Helping the University of Leeds strengthen its Race Equality work through listening
The challenge
As part of its ongoing work towards the Race Equality Charter, the University of Leeds recognised that meaningful progress on race equity depends on how well organisations listen — particularly to lived experience, challenge and discomfort.
The Race Equality Charter Institutional Self-Assessment Team wanted to strengthen its shared understanding of what good organisational listening looks like in practice, and how listening can be embedded into decision-making, culture and change — not treated as a one-off consultation exercise.
Our approach: building listening capability
True was invited to design and deliver two half-day listening workshops for the Race Equality Charter Institutional Self-Assessment Team.
The workshops were grounded in our Leading the Listening Organisation framework and combined:
Practical insight into what effective organisational listening really means
Real-world examples from across sectors
Structured frameworks to support reflection and application
Facilitated discussion to connect theory to the University’s specific context
Rather than focusing on surveys alone, the sessions explored listening as a leadership capability — and as a critical enabler of equity, trust and inclusion.
What we delivered
Two interactive half-day listening workshops
Frameworks for understanding and assessing organisational listening
Practical examples to support race equity and inclusion work
Space for reflection, dialogue and shared learning within the REC team
The impact
The workshops helped the Institutional Self-Assessment Team deepen its understanding of the role listening plays in creating a racially diverse and inclusive university community.
Participants left with a clearer, shared language around listening, greater confidence in applying listening principles to their Race Equality Charter work, and practical frameworks they could continue to use beyond the sessions.
What our client said
“Ann-Marie and Howard delivered a thought-provoking workshop on Leading the Listening Organisation to the Race Equality Charter Institutional Self-Assessment Team here at the University of Leeds.
As we continue our expedition towards creating a racially diverse and inclusive community at the university, we know only too well how critically important listening will be in that endeavour.
Ann-Marie and Howard shared deep insights, examples and frameworks that will serve us well on that expedition and beyond. I can’t thank you enough, and I look forward to working with you both in the future.”
Dr Kendi Guantai, University Dean for EDI