Issue 8 2021

Acquisition International - Issue 8 2021 5 May21506 Building Better Relationships for Everyone Bridging the gap between individuals, Path Forward Consulting is a talent management firm dedicated to paving a better pathway through life together. This year, it is the well-deserving winner of Most Influential Workplace Race Relations Specialist 2021 – USA. Founder Allison Manswell offers an insight into the firm and its efforts to shape a better future for us all. ath Forward Consulting is a talent management firm that offers consulting, training, and coaching services. Their services help to develop leadership, organizational effectiveness, diversity, and inclusion. Together these aspects deliver results that shift organizational behaviour from good intentions to tangible business impact. This all links together to create stronger teams in the workplace. Most of all, this training has a positive impact on life outside of the workplace. Businesses of all shapes and sizes strive to work for a better future that unites and encourages their staff. When we understand how race impacts us, the communication cogs are greased and the production wheels turn even smoother than before. After the past year we have had, now is the time to connect so that we can respect our differences and leverage our similarities. Path Forward Consulting is a mission-driven business with a goal to support organizations that are serious about new results on their path towards diversity, equity, belonging and inclusion in the workplace. For the best results, their values come down to people, impact, integrity, and innovation. After previously being named among HR Tech Outlook’s Top 10 Diversity and Inclusion Firms (November 2020) and HR Tech Outlook Magazine’s Top 10 Leadership Development Firms (March 2021), it has now won the Most Influential Workplace Race Relations Specialist Award – USA. Serving a variety of clients from the Fortune-ranked companies, Ivy League academia, small and mid-sized organizations, U.S. government agencies, non-profits, and international organizations, Path Forward offers a bespoke approach to each. It employs ‘judo’ techniques that act as a calmer mechanism than some interventions that require a ‘karate chop’ approach to disrupt established pattens that are not yielding the desired results. Either way, their hands-on approach has driven them to success. Ultimately, it is the hard work of the founder and its team of experts that launched the business into the atmosphere. It is of utmost importance that each team member understands their role, learns new things, and keeps a commitment to high-quality outcomes. Founder and Chief Results Officer, Allison Manswell tells us, “Our culture is closely aligned to our brand: client-focused, results-driven, and an operational centre of people with a fun approach”. We have all faced some challenges in 2021, especially with the global pandemic really hitting us hard over the last year. But Path P Forward Consulting is thriving again. Although many businesses suffered significantly from the impact of COVID-19, the company made a swift transition from in- person sessions to 100% virtual online delivery. On top of the company’s technological shift, the protests last year increased the demand for their services and expertise. Unfortunately, with relation to George Floyd, it took a monumental incident of pain for much of the world to see what needed to be changed in our communities. This is another reason why it is so important for institutions to become more aware of equity, inclusion, and compassion. The impact of race is felt by employees every day around the world. Employers must realize their role in this impact in the workplace. This is where Path Forward Consulting comes in. As far as plans go for 2022 and beyond, the firm’s commitment to achieving impactful outcomes mean that they are launching a DEBI (Diversity, Equity, Belonging and Inclusion) ALC (Action Learning Cohort). This is to accelerate the knowledge, skills, and abilities of HR (Human Resources) and DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) professionals. This will magnify their ability to make changes and be impactful with these shifts. These individuals will get to work alongside Allison Manswell to ensure sustainability within their organization. Allison says, “Passion doesn’t equal courage and courage doesn’t equal capacity.” She also says, “The biggest contribution that we can make is to duplicate our impact and provide support to those doing DEI work”. After all, society is in essence unity in diversity. We should not allow race to divide us any longer when we are much stronger together. Contact: Allison V. Manswell, CPTD Company: Path Forward Consulting Web Address: www.pathforward2impact.com