Strategy & Culture Building
Nearly all business problems (e.g., retention) can be traced to organizational culture problems (beliefs, values, and behavioral norms) which impacts climate (e.g., psychological safety). We assess and assist organizations in building alignment between strategy (“what” people/organizations do) and culture (“how” work is done), including exploring Edgar Schein’s culture levels:
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Visible artifacts and observed behaviors
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Espoused beliefs and values, which may or may not be congruent with behaviors
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Underlying assumptions, or unconscious taken-for-granted beliefs and values
SJA’s services include:
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Strategic planning – facilitated sessions with senior leaders, boards, campuses, hospitals to develop inclusive goals, objectives, strategies, and measures to track success
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Culture building – guided values assessment, focus groups, interviews, surveys, and inclusive strategies to reduce learning anxiety and promote positive behavior change
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Conflict resolution and crisis management – we identify interests and inclusive pathways forward
Sample projects led by SJA:
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Hospital strategic plans through the lens of DEI
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Academic growth plans for universities
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Culture change strategy for non-profits
Strategy & Culture Building Testimonials...
Amy Bonomi, SJA’s founder, was invaluable, helping our team review and reflect on past work and conceptualize next steps for our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion projects for the Breathing Institute at Children’s Hospital Colorado.
Dr. Bonomi's help led to an effective strategic plan for our organization. Her experience, expertise and great communication were vital to our success.
Dr. Robin Deterding, Chief, Pediatric Pulmonary Medicine | Medical Director, The Breathing Institute, Children’s Hospital Colorado
Arthur McFarlane II, Co-Lead, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, The Breathing Institute | Great-Grandson of W.E.B. Du Bois
Amy is a strategic leader who is committed to supporting organizations in advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion. Our organization came into this year-long training series with varying levels of experience with DEI. Amy worked closely with us to develop each session’s focus, offering multiple avenues for staff to connect with the work, regardless of where each staff member was on their own personal DEI journey. The Social Justice Associates team comes with extensive backgrounds and experiences, allowing them to adeptly move the conversation from hypotheticals to current events, from research to application. Importantly, the team fostered a safe environment for our team members to learn, explore, and grow. I highly recommend SJA to any organization ready to take their diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts to the next level.
Terry, CEO, Colorado Charter School Institute
Using a lens of equity, inclusion and shared governance, Amy helped the SDSU – Imperial Valley community craft a campus strategic plan to meet needs workforce development and educational needs of the Sonoran Desert region spanning Arizona, California, and the Mexican states of Sonora, Baja California, and Baja California Sur. With a focus on excellence in research, teaching and student services, our new plan aims to foster student success and to develop existing and new academic programs in nursing, public health, business, engineering, and teacher education.
Dr. Mark Wheeler, Interim Chief Administrative Officer and Dean, SDSU-Imperial Valley Campus
Amy and the SJA team were wonderful partners as we launched this work with our board and staff. SJA’s non-judgmental approach was instrumental in advancing a language and culture that will serve us well in bringing a DEI lens to our work. SJA helped us take the first step in activating our newly published DEI statement with our board and staff. Level setting the conversation in a shame free approach is a critical step in becoming an anti-racist organization.
Theresa, Director of Membership and Business Engagement, Washington Health Alliance
Dr. Bonomi and the Social Justice Associates team led a DEI session at our organization's annual leadership conference. They are knowledgeable, experienced, and engaging. Moreover, having considered a number of other DEI partners, Dr. Bonomi's team distinguished themselves with their ability to truly tailor their DEI offerings to create the greatest impact for our organization. This is crucial as each organization's DEI journey is unique.
Dr. Steve Quach, CEO, CarePoint Health
Denver, CO.
Dr. Bonomi and her team led an impressive, educational, and impactful DEI session for our board members and staff. Their broad expertise and experience with organizations like ours were crucial as they planned the discussion and prepared the participants for an engaging session which touched on important DEI themes in relation to our professional and personal encounters, with specific examples which enriched the discussion. We received a lot of positive feedback from the attendees! Thank you, Dr. Bonomi and team!
Edna, VP Finance/Administration
The Appraisal Foundation
Washington, DC.