There are many reasons to hire a consultant when it comes to expanding diversity and inclusion. Here are two top reasons:
You want someone with knowledge, experiences and skills.
A skilled consultant will:
- Move your process along faster and more effectively than doing it internally, while avoiding costly missteps.
- Offer information on best practices and will apply those to your organization’s developmental stage and growth patterns.
- Offer concrete strategies that s/he has seen work effectively in other organizations and provide practical ideas on effective implementation.
- Assist in identifying tracking metrics to measure the success of your efforts over time.
You want an objective perspective.
Someone without existing biases about the organization’s past and current issues. This is especially true when:
- Your organization has experienced past diversity & inclusion efforts without success.
- Your organization has experienced diversity-related conflicts that continue to impact successful operations.
- Your organization experiences internal power dynamics that are difficult to manage.
A skilled facilitator trained in addressing conflict can help your organization emerge positively from past negative circumstances.
One more thing… you want the plan to still be yours. A good diversity and inclusion consultant will work together with organizational staff to co-create a plan that will work best. Assessment will be driven by constituent ideas that blossom from within and fit naturally with the organization’s existing processes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does LaTosch Consulting do? LaTosch Consulting provides a range of services depending on an organization’s needs. Service with current clients includes:
- Facilitate and coordinate diversity & inclusion committees and related initiatives
- Conduct organizational assessments to determine diversity and inclusion needs
- Collect data and report themes regarding constituent perspectives and experience
- Lead input and idea-building workshops
- Analyze data and produce recommendations
- Facilitate training and educational workshops
- Provide expert project management for plan implementation
How much do services cost? The most common service provided is assessment and planning. These costs are dependent on the size and breadth of the organization. Organizations under $2,000,000 should budget at least $7,500. At a minimum, this would include 1-2 meetings per month with a diversity & inclusion planning committee and include the following components:
- staff survey
- group workshop
- organizational assessment
- group workshop
- analysis & reporting
How long does it take? The process above typically takes about 4-6 months, depending on the organization’s scheduling ability.
What options can increase the expense?
- Face-to-face meetings are required for this work on several occasions. For organizations that have more than one office, all staff workshops need to take place in each city (unless all staff can be convened in the same location).
- Travel expenses beyond 2 hours’ drive time require reimbursement. This includes airfare, ground transportation, lodging and meals.
- More complex organizations with deeper diversity and inclusion history may require individual interviews and focus groups.
- Larger organizations may require a consultant team or administrative support on the project. LaTosch Consulting has build a strong network of knowledgeable and skilled associates.
How do I get started? Email or call Kathleen LaTosch for a free consult or at ask a question not listed here.