Unconscious bias | Diversity and inclusion have become pillars of strength for many businesses, but unconscious bias is still an area of concern.

As the nation grapples with continuing social unrest and weeks of widespread protests against police brutality and racial injustice, the Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation (IICF) hosted its first-ever virtual leadership program focused on diversity and inclusion issues in the insurance industry on June 26.

"Dialogue for Diversity Live!" featured four insurance industry leaders focusing on leveraging opportunities and working and leading through crises and times of change. The virtual event was attended by nearly 1,000 insurance professionals, who engaged in the future of leadership in the industry.

Speakers and presentations included:

Mia Lorick, attorney at RMWBH Law, on "Change Starts in the Mirror."
Pascal Finette, co-founder at Be Radical, on "Navigating an Uncertain Present & Building for a Better Future."
Jen Tadin, president of small business at U.S., Gallagher, on "Vulnerability in Crisis Leadership."
Linde Hotchkiss, EVP & Southwest market leader at ABD Insurance and Financial Services, on "Pivoting to Positivity."

Keynoting the event, IICF International Board of Governors Chair Barbara Bufkin encouraged attendees to step up and make a difference in their organizations.

"The whole world is talking about matters of race, spoken and felt deeply and without compromise. Our conversations on inclusion are not just championed in the confines of the boardroom in the C-suites; they are, in fact, happening in the streets," Bufkin said.

"As champions of inclusion, we feel the call to work more and harder for immediate and sustainable change when we listen and learn from each other; we can better define opportunities within our industry for many. Together we can be a force for change that creates a more equitable environment for all."

IICF has made a recording of the program available for viewing on its Dialogue for Diversity webpage and YouTube. There, industry professionals can find previous installments of the series along with all new content from future events.

Presentation highlights

In the opening presentation, "Change Starts in the Mirror," Mia Lorick, attorney at RMWBH Law, addressed conscious and unconscious biases, how to identify them in the workplace and what everyone can personally do to affect change.

"We all have experiences, beliefs… challenges… opinions that shape who we are as people. And in that, it's natural to project that onto other people, even when we don't intend to," Lorick said. "And so how you affect change in your organization requires that you put those opinions, those personal beliefs, and those experiences to the side sometimes, and realize that not everyone has the same experiences as you do."

Lorick pleads the old adage: Be the change you want to see. Moreso, Lorick asks attendees to "Be the change that we asked for repeatedly at these diversity conferences."

Concluding with a favorite Sheryl Sandberg quote, Lorick reads: "We cannot change, what we are not aware of, but once we're aware. We cannot help but change." Reflecting on this quote, Lorick asks attendees to do some self-reflection.

"Look in the mirror and ask yourself, 'Is there something that I can do within myself to better change how equality and diversity is happening within my organization?'" Lorick concludes.

"And I submit to you all that as you go out into the world, as you return to your organizations, and you turn off this video that you implement that change, and you will be surprised at the results that we will get."

Industry events in the age of remote work

"With our Regional Forums postponed to the Fall, our goal was to provide our industry with an interactive virtual event that would build on the current momentum to reshape the future of our workplaces," said Betsy Myatt, vice president and chief program officer of IICF.

"Dialogue for Diversity Live! was our solution, helping our community stay connected and engaged during this difficult time. We were thrilled at the turn-out for this event and continue to be inspired by our speakers, sponsors, and our attendees, who are always searching for new ways to improve their work environments, drive greater diversity in leadership, and help others as they navigate our industry."

The IICF Women in Insurance Regional Forums are now taking place in Fall 2020. For updates and more information, visit IICF's website.

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