Coaching for rising leaders ready for the next level.

Send a loud and clear message showing your authentic commitment to DEI by sponsoring diverse rising leaders and investing in your diverse employees.

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Research shows women and people of color are underutilized in corporate America. They feel excluded and often sense they won't get a "fair shake" when it comes to evaluation, professional development and promotion.

Sensing a lack of equity and an absence of inclusion, these valuable employees often leave organizations making it impossible to meet business, growth or DEI objectives.

We developed the Diverse Rising Leaders Academy to fill this gap.

  • Who?

    Women, employees of color, and other "diverse" or underrepresented employees on their way up the organizational chart (typically with 7-15 years of professional experience).

  • What?

    Communication & negotiation skills, career mapping, mental health, burnout & resilience, defining your value, conflict resolution skills, increasing your corporate value, knowing the business of your business and more!

  • Format

    In-person, live Zoom meetings, or hybrid meetings. Additional video and written content, community support, opportunities for self-reflection.

  • Faculty

    PersuasionPoint expert, Patti Perez.

  • Pricing

    $2,000-$3,300 per rising leader. This is an organization-level investment in your diverse employees. See below for pricing breakdown.

We understand the problem.

Too often, DEI efforts center on leaders rather than on diverse employees. Efforts we know spell success - like mentoring, succession planning, and career development for mid-career diverse employees - are commonly ignored. This leads to two results:

  1. Most organizations lack diversity in their leadership. Even organizations with diverse employee populations see that representation dwindles at the leadership level.
  2. The attrition rate for diverse employees, particularly for women of color, is a huge concern. Diverse employees often leave organizations in numbers equal to recruitment numbers – meaning no net gains in representation, no clear pathway upward for diverse employees, and no pipeline from which the company can draw for promotion into leadership.
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Research by the numbers.

Two studies by McKinsey illustrate the problem with a leaky (or sometimes non-existent) pipeline, which results in larger representation of women and BIPOC at the entry-level, and a steep fall-off in diversity as you go up the organizational chart. The problem is particularly bleak for women of color. Source 1, Source 2.

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We've developed the solution.

These realities got us thinking. In addition to working with leaders to design and execute elegant and effective DEI programs, we need a way to partner with mid-level diverse, emergent leaders who are the most likely to fall through the cracks.

We've developed a comprehensive curriculum to address these specific corporate pain points, including:

Sharpening Skills

to allow these diverse leaders to shine by finding and using their voice, communicating precisely and persuasively, learning to navigate workplace conflict and developing their personal brands.

Executive Leadership Coaching and Mentoring

that includes learning the business of their businesses, and learning to be change agents within their organizations to increase the likelihood that DEI programs will flourish.

Holistic Well-Being Principles

that incorporate work-life endurance, strengthens resilience and prevents burnout and attrition.

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Organizational ROI

Send a loud and clear message showing your authentic commitment to DEI. By sponsoring your diverse rising leaders you solidify your commitment to investing in your diverse employees. That investment will reap a harvest of:

  • A greater sense of equity + belonging for all
  • Lower diversity attrition
  • A robust pipeline of diverse leaders
  • Increased visibility and credibility for candidates looking to join you

How it Works

Executive leadership coaching + skills training + community networking & support

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Live & Virtual Offerings

Participants can join us no matter where they live or work. Most organizations opt to have at least one session in person, and most sessions conducted live via zoom. The live calls (90 minutes) are recorded and shared only within the group. The program lasts 6-9 months with a cadence of one meeting per month that allows for consistency but prevents overwhelm.

Practical and Actionable Results

By the end of the program, participants will be ready to share their unique value, navigate their way to promotion and success, and have the tools needed to communicate effectively.

Community-Focused

The isolation of being the only (or one of a few) diverse rising leaders takes its toll. This program introduces participants to a community of like-minded professionals, with similar stories of triumph and struggle, who they can rely on for kinship, and who will become key members of their professional network.

Transformational results await.

Find and use your voice.

We will help diverse rising leaders identify their unique strengths and teach how to to appreciate and communicate their value.

Leap over professional hurdles.

As seasoned diverse professionals, we know the hurdles diverse rising leaders face and will teach how to jump over them with ease.

Learn the business of your business.

It is critical that rising leaders understand how their business operates and how to contribute to the success of an organization.

Focus on holistic well-being.

We will discuss common pitfalls such as how to combat imposter syndrome, how to strengthen resilience, and how to battle perfectionism.

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Diverse Rising Leaders
Program Agenda (Sample)

Complete the Strength Deployment Inventory (SDI 2.0) assessment and meet for a one-on-one with Patti Perez*.

*Depending on program selected, participants will meet with Patti for one or two additional coaching sessions.

Programs& Pricing

The Diverse Rising Leaders Academy is centered on work that takes place within an organization, not outside of it. External programs, which are not customized for your employees or to fit with your strategic DEI plans, are not only few and far between, they are also costly.

This leadership program is a 6-month commitment to your organization and employees, and includes group, huddle, and individual coaching sessions.

Typical group size is up to 8 participants, customizable packages are available to groups up to 12.

Innovator

$2,000 per leader
  • Two one-hour, individual executive coaching sessions with each participant
  • Six group sessions (1.5 hours each) in person, virtual, or hybrid
  • Additional/bonus material (videos, workbooks, articles, discussion/reflection questions) and access to community

Pathfinder

$2,750 per leader
  • Three one-hour, individual executive coaching sessions with each participant
  • Six group sessions (1.5 hours each) in person, virtual, or hybrid
  • Bonus open Q&A group session (1.5 hours)
  • Additional/bonus material (videos, workbooks, articles, discussion/reflection questions) and access to community

Trailblazer

$3,300 per leader
  • Four one-hour, individual executive coaching sessions with each participant
  • Eight group sessions (1.5 hours each) in person, virtual, or hybrid
  • Group sessions can be conducting in six months, or spread out over 8-9 months
  • Bonus open Q&A group session (1.5 hours)
  • Additional/bonus material (videos, workbooks, articles, discussion/reflection questions) and access to community

All programs include the following:

  • Fully customizable content selected from a menu of topic options
  • Assistance with program implementation, including:
    • Establishing participant profile (which demographic group(s) to include, experience level for
      participation, range of titles, etc.)
    • How to establish a selection process (nomination by supervisors, self-nomination, nomination
      through affinity networks/ERGs, etc.)
  • Additional material and resources
    • Workbooks, articles, and other resources for participants to view and work through in between sessions
    • Access to guest speakers to cover specific topics of interest for your industry (or a session with
      internal organizational speakers to address specific issues related to your company)
  • Regular check-ins as well as post-program report with a presentation of overall impressions and
    recommendations (no specific information from individual or group meeting is disclosed to encourage open communication with participants).

Meet the coach

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Patti Perez

CEO & ChiefDrama Slayer

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Patti Perez is founder and CEO of PersuasionPoint, a modern-day consulting firm dedicated to teaching leaders and teams how to create and sustain healthy, inclusive and profitable workplace cultures. Click here to learn more about Patti.

Are you ready to improve your team's leadership?

Book an exploration call for the Diverse Rising Leaders Academy and see what an authentic commitment to DEI can do.