1. THEORY OF
CHANGE
The Pivotal Paradigm Project
Working in partnership with your team to find
solutions that make your workplace inclusive
www.pivotalparadgimproject.org
September 2020
Copyright 2020 The Pivotal Paradigm Project, LLC

2. Eliminate bias throughout people, systems, and processes to include talent
acquisition, development, promotions, and total rewards systems;
and teach people how to become more inclusive. This is not the same as
awareness training. Rather, it is teaching people how to understand,
eliminate, or at least minimize bias in their behavior. Just as some people
have (oftentimes) learned to become racist, we have to teach them to
become anti-racist. We define this as someone willing to confront racist
behavior when they encounter it, including within themselves.
Third, is to take a more systematic and holistic approach to improve diversity,
equity, and inclusion in their organizations. There are two significant ways to do
this:
There are three major challenges with the workplace culture of
corporate America, non profit organizations, and schools.
First, is to acknowledge that racism is real and if
it were not the case, organizations would be
further along in terms of their representation of
senior-level people of color.
Second, is to realize we cannot “train” our way
out of this problem. There have been various
forms of “diversity” training around since the
1980s. While all of these efforts are well intended,
they have not meaningfully impacted the status
quo.
Overview
Theory of Change | Page 1
24%
of all staff respondents
report experiencing
discrimination in the
workplace
Companies that have
more diverse
management teams
are reported as seeing
19%
higher revenue due to
innovation.
Source: Unrealized Impact (2017) and Powers (2018)
Copyright 2020 The Pivotal Paradigm Project, LLC

3. Workplaces are not inclusive. We operate in a larger system that
perpetuates systemic issues, affecting every part of our lives. By fully
including diverse people and perspectives into decision-making, we
learn and grow to our fullest potential. We cannot, and will not,
succeed in a diverse society while working in isolation.
We understand the larger system we operate in. Because of that, we
strive to change more proximate systems that disenfranchise and
influence larger, racist, systems.
The Problem:
38%
of LatinX staff
When considering leaving their organization, the
lack of diversity was a major influencing factor for
51%
of Black staff
Source:Unrealised Impact (2017)
How we expect our partners to show up:
change. Each person in the organization has to buy into it becoming a
radically inclusive space. That means each person must evaluate their
practices in order for the culture to shift. Organizations must be
transparent with staff in order for the process to work. A part of that
transparency is naming things explicitly.
Be open and ready for
H
do. We lean into our work authentically; We may not tell you what you
want to hear but we will tell you what you need to know. Our Identity is
in the thread of facilitation. We show up alongside your organization as
learners and position ourselves, not as experts but, as guides to your
own personal enlightenment.
empathy, listening, human-centered design
How we operate:Our grounding values are in the thread of what we
Organizations must understand that healing is
centered in creating inclusion.
Page 2 | Theory of Change
Copyright 2020 The Pivotal Paradigm Project, LLC
Overview

4. Fast Facts
Theory of Change | Page 3
0% 25% 50% 75%
Promoter
Non-Promoter
The organization has made an explicit commitment to equity.
The staff witness a diverse group of employees advance within the company.
0% 25% 50% 75%
Promoter
Non-Promoter
The work environment allows staff to have free and open expression of ideas,
opinions, and beliefs.
0 20 40 60 80
Promoter
Non-Promoter
Source:Unrealised Impact (2017)
The leadership team communicates well with the organization .
0 20 40 60 80
Promoter
Non-Promoter
Organizations are more likely to be externally promoted by
their staff if...
Copyright 2020 The Pivotal Paradigm Project, LLC

5. We use trends to inform our work, therefore we will assemble the information from
our baseline research into trends that will help us develop a targeted plan of
intervention for your organization.
We will meet with the senior leadership and/or Board members to overview the plan
for analysis, then develop SMART goals and a work plan.
We know that each person in the organization has to buy into it becoming a
radically inclusive space, so it is necessary that each person evaluate their own
practices in order for the culture to shift.
Organizations must be transparent with staff in order for the process to work. A part
of that transparency is naming things explicitly. Our analysis of our initial evaluations
will include both qualitative and quantitative data.
Our Methodology
Theory of Change | Page 4
Copyright 2020 The Pivotal Paradigm Project, LLC

6. Along with creating reports, we will use collected data to make recommendations
that will improve organizational culture and performance with a diversity, equity, and
inclusion lens. These recommendations may include staff- and leadership-facing
professional development sessions focused around strongest areas of need; we
can facilitate these sessions as desired.
All of our services are tailored and customized to the needs of each individual
organization’s needs and desires. We offer an identity-based series for the ongoing
development of staff with continual guidance, organizational strategy, diversity,
equity, and inclusion training, employee resource group creation and maintenance,
board diversity training and consultation, and one-on-one leadership and executive
coaching. There is also the option for services such as trauma-sensitive and
healing-centered engagement trainings, or those aimed at supporting specific
identities (including but not limited to Undocumented and/or LGBTQIA+
populations). Alongside your executive leadership or DEI Committee, we may
identify these sessions as ongoing development in subsequent terms based on the
progression of staff culture and how the team wants to develop over time.
Copyright 2020 The Pivotal Paradigm Project, LLC
Theory of Change | Page 5
Our Methodology

7. Organizations that have been operating without
inclusion must build restoration and trust-building
before anti-racist work can begin.
During Stage 1: Our team will conduct a base-level analysis of the culture
and climate of the organization. We will gauge the perceptions of staff
members and determine a course of action from data and anecdotal
notes. We plan to gather information on where organizations are starting
and how we can tailor the course of our time,as well as our convening.
We use trends to inform our work. We will assemble the information from
our baseline research into trends. These trends will help us develop a
targeted plan of intervention for the organization. We will meet with the
senior leadership to overview the plan analysis.
Stages of Change
Stage 1 - Evaluation & Acknowledgement
Page 6| Theory of Change
Think of stage one as a planter. Before
any seeds are planted, there must be
fertile ground and research around
proper methods of success. We take
the same care with your organization to
ensure we are creating long term
solutions for your workplace culture.
Copyright 2020 The Pivotal Paradigm Project, LLC

8. We believe dialogue is critical and necessary. We don't do pop-up
training (research proves that this actually harms BIPOC staff more than
it helps). We utilize the role that empathy plays in learning and listening
as a tool to create a learner environment that breaks down barriers to
having conversations. During phase 2 there are two major things that take
place simultaneously. One of those being specialized and uniquely
crafted, trainings that are designed based on the information obtained in
phase 1. These sessions are all interactive, human-centered, and based
on critical reflections. The second piece is the release of an
organizational transparency framework that details current standing in
relation to an inclusive culture. This will include, but is not limited to, a
robust diversity, equity, and inclusion statement, staff racial composition,
leadership staff culture evaluation results, constituents’ racial composition,
and communities served.
Stage 2 - Training & Transparency
Page 7| Theory of Change
Think of stage two as cultivation. During
phase two we are tailoring each item to
fit your organization’s needs. Phase 2 is
immersive, allowing us to spend time
directly with staff members making
commitments that show your
organization is invested in long term
change.
Copyright 2020 The Pivotal Paradigm Project, LLC
Stages of Change

9. The Pivotal Paradigm Project is a global full-service consulting firm specializing in diversity,
equity, and inclusion (DEI). With DEI and human-centered design at the forefront, we
provide professional development, thought leadership, and coaching to schools, nonprofits,
businesses, and organizations. Our customized services include board equity development,
small-group, team, and executive (1-on-1) coaching, workshops/trainings,
frameworks/program design, and organizational strategy.
In phase 3, we honor the work of Employee Resource Group (ERG)
Leaders and set your organization up for a long-term cultural shift. We
help make resource groups more purposeful, align affinity spaces and
allyship groups, and provide recommendations for long-term sustained
change. We leave your organization in a place that will continue to
cultivate growth and inclusion. This journey is ever evolving, but the work
done with The Pivotal Paradigm Project will create a foundation for an
inclusive culture.
Stage 3 - Systems for sustained culture and climate
Theory of Change | Page 8
Phase 3 can be looked at as a harvest,
but remember that harvest is only
seasonal. The work done in phase 3 will
prime the organization for many more
seasons of harvest and keep the soil
rich with the hard work done this
season.
Copyright 2020 The Pivotal Paradigm Project, LLC
Stages of Change