On 24th September 2014, I’m delighted to be speaking at the Talent Leaders Connect Conference, hosted by JobPost.  My talk will focus on how organisations can use storytelling to attract and retain diverse talent.

Here’s my story of how to do this effectively:

Create a narrative of diversity.  Steer clear of the usual corporate platitudes and inanities.  FInd the reasons why it is important to your organisation, your colleagues and your clients and customers – and create a narrative that inspires

Find the stories to tell.  Your people will have the stories – good and bad; they may just not know how to tell them; or be keen to stick their hands up.  Find ways to uncover the stories and make people feel comfortable telling them.  Don’t just tell the good, but also share people’s frustrations as well.  No one believes that any company is perfect…

Encourage advocacy to share the stories.  Peer-to-peer sharing is more effective than any corporate or recruitment communication.  We’re not just talking about social channels; it can be events, networks, school and university visits…  Advocacy can be empowering – and gives people the chance to learn new skills and connect with new people.

Apparently there are still places left for the conference (although if you’re watching this on Dave, sorry you missed it!).