The Kardia Group

Whether measured within teams, communities, or organizations, difference is the source of a multitude of skills, a richness of ideas, and an opportunity to continually expand our possibilities.

However, distrust, misperceptions, and conflicts related to difference too often impair productivity, decrease satisfaction and well-being, and undermine cohesiveness - creating limitations rather than possibility. As situations erode, participants withdraw, systemic problems increase, and problematic behaviors become more likely.

Diversity workshops and consultations are designed to engage the benefits that arise through difference, examine how diversity-related conflicts negatively affect departments, teams and working environments, and develop skills that transform the challenges posed by diverse viewpoints, experiences, and needs. These workshops and consultations encompass differences in social identity (such as race, ethnicity, gender, religion, sexual orientation, physical ability, and class) as well as other differences in identity, style, experience, discipline, and role.

Diana Kardia, Ph.D. has spent three decades consulting on diversity issues in classrooms and work settings; training students, faculty, staff, and administrators in group dynamics; and providing guidance to senior university administrators. She has extensive experience in retreat and program design, intergroup dialogue, organizational change processes, academic environments and assessment strategies.