace.
Ben acknowledges that privacy is essential but emphasises that discussions about personal lives can help build relationships and create supportive work environments. He encourages participants to be open-minded when colleagues share their experiences and to use these conversations as learning opportunities to broaden perspectives.
Leaning on a selection of willing and visible LGBTQ+ role-models and allies can help bring inclusivity to life.
For those dealing with unwanted questioning after coming out, Ben advises focusing on building confidence in oneself and finding allies who will support them. He suggests responding honestly and calmly to questions without feeling the need to justify or prove one's identity.
The expert session concludes with a reminder from Ben about the importance of using gender-neutral language and supporting each other as allies. He emphasises that being a supportive ally doesn't require extensive knowledge or identification with the community but rather an openness to learn, embrace difference, and create a more inclusive workplace for all individuals.
From the survey every participant gets when the session ends, in their own words.
It was good, very well done
Ben is a great, inspiring leader and speaker.
Amazing, great speaker
Thank you so much ! I love the session, I learn so much on how I can help/support others.
Ben was a wonderful speaker and his personal stories really made an impact. The frameworks used were practical and easy to understand - something I can use to improve being an ally!
The speaker was excellent. Very professional, tackling difficult questions with grace.
This course provided a very good knowledge on the Ally term and its function. Pledge idea was very interesting one.
It is interactive, and the block above says exactly how for this session. Nobody has to speak up who does not want to: the chat and the polls carry most of it, and the questions can come in anonymously.
In this expert session Ben discusses fostering an inclusive workplace for the LGBTQ+ community by encouraging visible, proactive allyship. Focusing on developing self-awareness, a willingness to learn, visibility, and support for others, the four "pillars" of his Allies Framework, he emphasises the importance of... It is built for a general working audience: no prior knowledge is assumed, and people who already know the subject get the research and the practical side rather than an introduction.
Ben Wilberforce-Ritchie is one of the experts we auditioned ourselves, and we produce every session so we see how each one lands. Participants rate this session 4.2 out of 5, across 105 responses, and rate Ben personally 4.6 out of 5.
It runs 45 min / 15 min: the talk, then live questions. All you do is pick a date. We brief Ben, produce the session, host and moderate it, run the Q&A, and send you the report within an hour of the end.
A team, a department, an employee network or every single employee at once, with no cap and no per-seat price. It runs inside your own Microsoft Teams, Zoom or Google Meet, or on a branded page we build. No integration, no login, no company device or e-mail.
The session is delivered in English. You can add high accuracy live subtitles in 8, 16 or 24 languages, so everyone follows in their own. That is a paid option, priced by the number of languages you need.
No, and that is by design. There is nothing to install, nothing to integrate and no connection to your systems, so there is nothing for IT to validate: we join your own Teams, Zoom or Meet as a guest speaker, or we host a page and your people open a link. No software, no accounts, and no data of yours that we can reach. It is why hundreds of companies, among them some of the largest technology and financial firms in the world, were able to start within a day.
We never receive or hold personal data about your employees. Because the session runs in your own environment, attendance and identity stay with you, and what we report back is aggregated: numbers, ratings and survey answers, not people. That is also why IT approval usually takes minutes rather than weeks.
You keep the recording and can share it internally. You also get attendance over time, participant ratings for the content and the speaker, the survey answers, and the topics your people asked for next.
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