The webinar explores the current climate in which businesses operate. It is aimed at middle managers, line managers, those with responsibility within their workplace for Equality, Diversity & Inclusion and everyone in between. Have you ever wondered what it takes to be elite? Or what sort of environment leaders must cultivate to secure a medal at an Olympics or Paralympic Games? Elite sport is the epitome of high pressure and marginal gains, it is performance driven, outcome-dependent, in the public eye and seen as a ‘no-compromise’ environment. And yet, athletes are people first, and people need motivation and support, disabled athletes need their unique needs and abilities to be considered and championed. Otherwise, the all important success is elusive. And so how is this achieved? And are there lessons that are transferable to you, your business and your staff/ colleagues?
This webinar features the sport of British Judo, where the previous two Olympic/Paralympic cycles have seen a return of 4 medals, and the title of Paralympic Champion. Current Olympic/Paralympic coach Ian Johns (who was awarded the Mussabini Award following the Tokyo 2021 Games, in recognition of his leadership) shares what has fuelled the sports’ success on the world stage. It also features academics, Dr Melanie Best and Dr Chris Sellars whose research with British Judo offered insights into what effective leadership looks like and how disability is often an overlooked asset of businesses. Dr Melanie Best, as Lead of RIDE Higher (part of NADSN), a framework of best practice for the Higher education sector, also reflects on how disability is ‘treated’ in society and business, and the ramifications of this. Director of Diversity & Inclusion at Wolverhampton University, Adam Vasco joins the discussion, alongside Government Advisor and Disability Ambassador for Universities, Geoff Layer.
The webinar explores the current climate of businesses and how diversity is ‘handled’ rather than honed. It explores what makes an effective leader and how a positive organisational culture can be cultivated, rather than compromised. It ends with ‘take-home’ messages for how businesses can seek to reproduce some of the learnings from Paralympic sport around effective leadership and better reap the rewards of a diverse workforce.
On signing up you will receive the joining information and a short, anonymised form for completion, to help shape the webinar.
- Ian Johns, Olympic/Paralympic Coach, British Judo
- Dr Melanie Best, Senior EDI Advisor, Wolverhampton University & Lead of RIDE Higher
- Dr Chris Sellars, Head of School and Associate Professor, School of Sport & Wellbeing, Leeds Trinity University.
- Professor Geoff Layer, Disability Ambassador for Universities
- Adam Vasco, Director of Diversity & Inclusion in Professional Practice, University of Wolverhampton
