All posts by Mauricio Velásquez

ADR ADVISOR Mauricio Velásquez, MBA, is President, CEO of The Diversity Training Group LLC, in Herndon, VA. He has lead workshops, consulted, and coached in every state but North Dakota. Life and work have taken him to more than 70 countries. Mauricio and the DTG team have worked with hundreds of organizations.
Authors R-Z, Teams & Leaders

Associate Retention Today: The Truth – by Mauricio Velasquez

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As a Diversity Consultant and Trainer to law firms I am often asked by our clients “help us stop the bleeding.” Firms invest so much in sourcing, recruiting and developing their talented associates and to see them leave prematurely can be disastrous. One of my clients had lost nearly a dozen partners and associates (too many were women, minorities, not all) in a particular practice area in a several week span and they called DTG for help.

HELP?

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Authors R-Z, Teams & Leaders

Recent Diversity Training Made Me Reflect – by Mauricio Velásquez

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Observations and Tips from recent training in the Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) trenches (especially hostile or militant audiences)

CURRENT EVENTS – Current events are just “upping the volume, the passion, the conversation in the workshop.” Do not shy away from current events. I do not answer “what do you think about…” questions at first, I deflect to rest of room to get them talking. Do your homework, stay up to date on current events – be ready! Address vacuum, hearsay and gossip with facts. You might have to revisit ground rules more than once. Between Trump, Confederate Flag, Terrorism (domestic and international), Law Enforcement News, shootings, etc., – who can keep up? Well, you have to. I read multiple newspapers and watch multiple news hours every night (I watch all sides, all perspectives). You have to be a historian to do this work correctly.

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Authors R-Z, Generational, Teams & Leaders

Emerging Trends in D&I – By Mauricio A. Velásquez

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As a professional who has worked in the D&I field for 25 years, I am seeing some significant emerging trends in the workplace. As a result of an improving economy, previously slashed HR budgets are finally being revitalized with attention being paid to training and development – especially for diversity and inclusion. In addition, as the labor market continues to improve, more employers are talking about becoming an “employer of choice” and strengthening their programs and employee relationships. The days of employers feeling their staff should “just be happy to have a job” are increasingly behind us as the market shifts in favor of employees. Savvy employers who value diversity, widen their recruiting net and retain talent by implementing inclusive programs will win the war for new talent. The newest generation entering the workforce is more diverse than ever and the generation behind it will produce an even more diverse “wave” of new hires. Status quo is no longer applicable.

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Authors R-Z, Teams & Leaders

Toxic Employees, Toxic Workplaces- By Mauricio Velásquez

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Toxic employees are trying to “take over” and create toxic workplaces. As a diversity trainer, sexual harassment prevention trainer, consultant, executive coach, and expert witness, for twenty five years now, so much of my work points to one emerging phenomenon – toxic employees, toxic workplaces, are on the rise!

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Authors R-Z, Teams & Leaders

What My Father Taught Me About Diversity and Inclusion — by Mauricio Velásquez

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Antonio Velásquez, my immigrant father, who came to this country (legally , you have to say that these days) with nothing, not knowing the language, serving this great country in the military and then eventually, with the GI bill, graduating from college (at age 32) recently passed away.  My father lived to see me go to college and graduate, earning a BA and MBA from two great schools, and watched me marry a fabulous woman and have three wonderful children together and start my own firm – The Diversity Training Group.  DTG has thrived for nearly 15 years.

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Teams & Leaders

Diversity and Inclusion Fatigue — by Mauricio Velásquez

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HOSTILITY

Do we have to keep talking about this?  Oh, a diversity workshop… why? You are ruining the workplace; we can’t have any fun anymore!”  Have you heard these wonderful, welcoming, open, pro-learning comments lately?    I had one participant (in front of all of his buddies) recently comment – “This session will probably be about the KKK, right?!”  Another participant in the same session said – “This is going to be a total waste of time (in front of HR)!”

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Authors R-Z, Teams & Leaders

Why Diversity Fatigue — by Mauricio Velásquez

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I think many people are tired of the diversity issues percolating and re-circulating in the workplace, marketplace, and society-at-large, but way too many people just don’t realize that these diversity and inclusion issues are going unacknowledged, unresolved and “will come back over and over again.”  The question is not should we fear diversity fatigue but why are so many people so fatigued?

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