Building Common Ground
Uncertainty and polarization are becoming dominant forces in our workplaces and communities. Building Common Ground is a one-day interactive conference designed to help leaders build the skills needed to communicate effectively, navigate difficult conversations, and engage differences with confidence. Participants will gain practical tools they can immediately apply to their teams and organizational culture.
Friday, October 9, 2026
8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
John Carroll University
Dolan Science Center
1 John Carroll Blvd, University Heights, OH 44118
$50 per Person (includes admission and lunch)
There are a limited number of scholarships available. For more information, please contact Miles Kalainaina at mkalainaina@diversitycenterneo.org
Session Descriptions
Keynote: The Courage to Be; The Courage to Belong.
Presented by Naomi Sigg, Vice President, Student Experience & Campus Belonging, John Carroll University
Today’s workplaces are quietly shrinking. Caught between fear of violating new policies and fear of being targeted by their own colleagues, employees are opting out — staying silent, retreating into like-minded camps, and playing it safe rather than risking a real conversation. You can’t see the cost, but it’s real: people quietly disengage, teams stop trusting each other, and nobody’s willing to take the risks that real collaboration takes.
This keynote offers a different way forward. Drawing on decades of work in conflict transformation and community building, Naomi Sigg shows how leaning into difference — rather than avoiding it — is the path to authentic engagement. Participants leave with a practical framework and concrete skills for engaging across difference, transforming conflict into connection, and building the kind of psychological safety that lets people show up as themselves. The result isn’t just individual courage — it’s a more welcoming, more resilient, and more effective organizational culture.
Opening Session
Effective Communication: Presented by The Effective Leadership Academy
For nearly 20 years, Effective Leadership Academy has been helping people develop their most valuable asset – themselves. Discover proven strategies for communicating effectively and building stronger connections. Explore the ABCs of Communication and gain insight into how body language, tone, and word choice influence every interaction. Practice these skills through networking opportunities that expand your professional circle and strengthen your ability to connect with people from all backgrounds and perspectives.
Breakouts
Psychological Safety: Presented by Signature Health
In times of rapid change and uncertainty, psychological safety is not a “nice to have”; it is a foundational condition for performance, belonging, and innovation. This session offers leaders a macro-level lens on how psychological safety is built (and eroded) across systems, not just within individual teams.
De-escalation Training: Presented by the Cleveland Mediation Center
With tension levels high in our world today, conflict escalates quickly at work, home, and in our communities. Cleveland Mediation Center, experts in conflict resolution since 1981, provides practical tools to de-escalate conflict in community and work environments.
Allyship in Action: Presented by The Diversity Center of Northeast Ohio
Political polarization is rising, and marginalized populations are being used as scapegoats for the average person’s problems. Employee interactions can often involve sharing polarizing and even harmful political opinions. This program teaches employees how to show up as allies for each other, creating lasting impact and stronger relationships.
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