We developed the Tlou Model of Organizational Change for boards and senior leaders to move from aspirational to structural change.
The Tlou Model of Organizational Change
Tlou means elephant in Sepedi, the language of Mante’s ancestors, and the totem of the Molepo people. Elephants symbolize authority, strength, wisdom and unity, attributes of effective leadership and governance. Our model of organizational change is founded on the following four pillars:
Change is structural, intersectional, collaborative, and requires individual and shared accountability.
Structural
Organizations have a tendency of focusing their DEI efforts on recruitment of Indigenous and equality-deserving candidates, paying little attention to retention. However, organizational DEI is more than a human resources issues. We design approaches to integrate diversity, equality and inclusion throughout an organization, including governance, leadership and operations. We work with Boards and senior leaders to make DEI foundational to how the Board governs and the organization functions.
Intersectional
We work with Boards and senior leaders to understand the unique and multiple ways in which people experience inequality and systemic exclusion, and to design organizational policies and practices accordingly.
Collaborative
Organizations can advance meaningful change in collaboration with Indigenous and equality-deserving people. We advise Boards and senior leaders on approaches to co-design policies and practices by engaging the voices, knowledge and lived experiences of equality-deserving people and communities.
Accountable
For organizations to advance structural change, each member of the organization must be committed to diversity, equality and inclusion. We work with organizations to establish a framework of individual and shared accountability that sets out clear roles and responsibilities for boards, senior leaders, employees and stakeholders.
