ATD Competency Check Championing Diversity in Multicultural Organization: Developing DEI Initiati...

1. Cultural Awareness and Inclusion (75%)

1.1. This is a skill that will be developed as VIPKid solicits buy-in from all relevant stakeholders to determine value for the company and contribution to growth.

1.1.1. Questions to Ask

1.1.1.1. How can we help leadership understand the qualitative value of DEI work in a holistic way (from who we are, to what we espouse, to how we act)?

1.1.1.1.1. How does DEI work affect the student experience (e.g., sentiment and feedback)

1.1.1.2. How can we leverage the work we've done thus far to attract more talented and diverse employees (both in the US and in China)?

1.1.1.3. How can DEI work result in quantitative results and ROI?

1.1.1.3.1. How does DEI work affect the student experience (e.g., purchases and refund rate)?

1.1.1.3.2. How do DEI initiatives lead to profitability?

1.1.1.3.3. How do we market DEI-centric lessons so that students will want to take them (and so parents will want to buy them)?

1.2. CAI6: "Skill in integrating diversity and inclusion principles in talent development strategies and initiatives."

1.2.1. Knowledge and Skill Statement

1.3. For the DEI badging project, it only makes sense that cultural awareness and inclusion be considered for the needs analysis, especially considering that the project spans continents and cultures. The two chosen knowledge and skill statements received the lowest assessed scores under cultural awareness and inclusion.

1.3.1. Definition of CAI: "conveying respect for different perspectives, backgrounds, customs, abilities, and behavior norms, as well as ensuring all employees are respected and involved"

1.4. CAI5: "Knowledge of approaches to encourage and/or promote workplace diversity and inclusion."

1.4.1. Knowledge and Skill Statement

1.5. This is a skill that needs more development as VIPKid contributes to the larger conversation about what DEI initiatives look like in cross-cultural, global organizations.

1.5.1. Questions to Ask

1.5.1.1. Are there companies with similar cultural backgrounds that have done something successfully?

1.5.1.1.1. What do DEI badging certifications look like? Who uses them, and how?

1.5.1.2. What are the biggest challenges in scaling a DEI project across continents and cultures?

1.5.1.2.1. What other global companies have successfully adopted DEI initiatives?

2. Project Management (88%)

2.1. PM6 is useful in a very general sense for project management, and success has been demonstrated on both small- and large-scale projects at the VRI (e.g., drafting and publishing a book, launching a number of niche and a la carte courses). The VRI is happy to use PM skills in scaled-up contexts.

2.1.1. Questions to Ask

2.1.1.1. How do we adapt as we scale?

2.1.1.1.1. What are any internal team issues or pain points that have been resolved in the past? What was the approach to resolution?

2.1.1.1.2. What are any unresolved internal team issues or pain points? How can they be resolved before working cross-functionally or cross-culturally?

2.1.1.2. How do we measure progress?

2.1.1.2.1. What tools have we used in the past to help successfully track progress and stay organized? Can these tools be used by all involved (e.g., in the US and in China)?

2.2. PM6: "Skill in establishing, monitoring, and communicating progress toward the achievement of goals, objectives, and milestones."

2.2.1. Knowledge and Skill Statement

2.3. This particular area of building personal capability is going to be very important moving forward with a DEI badging project, because not only is it a project that needs to be scaled in the US, but it will also need to be adapted and scaled in China as well. Most US teams work minimally with other teams in Beijing; for the teams that do work together, there is a clearer hierarchy of who reports to who. For example, the teacher community team is responsible for monitoring things like teacher sentiment (for the more than 100,000 VIPKid teachers), and the marketing team is responsible for marketing projects within the US, largely related to recruitment. It is safe to say that most US teams outside the VRI are used to their way of handling projects and resources.

2.3.1. Definition of PM: "plann[ing], organiz[ing], direct[ing], and control[ling] resources for a finite period to complete specific goals and objectives"

2.3.2. The VRI team is used to collaborating with Beijing teams daily on large-scale, high-stakes projects with quick turnarounds. The team is aware of the strengths, weaknesses, and vulnerabilities when working so closely, cross-functionally, and cross-culturally.

2.4. PM5: "Skill in adjusting work processes and outputs in response to or anticipation of changes in goals, standards, resources, and/or time."

2.4.1. Knowledge and Skill Statement

2.5. The VRI team can help to more efficiently navigate PM5 alongside less familiar US colleagues; this will help all involved anticipate problems and establish realistic timelines and deliverables.

2.5.1. Questions to Ask

2.5.1.1. What should we expect?

2.5.1.1.1. What are some demonstrated strengths, weaknesses, and vulnerabilities of Beijing teams on previous US-China collaborative projects?