Leading with Inclusion: Furthering the Conversation About Diversity + Inclusion in the Hospitality + Events Industry

Sustainable, Long-Term Diversity & Inclusion action plans are necessary

Over the past month, the national conversation has centered around the harmful effects of racial injustice and systemic racism in the United States. As the meetings and events industry continues to move forward and recalibrate in response to the pandemic, this moment implores everyone in our industry to carefully examine and improve their diversity and inclusion practices.

We recognize that there is a D&I problem in the meetings/travel/hospitality industry. Together, we need to implement intentional plans that will mitigate inequality and increase diversity of thought. Long-term action plans are necessary, and we are here to learn as much as we can about inclusive business practices in support of The National Coalition of Black Meeting Professionals and the recent Black Event Industry Leaders Call for Action.

During the next webinar in our Revive + Innovate Virtual Event Series, we are turning our attention toward increasing diversity and inclusion in the meetings and events industry. In order to do our part, we need to break the silence, listen, and address the need for change in our industry, and beyond. As we focus on the urgent need to actively increase diversity and inclusion in meetings and events, we look to experts Melissa Majors, Christopher Davies, and Jason Dunn to guide us.

As an industry, we need to define and discuss diversity and inclusion in business so that we can share resources, ensure that all shareholder voices are heard, and take action to optimize.

While we are in the midst of embracing vast changes in the meetings and events industry, we have been given the opportunity to shift mindsets, bring diverse perspectives to the forefront, and build heterogenous teams that promote a wider range of possibilities for innovation. Part of this comes with thoughtfully incorporating diverse perspectives to build loyalty – something that Christopher Davies and the Pondhr team focuses on in keeping businesses engaged.

Create a safe place for conversation

The conversation on racial injustice can be very daunting to those who do not know where to start. In an age where “cancel” culture is running rampant among influencers and celebrities all over social media, many are reluctant in sharing their opinions in fear of backlash or being called out for saying something wrong. 

In a recent Skift Article Tamela Blalock, Vice President of Cooperative Relations at NCBA CLUSA International, spoke about how important it is to “Create a space for dialogue in which it is ok to make mistakes, to feel awkward or embarrassed or wrong. The 'safe space' is actually a 'brave space' because it needs to allow people to go out of their comfort zones, knowing that they will make mistakes and be comfortable with being corrected.”

Invest more than money

As meeting professionals, we are in the business of creating shared experiences. Money definitely has an important role in execution, but it always comes down to the human to human connections we are able to make regardless of the topics at hand. This is the same idea when it comes to investing in diversity.

Jason Dunn, Chairman of the National Coalition of Black Meeting Professionals, talks about investing in organizations such as the NCBMP, but not with just money. “We would love to have some professionals or send our experts to come in and work with both communities, to have discussions, to do webinars, to speak, to have workshops through which we can share knowledge or shared interests.” Let the voices of those who have different life experiences be amplified and shared.

Inclusive leadership in action

To become more inclusive leaders and stakeholders, we must develop a shared meaning of diversity and continue to recognize that diversity in business leads to the disruption of outdated practices and growth for all.

Through her work, Melissa Majors helps business leaders deploy outcomes-based inclusion strategies, including the mitigation of unintentional barriers to inclusion and ultimately, innovation. When we intentionally capitalize on our differences, innovation follows. During her course, The 7 Habits of Inclusive Leaders, Melissa explores the tactics and behavior used by great leaders to ensure others are equitably included. These lessons can be used to evolve your own business practices, mitigate bias, and contribute to a more balanced future.

We are eager to explore how to boost inclusive collaboration, build a more inclusive mindset, and embrace bias. Through Melissa Majors’ leadership, learning, and “blameless” inclusion strategies, you can deepen your understanding of diversity and inclusion and develop lasting habits that will allow you to serve as a better business partner to others.

Inclusive leaders see inclusion as a business imperative, demonstrate empathy, use inclusive collaboration, have an inclusive mindset, hold committable values, use inclusive decision making, and lead people and self.

Here are some D&I related questions to consider:

·      What actions have you taken in your own organization to increase diversity and inclusion? Does your organization look homogeneous?

·      How can you expose yourself to difference more frequently? What diverse perspectives are you exposed to on a daily basis?

·      Have you developed a procurement policy to ensure that you’re doing business with a diverse range of suppliers?

·      Do your marketing materials represent and speak to a diverse range of perspectives and individuals?

·      How are you engaging with underserved communities to attract a diverse range of talent in the meetings and events industry?

·      What actions are you taking to keep your unconscious biases in check?

Register for the Revive + Innovate Diversity & Inclusion Webinar

We look forward to your participation in this important topic of discussion! Register to learn more about Diversity & Inclusion and what you can do to take action to increase D&I in the meetings and events industry.

*All profits from this event will go towards CMP Scholarships for members of the National Coalition of Black Meeting Professionals.

Meet the Panel

Melissa Majors | CEO - Melissa Majors Consulting

Melissa Majors, CEO of Melissa Majors Consulting, is an innovator and optimizer of education, inclusion, & leadership strategies. She has dedicated her career to maximizing the business impact associated with these areas of focus.

This crowd-pleasing speaker has mastered the art of delivering brain-friendly talks that engage her audiences and spark not just inspiration, but action as well.

Melissa has been featured in publications such as Forbes Magazine, Smart Meetings, The Meeting Professional, NorthStar Meetings Group's Eventful Podcast, The Event DR, and on the keynote stage at events such as Meeting Professional's International's WEC, The Northwest Event Show, Catalyst Events, HD Vest's CONNECT, and many more.

Melissa delivers talks on a variety of subjects associated with leadership, learning, and "blameless" inclusion. She differentiates her content by blending research, neuroscience, purposeful stories, and fun into her talks.

Jason Dunn | Chairman - National Coalition of Black Meeting Professionals

 Jason Dunn has been a change maker in Cincinnati and within the national hospitality industry for almost two decades, with a drive to redefine how the industry thinks about multicultural and diversity meetings and their impact on the destinations. Since joining the CVB in 2004, Jason has led efforts to deliver significant new convention business and forged inroads with the national multicultural & diverse meetings market. During his tenure, the number of multicultural /diverse meetings in Cincinnati has represented more than one-third of all CVB new business from 2008-18, with a direct visitor spend of $200 million. Jason brings deep perspective and a successful track record in connecting communities of all backgrounds to Cincinnati. 

As the first supplier to be elected chairman of the National Coalition of Black Meeting Professionals (NCBMP), Dunn has found intersections between his role as GVP in Cincinnati and Chairman of NCBMP. Under Dunn’s leadership, the partnership with MPI will provide an equitable exchange- introducing professional development access through educational opportunities. The partnership will focus on unifying the MICE industry in a comprehensive way, by leading with data and mutual access to untapped resources. 

Dunn has served as chair of the Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority, where he helped the organization improve access to jobs, broaden benefits to employees and increase accountability and enhance planning. Through his leadership, a ballot initiative was put in place in 2020 which will invest one billion dollars to improve the regional transit and infrastructure. He is the chair of Greater Cincinnati Northern Kentucky African American Chamber of Commerce, which is the largest African American chamber in the Midwest; recipient of the 2017 Outstanding Directors Award by the Cincinnati Business Courier; chair of the Cincinnati Police Foundation, Graduate of Leadership Cincinnati Class 39 and the Urban League’s African American Leadership Development Program Class 20. 

Among his industry leadership roles, Jason has served as the co-chair of the 107th NAACP National Convention Blue Ribbon Committee and was named a "40 under 40" young industry leader by Mass Transit Magazine and Connect and Rejuvenate magazines. He also co-created the annual Cincinnati Moon Festival event in collaboration with the Greater Cincinnati Chinese Cultural Exchange Association. 

Dunn is married to Tiffany and enjoys spending time with their children Mya and Jason II. 

Christopher Davies | Founder & Engagement Strategist - Pondhr

Christopher Davies is Founder and Engagement Strategist with Pondhr. Pondhr develops unique strategies to showcase our organization’s humanness, to better relate to and engage with our customers, communities and employees. Christopher is passionate about people and is committed to delivering a greater return from our relationships (ROR).