Laurie Morse-Dell

Founder of Lean In Michigan, a peer mentorship community working to create an equal world

50 Ways to Fight Gender Bias: Whether deliberate or unconscious, gender bias is holding women back in the workplace and making it difficult for companies to level the playing field. Participants in this workshop will explore specific examples of the six most common biases women face in the workplace and discuss research-backed recommendations for what to do when they encounter a bias. The workshop encourages group discussion and problem-solving among all genders to allow everyone to play a meaningful role in identifying and combating bias.

This is a fun and interactive training that encourages participation and engages participants in a safe and informative environment. Each participant will receive a Bias Reference Handout and a link to access all training materials for free at their convenience.

AGENDA: Workshop can be customized for 1 hr – 3.5 hrs
• Introduction: overview and guidelines for the workshop
• Video: participants will view a brief video introducing the 6 types of bias
• Icebreaker Challenges: select participants will read a research prompt to the audience who will in turn try to guess the answer to the research findings.
• Situations and Solutions: Each situation will be shared with participants that they will discuss in small groups before sharing with the whole audience, attendees will then learn the recommended solution for the situation. You will get through as many situations as time allows for, this can vary depending on how talkative the audience is.
• Practice Challenges: participants will act out scenarios and practice combating bias in real time.
• One Actions: participants will reflect on what they learned and record their commitment to one action they will take to address gender bias, they will be encouraged to share their one actions with the group before they adjourn.

Learning Objectives:
1. Participants will learn the six most common biases women face (Likeability Bias, Performance Bias, Maternal Bias, Attribution Bias, Affinity Bias, Double Discrimination & Intersectionality)
2. Participants will learn the importance of a more balanced workplace and how bias impacts the company overall.
3. Participants will learn research-backed recommendations for what to do to combat bias.

Developed in collaboration with gender experts from the Stanford VMWare Women's Leadership Innovation Lab and Paradigm, a diversity and inclusion strategy consulting firm.

Laurie Morse-Dell is the founder of Lean In Michigan, a peer mentorship community working to create an equal world through programs that counter gender stereotypes and is a National Diversity Council Certified Diversity Professional. She has an extensive background in marketing, leadership and entrepreneurial development and currently serves as the associate director of Incompass Michigan - a statewide association promoting community access and inclusion. Laurie is a Lean In Regional Leader for the Sheryl Sandberg & Dave Goldberg Family Foundation and is actively involved in various efforts that support youth who have experienced foster care.

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