Lenora Billings-Harris

Lenora Billings-Harris, CSP is an internationally recognized diversity consultant,professional speaker, and author with more than twenty five years experience in the public and private sectors. Lenora has developed a unique way of presenting sensitive topics in a high-energy, fun-filled, yet thought-provoking way. She helps organizations solve their diversity dilemnas, and turn diversity into a comptetive advantage by using an interactive style with immediately applicable "how to's". She that help people understand themselves and others, respect differences, capitalize on their strengths, and work together in a way the advances organizational objectives and individual successes.

Lenora uses her vast experience to work with Fortune 500 companies, professional associations, non-profit organizations, both large and small companies, as well as with educational institutions and is invited back again and again. She has presented to audiences in South Africa, Australia, Malaysia, Spain, Germany, Belgium, Russia, Ukraine, and Mexico and Canada and the Caribbean. Lenora is the recipient of numerous awards and recognition's for her business successes as well as her civic activities.

Leveraging diversity is Lenora's total focus, not just one topic among many therefore she is able to customize her systems and techniqes in a way that works for your organization. 

MOST REQUESTED PROGRAMS:

The Diversity Advantage: The Oz Perspective
This unique keynote uses the Wizard of Oz characters as a metaphor to help you use your brain, heart, and courage to create and support a respevtful and productive workplace. This thought-provoking message inspires audiences to increase their options for success, by reducing their reliance on stereotypes, while embracing the strengths they each possess.

The Diversity Advantage: Turning Barriers into Bridges
You will learn how, when, and why people rely on stereotypes to make day to day decisions about others. This program is designed to propel you to a new level of awareness and positive action when interacting with others. 

Selling to Today's Multicultural Market
Are your sales representatives losing opportunities to close sales because they are pre-judging the client or customer? Are they only prospecting and selling to people who are "just like them?" If so, this program is for them. Included are customized exercises, and the Sales Action Planner to help participants identify their own biases, and how those perceptions kill sales. Are you taking advantage of the special marketing techniques that works with ethnic markets. This program is for people who know the basic steps of selling, and are looking for ways to increase sales results through effective relationship-building techniques with a diverse market.

At the end of this session, participants will be able to . . .

-Take advantage of the tremendous buying power of today's emerging markets.

-Identify key behaviors that often reduce trust, respect, and cooperation within diverse groups.
-Quickly identify a prospect's "comfort zone" surrounding the sales process and determine the best ways to open the call, make the presentation, negotiate, close the sale, and maintain positive client relationships.
-Understand how biases impact sales.
-Develop sales plans that address the uniqueness of each customer.

From Adversaries to Allies: Gender Communication in the Workplace
This fun presentation will help both men and women learn how to improve their communication with the opposite gender. The specific techniques offered are research based and effective. Say what you mean, and get what you want, while recognizing differences.


PRODUCTS:

The Diversity Advantage: A Guide to Making Diversity Work
(Hardback Book $19.95) Controversial and uncomfortable issues are discussed in a style that's easy and fun to read. Clarify the difference between treating people equally versus treating everyone the same. Learn techniques for giving feedback in uncomfortable situations. This book will help you develop your "diversibility."

DISCOVERING DIVERSITY PROFILE
($17.50 each - Volume discounts available) Limit the influence of stereotypes and create acceptance of differences with the Discovering Diversity Profile - a confidential, self-directed instrument that explores diversity issues.