On December 21st (Monday) at 1:30 PM, we held an online seminar titled "Seminar on Acquiring Knowledge & Skills to Leverage Diversity as a Strength ② Team Management in the Age of Diversity - Leading a Diverse Team".
This second installment of the "Seminar on Acquiring Knowledge and Skills to Leverage Diversity as a Strength" featured Ms. Masako Arakane, CEO of Qualia Co., Ltd., as the lecturer. A total of 12 people participated, including faculty and staff from Hokkaido University, as well as faculty and staff from Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, a joint implementing organization of the Hokkaido Diversity Research Environment Promotion Network (KNIT).
The seminar began with a discussion of "the latest trends in D&I management," touching upon Japan's lag behind other countries in rankings such as "employee motivation," "desirable country to work in," and "gender gap," and how it is being left behind. The speaker then discussed what is needed to overcome this situation from a diversity perspective.
In particular, the speaker discussed the concept of "inclusion," which has not been widely adopted in Japan until now, emphasizing its necessity for leveraging organizational diversity and the importance of diverse individuals coming together to create synergistic effects.
We also watched a video to understand "unconscious bias" and discussed the parts that felt strange to us. We reflected on whether our own words and actions were based on assumptions or preconceived notions, and we discussed our own communication tendencies based on a pre-assigned checklist to strengthen our communication skills and what important skills we need to improve.
Furthermore, as part of the "What is necessary to achieve results as a team," participants learned about key points for supporting diverse members from a management perspective and how to create a team that eliminates unconscious bias, followed by sharing their opinions through group work.
From the participants
"I had a vague feeling about it, but after confirming the definition in writing at this seminar and understanding it, I've become much more aware of it."
"I understood the importance of affirmation and giving small successes. At the same time, I realized that it's crucial to feel that these are things we receive, not things we give."
"I felt that enhancing psychological safety in the workplace is important for any organization."
We received feedback such as the above.
Thank you to Masako Arakane and the staff of Qualia Co., Ltd. for holding the seminar despite the busy end-of-year schedule, and to everyone who participated.
Instructor Masako Arakane
