Diversity Icebreaker

This research examined the link between the Diversity Icebreaker dimensions of Red, Blue, and Green, as cognitive styles, and the characteristics associated with of trustworthiness. The data were compiled in 2021 based upon 387 participants who scored the 11 trust-items that comprise the Diversity Icebreaker trust add-on module. The research was conducted as a part of activities within the Trustworthiness Research Alliance (https://www.trustworthiness.ca/). Bjørn Z. Ekelund gathered the data. Data analysis was performed by Catherine T. Kwantes and Susanne McMurphy at the University of Windsor in cooperation with student Mashid Soleimani.

 

Reference: Kwantes, C., McMurhpy, S., Soleimani, M & Ekelund, BZ. Cognitive Styles and Trustworthiness Expectations. Canadian Psychological Association 2022, the 83rd Annual National Convention. June 17th - 19th, 2022, at the Hyatt

 

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A 2022 conference presentation re-examining results of data gathered in workshops conducted by prof. Mary Yoko Brannen and Bjørn Z. Ekelund in 2010 in two different organizations that had applied the Diversity Icebreaker over a course of many years.

In the workshop, the participating employees were asked to identify examples of practice that were formed by the Diversity Icebreaker and the categories of Red, Blue, and Green. The results were analyzed in 2021 by a group of students led by Catherine T. Kwantes at University of Windsor from the Psychological Safety perspective. Based on available research literature, four trained coders developed a codebook of linguistic markers for themes related to psychological safety for each of the workshop transcripts and for the categories of: Voice, Belongingness, Appreciation, and Authenticity. Rank order was the same in the two organizations: 1. Belongingness; 2. Voice; 3. Authenticity; and 4 Appreciation. Unlike much of the literature within the North American context, which emphasizes the role of Voice, it seemed that Belongingness was more important in this study.

 

Reference: Livingstone, J., Dugal, E., Soleimani, M., Ryan, T., Bondy, B., Tahsin, F., Hussein, N., Kwantes, C.T. & Ekelund, B.Z: Employee Expectations of Psychological Safety Within Two Different Norwegian Organizational Settings. Midwestern Psychological Association. 94th Annual MPA Conference, April 21-23, 2022. Chicago, USA.

 

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Andvig, E., Ekelund, B.Z., Kobro, L.U. & Bongaardt, R.: Peer support for housing challenges: Experiences of parents in low-income families in Norway. Nordisk välfärdsforskning/Nordic Welfare Research. To be published autumn 2022.

 

Peer support brings together people with similar concerns and/or experiences, enabling them to explore solutions together and empowering them. In a Norwegian municipal intervention and research project, parents from low-income families participated in a peer support program in order to solve their housing challenges. The aim of the research part of the project was to document how parents in low-income families experience participation in a peer support program that focused on their housing situation as a crucial aspect of their lives. The research approach involved participant observation, a focus group interview, and in-depth personal interviews. The findings describe how participants changed from social isolation to shared experiences of reciprocity and mutuality; and from powerlessness to developing personal strength. They started to act more assertively in everyday life, and they met social service workers with a new mentality. The discussion focuses on how participation in peer support groups may strengthen participants’ development towards being more empowered citizens. It also addresses the relevance of peer support groups for persons using social services and concludes that peer support groups may be a supplementary way to solve challenges of limited resources in the municipal social housing sector.

 

Read the article here: https://www.idunn.no/doi/10.18261/nwr.7.2.2

 

 

 

In this research project we were looking for significant differences or potential issues with regards to the Diversity Icebreaker application that could be related to cultural differences. However, reports from practitioners using the tool did not point to any significant differences or challenges in using the tool in their cultural contexts.

 

Reference: Canney Davison, S., Ekelund, B. Z. Gjerde, S. Boodhun, V., Guttormsgard, I., Malde, Y.S., Handeland, A. Dahlmann, O. P., Gyan, K.A. , Dybwad, A. Johnston, K., Fjell, K. and Lane, H. Trainer experiences applying Diversity Icebreaker in 15 African countries. African Academy of Management, 8th January 2016. Nairobi.

 

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This conference presentation summaries more than 5 years of experimental designed research with Divesity Icebreaker at Hebrew University. It has been an important element to document the intervention effects of the short Diversity Icebreaker seminar in relationship to trust, psychological safety and creativity

Reference: Arieli, S., Rubel-Lifshitz, T. Elster, A, Sagiv, L and Ekelund, B.Z.: Psychological Safety, Group Diversity and Creativity. Israel Organizational Behavior Conference 3rd January 2018. Tel-Aviv, Israel.

 

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Ivana Petrovic used the Diversity Icebreaker in multiple training sessions with Red Cross in Europe. In this article, she examines Red Cross volunteers’ experience from the perspective of their careers during the refugee crisis in Serbia in 2016.

The purpose of this paper was to examine career shocks experienced by the staff and volunteers of the Serbian Red Cross (RC) during the migrants influx in 2016. Specifically, the authors explore what the volatile environment in which RC staff and volunteers work can teach us about career shocks, and what makes a career shock for people whose everyday work entails stressful events. The study examined a number of anecdotes that reflect the career shock construct to a greater or lesser extent. These anecdotes were developed by RC staff and volunteers as part of a communications training storytelling exercise. The authors analyzed these events from the perspective of recent developments in career shocks research and examined whether the anecdotes contained elements that would enable us to differentiate between career shocks and stressors. Those anecdotes found to be the most prototypical of career shocks, as opposed to stressors, were found to instigate in-depth reflection about the career, were identity related, and had a tangible career impact. Shocking events in the eyes of RC people entailed work demands that go beyond expectations, excessive media scrutiny, and conflicting values. The authors discuss how organizational values, fostering person–organization fit, providing organizational and collegial support, and deploying “weathered” staff, could comprise a “vaccine” that makes the organization immune to career shocks. By taking a data before theory approach to the study of career shocks, this paper provides a novel perspective on the lived experiences of RC people, and how such experiences may be classified into career shocks or stressors.

 

Reference: Petrovic, I.B., Vukelic, M., & Mol, S.T. (2016): A critical perspective on career shocks in a volatile environment: Red Cross staff and volunteers aiding migrants on their way to Europe in 2016. Career Development International. Emerald Publishing Limited 1362-0436 DOI 10.1108/CDI-10-2020-0281 I

 

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Reference: Saksvik, P. Ø., Olaniyan, O. S., Lysklett, K., Lien, M., & Bjerke, L. (2015). A process evaluation of a salutogenic intervention. Scandinavian Psychologist, 2, e8.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The main ambition of this paper was to lay a theoretical framework and references to investigate humor in the Diversity Icebreaker workshop systematically. The paper is was not meant to be a practical guide for using humor when facilitating the workshop, however it provides examples and gives the reader a better understanding of the workshops important dynamic factor: humor.

 

Reference: Paper presented at the 23rd Nordic Academy of Management Conference NFF 2015 – Business in Society, Copenhagen Business School, 12-14 August 2015.

 

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In addition to proposing a solution to a sustainability challenge, the objective was to promote deep learning on both individual and interpersonal level among the participants. The project received support from Innovation Norway as a research endeavor testing various pedagogical methods related to the Diversity Icebreaker and evaluating their efficacy by looking at the groups’ processes as the indicator of success.

 

Reference: Ekelund, B.Z. & Mjaugeto, T. (2021) Sustainability, deep learning, and diversity. Learning report from junior high school (in Norwegian). Unpublished, in progress.

 

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NOTE: This article is in Norwegian.

 

 

 

A collection of research articles and conference presentation papers about the Diversity Icebreaker from 2008-2014.

A collection of research articles and conference presentation papers about the Diversity Icebreaker from 2008-2014, edited by Bjørn Z. Ekelund and Piotr Pluta.