Restorative Accountability

Human-Centered Performance and Conflict Management

A 3-part training on restorative-justice workplace accountability systems

If your organization keeps having the same personnel issues, it’s probably not a people problem — it’s a systems problem.

Many organizations say they value accountability, equity, and care. But without clear accountability structures, those values don’t translate into practice. Instead, organizations default to avoidance, inconsistency, or punitive tools that create more harm than resolution.

Restorative Accountability is a 3-part live training series designed for leaders and HR/Ops professionals who want practical, equity-centered ways to address performance, conflict, and harm — without relying on punishment, shame, or informal power dynamics.

Tuesday Cohort: Feb 24th, March 3rd, March 10th– 10:30am-12:00pm PST

Thursday Cohort: Feb 26th, March 5th, March 12th – 4:00pm-5:30pm PST

Why traditional performance improvement strategies don’t work

In many workplaces:

Repeated personnel issues are treated as individual failures instead of signals of system breakdown
Performance improvement plans (PIPs) are punitive by design and often function as a paper trail for termination
Underperformance is framed as a lack of will, rather than a lack of clarity, skill, or support
Conflict is avoided or handled indirectly, leading to gossip, resentment, and burnout

When there is no shared accountability structure, white supremacy norms fill the vacuum — privileging urgency, discretion, dominance, and punishment over care, consistency, and repair.

This training offers a different approach.

An alternative to discipline-based accountability

Restorative accountability is a systems-based approach to performance management and conflict, not a disciplinary process.

Rather than waiting until performance has deteriorated or relying on punitive tools, restorative accountability provides clear structures for communicating expectations, giving feedback, and requesting accountability early and directly. It treats underperformance as a signal that something in the system needs attention — clarity, skill-building, support, or capacity — before assuming a lack of will.

This framework equips:

Staff with shared tools to hold one another accountable without gossip or escalation
Managers with consistent processes for addressing performance issues before they become crises
Leadership and boards with structures that allow accountability to flow upward as well as downward

Because the tools are shared and universally applied, feedback is depersonalized. Accountability is no longer dependent on personality, confidence, or power — and people don’t have to “just be more direct” to address problems.

When accountability is designed as a system:

Performance management becomes proactive instead of reactive
Feedback becomes clearer and less charged
Warning signs are addressed through conversation, not surveillance
Escalation, including termination, happens transparently and ethically — not abruptly or arbitrarily

Restorative accountability replaces punitive performance management with clarity, consistency, and shared responsibility.

What you’ll learn

This 3-session live series focuses on tools and decision-making, not theory or compliance.

Session 1: Call-In Culture & Feedback Structures

Learn how to normalize accountability through shared language, clear feedback structures, and review processes that prevent issues from escalating. This session focuses on early intervention and creating containers for direct communication that don’t feel punitive.

Session 2: Accountability Process & Tiers of Intervention

Explore a practical accountability framework that helps you choose the right tool at the right time — from informal call-ins to supported work plans and systemic responses. You’ll learn how to avoid both over-escalation and avoidance, and how to apply accountability consistently across work and cultural contexts.

Session 3: Ethical Termination, Closure & Implementation

Address one of the most avoided — and most necessary — parts of accountability: termination. This session covers how to define ethical termination criteria, avoid arbitrary or harmful decision-making, and ensure accountability processes have clear closure. We’ll also walk through real-world application examples and implementation considerations.

What you’ll walk away with

Participants will leave with:

A clear, adaptable restorative accountability framework
Practical tools for giving feedback and requesting accountability directly
Structures that depersonalize feedback and reduce gossip and bias
Guidance for addressing underperformance as a systems and support issue
Confidence navigating escalation — including ethical termination when necessary

This series is designed to help organizations move from good intentions to clear, humane accountability in practice.

Who this is for

Executive Directors and senior leaders

HR and Operations professionals
People managers in mission-driven organizations
Consultants and fractional leaders supporting DEIJ and HR

This training is especially relevant for organizations experiencing burnout, turnover, recurring conflict, or confusion about how to “live their values” internally.

What this training is (and isn’t)

This training is:

Practical and systems-focused
Rooted in restorative justice principles
Designed for real-world organizational challenges

This training is not:

A compliance or legal training
A traditional performance management workshop
A full HR policy-writing program

You’ll leave knowing what to build, how to think about accountability, and how to apply these tools responsibly. Deeper implementation support and policy building are available separately.

Accountability doesn’t have to be punitive, chaotic, or avoided.
It can be clear, shared, and humane – when it’s designed on purpose.

Tuesday Cohort

Feb 24th, March 3rd, March 10th

10:30am-12:00pm PST (1:30pm-3:00pm EST)

Thursday Cohort

Feb 26th, March 5th, March 12th

4:00pm-5:30pm PST (7:00pm-8:30pm EST)

Restorative Accountability– Org Bundle

$1,250.00

Organization registration is designed for teams sending multiple staff members. One purchase covers up to three participants from the same organization.

Restorative Accountability– Single seat

$550.00

Space is limited to preserve discussion and depth. Contact me if you’re interested in a private training for your team.

Testimonials

“Nel is a brilliant and compassionate educator in the field of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice (DEIJ), and I’ve had the privilege of witnessing them lead transformative learning experiences that spark genuine frame-shifts for their students. They bring a rare blend of authenticity, sincerity, and creativity - inviting growth and fostering deep trust.” Deanna K– The People’s Nonprofit Accelerator

“Nel is someone with deep lived experience in serving communities who experience marginalization. I've hired them to teach an HR class several times now, and they are so responsive to the students in every course. This is the most engaged I've seen students when talking about HR. Nel's ideas and their commitment to liberatory practices allow them to connect to the students and show them that HR and people management don't have to be oppressive, and can actually create equity and prosperity for workers and community members.” Marina M.B.– New Coyote Consulting

“Their approach to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is next level. Nel doesn’t just teach DEI—they open your eyes to new perspectives and inspires a shift in how you think and lead. It’s the kind of learning that sticks with you and pushes you to be better, both personally and professionally. If you ever have the chance to work with Nel, grab it. They’re a true game-changer.” Ashlan G.A.– Ashbean Marketing PDX

“I attended Nel's class "Making the Case for Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion". I was impressed with Nel's ability to communicate how to best incorporate anti-racist principles into an organization's (and individual's) daily practices to an audience with diverse lived experience and DEIJ knowledge. From the start, Nel created a safe and inclusive space where students felt accepted exactly where they were at within their own DEIJ learning journeys. I was able to bring key points back to my organization and engage in conversations about how we can improve upon, and commit to, our core strategy for racial equity impact.” MiKayla R.– The People’s Nonprofit Accelerator

“We worked with Nel to offer 3 DEIJ trainings to our non profit's small board and staff. Throughout our time working with Nel we were continually impressed with how flexible and adaptable they were. Nel put together a very thoughtful and comprehensive series of trainings for our group, which they then adapted to fit the ever evolving needs of the group. Nel embodies so much of what is important in DEIJ work, both in the content they are knowledgeable in and the approach they take to working with clients. They shared a wealth of information, case studies, and examples of ways our organization could make our internal policies and operations more equitable.” Rachael W.– Farmers Market Fund

“Nel is one of my favorite people to work with. They are an invaluable asset to any team or organization looking to do systems change and anti-racist work. Their competence, insight and perspective are outstanding and it shows in the results they get.” Etta O.K.– Street Roots