Workplace & Regional Solutions

• I want to use my power, privilege, purpose and platform for a purpose, but how can I genuinely do this without making it feel like it’s a covered act?
• My company wants to implement diversity and inclusion initiatives, but as a manager I have lots of concerns about chasing buzz words and frankly don’t believe it will work.
• My competitors are embarking on DEIE initiatives, but why should I?
• I know we need to diversify our leadership team, but it’s challenging to find qualified internal candidates.

These are some authentic reflections executives and managers are having as they contemplate DEIE strategies in the workplace. Their role and commitment has significant impact on employee engagement, workplace culture and the ultimate success to drive positive strategic changes with DEIE.

As a Certified Diversity Executive, Sarika Bhakta consults with executives and managers individually and/or in leadership workshops to help them understand DEIE is an ongoing journey that begins at the personal level. Through self-examination of one’s relationships, purpose, role and worldview (assumptions and perceptions), authentic leadership is explored to ensure beliefs and values align with their actions. Self-examination and openness is critical for leaders’ positive development and personal growth improving their management style, organizational function and overall confidence.

• I’m perceived as a “Model Minority” causing cultural biases to impact my career progression. I need to gain tools to empower myself to debunk this myth while advocating for myself.
• I am struggling with authentically embracing my core values while aligning them with my traditional cultural norms.
• How can I develop a strong diverse network of advocates to elevate myself and advance my professional aspirations?
• I’m only known to be a Worker Bee, but how can I demonstrate my potential to be the Queen Bee?

From a racial/ethnic perspective in the United States, the Asian American & Pacific Islander (AAPI) population in the United States is the fastest growing group projected to be the largest immigrant group by 2055 as well as the fastest consumer group, both domestically and globally. Yet, they are significantly underrepresented in leadership positions as well as one of the most understudied, underreported and overlooked groups to date.

Due to globalization, technology and demographic changes our workplace and marketplace have diversified significantly creating the urgency to cultivate more AAPI leadership to successfully compete in a global economy with growing influential Asian markets.

Breaking through the Bamboo Ceiling requires both sides to chip away at this in order for significant gains to be made with more AAPIs in leadership roles. From the top side, prevailing Western leadership stereotypes and biases can negatively stall an AAPI’s career. From the bottom side, An AAPI’s educational journey, cultural values and upbringing could be the foundation of their preexisting behaviors and expectations. We provide expert knowledge via career coaching and development to accelerate an AAPI’s leadership career to effectively impact change and transform mindset.

What’s your community, region or state’s culture? 
A) Melting Pot → Homogeneous
B) Layered Salad  → Siloed
C) Tossed Salad → Integrated

On one side of the spectrum you could have a very homogeneous region lacking diversity which impedes attraction/retention of diverse workforce, businesses and residents impacting development and growth. On the other side of the spectrum, you may have all the diversity living in a big metro area, but diverse community groups are too siloed due to lack of interaction and engagement. All it takes is ONE incident to pit one racial/ethnic neighborhood group against another. ONE political decision to pit one religious group against another.

With increased diversity are we seeing more group polarization occurring? Enhancing interaction between groups increases awareness, tolerance and cultural competency. Ultimately decreasing biases and crimes creating a safe, fun and vibrant quality of life for your region.

Solutions Offered:

• Facilitate community dialogue/engagement to foster coalition building
• Serve as subject matter expert on EDI&E community/economic development initiatives
• Host Ambassador Workshops for business, community and regional leaders to create advocates and champions

Learning and development solutions customized to meet your needs and integrated with your strategic business plan to ensure sustainable ROI. We deliver solutions by creating a safe and inclusive training environment that engages participants while developing their authentic self. More importantly enables them to gain critical DEIE skills to apply immediately in their workplace enhancing overall workplace culture while improving processes, programs and procedures. Participants will acquire skills via multi-prong learning components ranging from training exercises, group and video-based dialogues to interactive lectures.

• DEIE 101
• Hiring Through a DEIE Lens
• Cultural Competency
• Effective Cultural Communications – Beyond Words
• Bridging Generational Intelligence
• Anti-Harassment Workplace Culture
• Race, Power & Privilege
• Inspiring Women is Empowering Women
• Lifting the Veil on the Asian Immigrant Experience in the Workplace
• Managing Your Mind Consciously: The Impact of Unconscious Bias, Micro-inequities & Micro-aggressions
• Empower Hours (Lunch-n-Learns)