Projects - Corporate - Managing Diversity Program

Our three-year collaborative partnership with a key division of Telstra produced a number of innovative projects.

Induction Project
The Centre designed a review of the client's induction and training program to identify issues and concerns about the past and current induction process and how these processes might be improved.

Following initial interviews with managers and trainees, we developed a training module for the induction program that focused on team building, communication, conflict resolution, values clarification and understanding diversity.

People Project
The Centre was contracted to work with managers and staff in a growing business unit to realise the group's vision of being a united, enjoyable, dynamic, empowered and innovative place of work.

The focus of our work with this business unit included:

• enhancing existing communication strategies
• clearly articulating roles and responsibilities and how leadership is exercised by management
• supporting effective team formation and addressing those areas where team support and performance requires enhancing
• developing strategies for managing future transitions and the ongoing changing environment

Accordingly, the Centre facilitated a series of round table conversations between staff and managers in various work sites around Australia, in order to surface issues of concern, bridge differences and identify action steps.

We also chaired an initiative to develop a comprehensive corporate communications strategy that meets the diverse information and communication needs of the business unit's geographically dispersed workforce. In support of the implementation of this strategy we designed and ran a series of two-day leadership and communication workshops for over 80 managers and team leaders. The leadership of change, communication and teams was also explored in monthly leadership development forums with the senior leadership group.

Core Network Development
The Centre was engaged to develop, plan and conduct a skills inventory research project that gave Telstra an accurate and deep picture of the skill and value of existing telephony staff.

The project was premised on the belief that existing telephony staff possessed transferable skills and could continue to contribute value to a new-look network if appropriate opportunities were provided for training and development.

Previous Projects with Telstra
During 1999 we designed, delivered and evaluated an innovative Diversity Program for our client (a division of Telstra) to support managers in the transition to a new workforce characterised by increased demographic and organisational diversity.

Evaluation was extremely positive with many middle-level managers saying that their work with us supported them successfully through a demanding and stressful change process.

We undertook the following key training and consultancy activities:

• individual and group consultations with managers and supervisors
• two-day Diversity Workshops delivered to over 250 managers focusing on diversity management skills and knowledge
• specialist, skills-based workshops designed to extend the diversity management skills of managers
• specific consultancy services on an as needed basis
• extensive evaluation of the impacts of diversity training and the uptake of diversity initiatives

During 1999, we also developed the following specific programs:

Professional Cross-Cultural Communications Program
We developed and ran a cross-cultural communication program for managers and staff where a high number of newer staff did not speak Australian English as a first language and were required to communicate by phone as part of their jobs. Importantly, we worked with both staff and managers to improve and enhance their skills to communicate across cultural difference.

Cross Cultural Leadership (Indian and Confusian Cultures)
These two half-day workshops provided Telstra managers with a solid source of information about the Asian Pacific cultures from which Telstra draws its staff, managers and customers.

Interpersonal Communication for Managers
This workshop provided managers with the opportunity to learn more about the skills of effective interpersonal communication within the workplace.

Managing Diverse Work Teams
This one-day workshop gave Telstra managers the skills to maximise the unique contributions of individual members of their team. The workshop emphasised the ways that leadership can bring people together to create a productive environment.

Understandnig and working with Organisational Change
This two-day workshop gave Telstra managers practical skills to deal with change and to work pro-actively with the current and future organisation

Changing Role of Men in Management
This one-day workshop provided male managers with an overview of contemporary ideas on masculinity and gave them an opportunity to reflect on their position as men in corporate life and as managers of cultural change.