Steve Robbins
Speaker, professor, writer, consultant

Unintentional Intolerance: Turning Mindless Exclusion into Mindful Inclusion

Overview
Unintentional Intolerance refers to the manner in which nice, well-meaning people go about potentially excluding others, even when they want to include them. Research and experience tell us that we all have biases that we are often unaware of, or think little about. And these biases influence our decision-making, behaviors and attributions of others on a daily basis. Could we be making "bad" decisions and engaging in exclusive behavior without knowing? The answer is, "Yes." Dr. Robbins explores the "how's" and "why's" surrounding unintentional intolerance in this interactive, humorous and eye-opening presentation.   Objective
To provide listeners a framework for understanding how exclusion and intolerance takes place, even with individuals and in organizations that are committed to diversity and inclusion.  

Topics:

• The brain and stereotyping: We all have prejudice and bias
• “We're in this boat together”: What affects one affects all
• Cognitive Dissonance and how we respond to inconsistencies
• Mindlessness: An efficient yet sometimes troubling cognitive process
• Multiple Redundant Messages and the concept of branding
• The workings of the human brain: Change takes practice
• Taking a different perspective
• Diversity and Inclusion are the responsibility of all

Speaker, professor, writer, consultant. Dr. Steve L. Robbins wears many hats as a highly sought-after national resource on issues of diversity, inclusion and cultural competence. Along with his duties as a faculty member at Grand Valley State University in Allendale where he teaches courses on U.S. Diversity, Civil Rights History and Creativity, Dr. Robbins also consults and works with numerous businesses, educational institutions and not-for-profit organizations across the country, assisting them in developing the necessary skills and environment that fully utilizes the diverse human resources that abound in our world. Some of the organizations he has worked with include, Toyota, General Mills, Pfizer, Herman Miller, Gerber Foods, the Federal Reserve Bank, National Cancer Institute, and a host of others.

A published author and highly requested keynote speaker, he presents at numerous conferences and workshops across the nation inspiring people with moving stories, humorous anecdotes and powerful insight into human behavior . He also writes and edits the premier weekly Enewsletter on diversity and inclusion, Inclusion Insights! He is currently authoring a book, "Teachable Moments: Short Stories to spark Diversity Dialogue."

Born in Vietnam, Dr. Robbins immigrated to the United States in 1970 when he was five years old. He and his family faced many challenges as Vietnamese immigrants during a time when there was much anti-war and anti-Vietnamese sentiment. Working though many of the challenges of being Asian in the United States, he now brings an insightful perspective on issues of diversity, inclusion and cultural competency. His talks and workshops are filled with intriguing stories, humor and a keen understanding of the human condition.

Here is a sampling of comments from those who have heard Dr. Robbins speak.

• ". presents information that we all need. Love his style."
• "Made difficult issues easy to understand."
• "Speaker was phenomenal!"
• "Steve presents threatening information in a non-threatening manner."
• "Speaker was great... would love to hear more from him."
• "The best workshop on diversity I've ever been to, and I've been to a lot."
• "Really got my attention and stimulated a lot of self-reflection."
• "Speaker was great... knowledgeable and entertaining."
• "Great style... group felt comfortable with material that frequently causes discomfort."
• "I could listen to him for days. very knowledgeable, humorous and challenging.
• "Lots of 'aha' moments. I'm going to have to rethink my position on many issues."
• "Great ability to relate presentation to real life... great examples."
• "The best conference speaker I have ever heard."

Currently, Dr. Robbins resides in Grand Rapids, Michigan with his wife and four children. He may be contacted for keynotes, presentations and workshops.

S.L. Robbins & Associates
2469 Grand River Dr
NE Grand Rapids, MI 49525
Phone: 616-915-8424
Fax: 309-417-0515
steve@slrobbins.com
www.slrobbins.com

Steve L. Robbins, Ph.D.
Liberal Studies/Diversity
239 Lake Ontario Hall
Grand Valley State University
Allendale, MI 49401
Ph: 616-331-4112
robbiste@gvsu.edu