Expertise

Diversity, equity, and inclusion

At BTS, DEI is part of everything we do.

Grid of diverse people in a video conference, smiling and engaging, with a woman in a blue polka-dot shirt centered and gesturing.

Inclusion is the work of leadership.

At BTS, we believe belonging is not something you declare, it’s something you create. It’s the outcome of diversity being valued, equity being embedded, and inclusion being practiced consistently in everyday moments.

We help organizations build inclusive leadership at three levels:
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Individual: How leaders show up in moments - their mindset, decisions, and responses to different perspectives.
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Team: How teams operate - building trust, encouraging debate, and ensuring all voices shape outcomes.
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Organization: How leadership scales - reinforcing expectations and embedding inclusion into how work gets done.

How we help

Inclusive leadership workshop.

Inclusion starts with how leaders show up every day. This workshop provides a practical starting point, grounded in three essential ideas, helping leaders explore how inclusion shows up in everyday moments and how to create more inclusive and equitable teams.

How we help

The G.I.V.E. Model

The G.I.V.E. Model was designed to help leaders transition from a zero sum mindset (either/or) to a mindset that is inclusive (both, and). This is a simple approach that addresses complex DEI challenges organizations are currently facing. Leaders will walk away with practical steps that can be taken immediately to improve the quality of their relationships and conversations. Taking these steps results in a more inclusive culture that produces equitable outcomes.

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Why is DEI important?

Inclusion is for everyone

The real work of inclusion begins when you have to include those that you disagree with, don’t trust and align with, and potentially share other differences that are uncomfortable. Being keenly aware of our biases, stereotypes, prejudices, and any “isms” that are present for us is required work if we are going to create workplaces that are welcoming and psychologically safe.

Exclusion has a high cost

We close the gap between the business and the moral case for DEI by making inclusion personal and providing experiences for participants to see the impact that exclusion and inequity has on all employees from the C-Suite to those on the front line.

Inclusion is relational

We close the gap between the business and the moral case for DEI by making inclusion personal and providing experiences for participants to see the impact that exclusion and inequity hasEverything that we do in organizations is impacted by the quality of our relationships and conversations with one another. Making equitable decisions and being an ally will not work if leaders do not try to get to know and understand those that are working with them. Rarely do we feel seen, heard, and valued when someone is not able to be empathetic to our experience.
on all employees from the C-Suite to those on the front line.

Do your diversity initiatives promote assimilation over inclusion?

Professional development initiatives intended to help underrepresented employees don’t always lead to the progress leaders think they will — especially if those initiatives are designed around a harmful expectation of assimilation. The authors suggest examining the company’s expectations of assimilation and professionalism, reframing professional development programs, adjusting feedback processes, and focusing on relationships.

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Latest Content

Blog
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The future-ready executive
Why the next generation of C-level leaders needs a different kind of readiness.
Blog
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Succession planning check-in: Is your mid-year talent review actually working?
Is your succession planning actually working? Test your mid-year talent review against three questions: framework, conversations, and progress.
Blog
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Most sales kickoffs are roadmap readouts. Here is how to design one that changes what sellers do when they walk back into the field.
Client Stories
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BTS built business acumen for managers and directors at a large electric company through linked simulations, lifting leader confidence in business knowledge from 2.96 to 4.11 on a 5-point scale.
Client Stories
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Developing a future-ready senior leadership pipeline in global energy
BTS partnered with an oil and gas company after an $11.2B acquisition to build its senior leadership bench. 10 of 12 leaders advanced within 12 months.
Client Stories
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Building enterprise thinking across the utilities leadership pipeline
A U.S. electric utility used BTS enterprise simulations to build strategy alignment and enterprise thinking across 300+ leaders, from senior executives to frontline supervisors.
Whitepapers
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Pyramid, kite, or house
AI is removing the work that once built expertise. See how the kite and the house shape your talent pipeline, and why the choice shouldn't be left to default.
Whitepapers
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The 6 challenges of top executives
Two decades working with senior leaders across four continents reveal the six patterns now defining what it takes to lead at the top.
Whitepapers
September 16, 2026
The EQ blind spot: What senior leaders get wrong about executive presence
BTS research on thousands of leaders reveals that while expertise builds credibility, emotional intelligence drives real executive presence and results.
Neon sign with pink circular symbols and white text 'bts' mounted on a wall covered in rows of vintage cassette tape images.

Ready to start a conversation?

Every successful transformation begins with a meaningful conversation. Connect with us to explore how BTS can partner with you to make the shift.