In addition to the multi-day retreat described below, our retreat center is available as a meeting space for one hour to a full day. Meetings can be independent of the MindMarks curriculum.
Rationale and Goals of The Retreat at Kemet
Although MindMarks has trained over 150,000 people across the U.S. and around the world, many of our partners lack the time and/or space to develop a detailed plan on how to identify, manage, and reduce personal and organizational bias. Inspired by the historical impact of ancient Kemet (kim-it) and the need for a deep dive into bias-mitigating solutions, MindMarks has designed a 4-day intensive retreat with the following goals:
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Each attendee will be able to articulate the business or mission case for identifying, managing, and mitigating both implicit and explicit bias at the individual and organizational levels.
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Development of a multi-year DEI/bias mitigation plan with deliverables, metrics, a budget, and responsible personnel to address disparities in the experiences of employees and/or customers.
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Team bonding and trust building with coworkers and colleagues required for optimal execution of bias mitigation strategies.
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A deeper understanding of the Civil Rights Movement, Atlanta’s role in it, and how it modeled bias avoidance and reduction.
Kemet (kim-it) was the original name of the African country currently known as Egypt. For three thousand years before the Common Era (B.C.E.), Kemet was the intellectual capital of the world. People traveled to Kemet from Europe, Asia, other parts of Africa, and the Middle East in pursuit of knowledge, enlightenment, skills, and transformation. A picture of The Kemet Estate is provided in Appendix A.
The Kemet Estate can also host retreats on topics unrelated to DEI/bias mitigation as well as mastermind groups, employee resource groups, and human resources teams.
RECOMMENDED AUDIENCES:
This experience is strongly recommended for law enforcement, education, judiciary, corporate, non-profits, philanthropy, community, city/county government, and healthcare organizations as well as other entities in which bias has been shown to significant impact important life outcomes for large groups of citizens or customers.
Retreat Overview
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Length: 2-4 days
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Transportation: ground transportation provided
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Meals: all meals provided except one lunch at restaurant
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Audiences: Senior/Executive leaders, managers/supervisors, HR leadership, Chief Diversity Officers, DEI teams, leaders of employee affinity groups (a.k.a. employee resource groups)
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Group Size: 8 people in rooms by themselves; 16 people with 2 people in several rooms (rooms are very large)
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Daily Schedule: 9am – 7pm, unless otherwise noted
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Training highlights: deep dive into bias management and reduction at the individual and organizational levels
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Primary trainer: Dr. Bryant T. Marks
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Atlanta highlights: Private tour of Center for Civil and Human Rights, tour of Morehouse College, private viewing of Martin Luther King, Jr. papers and artifacts.
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Social activities include: game night, talent show, mask making, and discussion circles
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Structured small group time: groups of 3-4 have deeper conversations or work on project
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Free time on property: walking trails, pool, sauna, hot tub, cold plunge, pool table, air hockey, Pop-A-Shot
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Follow up: Dr. Marks will attend two follow up meetings with attendees within a month of the retreat.
Facility
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Total Square Feet: 26,351
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On 16 acres
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Training center
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8 Suites: 300 – 500 sf per room
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Suites have 2 king or queen beds
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14 bathrooms
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Gym (incl. Peloton and Tonal)
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Theater / Game room
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Pool, hot tub, sauna, cold plunge
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Pool table, air hockey, classic arcade
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Reception / event space
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Multiple covered outdoor spaces
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Poolside cabanas
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20 mins from airport
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25 mins from Downtown Atlanta
*Kemet is also available as a retreat/event venue for non-MindMarks activities. Call for details.
Results Guaranteed! (If...)
MindMarks' bias management and mitigation strategies are based upon scientific research in the fields of social, cognitive, and industrial/organizational psychology as well as best practices in organizational culture and change management. A common question many of our partners ask is "Does your training/retreat work?" Our response is that the training works if you do the work. Guaranteed reduction in bias-based disparities in the experiences and outcomes of individuals and organizations requires that each organization participating in the retreat complete to the following tasks:
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Before the Retreat
1. Assessment (baseline diagnostic): in-depth assessment of key metrics that identify potential bias-related disparities 1) within the organization (e.g., hiring, promotion, performance evaluations, opportunities, mentorship, perception and/or direct observation of biased treatment), and 2) between the organization and customers, clients, or stakeholders (e.g., attention given, resources provided, response time, quality of service, respectful interactions, and problem solving). It is not possible to remedy a problem until the problem is diagnosed.
2. Awareness (getting buy in): Once potential bias-related disparities are identified, one or more senior leaders with the ability to make or significantly influence strategic and financial decisions (CEO, Board Chair, VP, Director, etc.) of the organization/department must be made aware of these disparities. These leaders must commit, in writing, to supporting efforts to reduce these disparities via the distribution of the appropriate human and financial resources to implement bias reducing strategies (within reason) including, but no limited to: attending the retreat themselves or sending a personal representative, covering the retreat fees for their employees, as well as communicating the importance of bias management and mitigation efforts to other leaders, direct reports, and mid-level managers.
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During the Retreat
1. Engagement: Each attendee must be fully engaged, paying attention, and not multi-tasking. Identifying and planning appropriate bias mitigation strategies relies on candid and sometimes uncomfortable dialogue among attendees that involves multiple rounds of brainstorming and constructive feedback. Attendees are expected to adhere to the schedule, return from breaks on time, and participate in various exercises.
2. Respect and Trust: Attendees are expected to respect the perspectives and experiences of each other at all times. Because topics and experiences related to bias can be very personal, attendees are asked to keep information confidential upon request by fellow attendees. Trust among attendees is critically important for deepening bonds, giving each other the benefit of the doubt, and implementing bias mitigation strategies.
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After the Retreat
1. Action: A digital version of the bias mitigation plan will be emailed to all attendees or the appropriate person within three business days following the retreat. The final session of the retreat will focus on next actions, which will include scheduling two follow up meetings among attendees with an MindMarks consultant. It is critically important that attendees maintain the momentum of the training and begin executing the plan according to the agreed upon timeline. There must be quality controls and feedback opportunities throughout the implementation phase to assure that strategies are correctly executed. There will also be an option to 1) set up monthly coaching calls with MindMarks to answer questions and provide feedback as bias mitigating strategies are implemented or 2) work with MindMarks to actually implement strategies.
2. Post-retreat Assessment: Attendees will engage in the same assessment process used in the diagnostic phase to determine if bias related disparities in outcomes and experiences have gotten better, worse, or remained the same after bias mitigation strategies have been implemented for a reasonable period of time.