Welcome to Leading-Within Wednesdays. Once a month, I will share a little bit about one of the 10 competencies introduced in my book, Leading Within Systems of Inequity in Education: A Liberation Guide for Leaders of Color.
I’m changing it up this time around. Giving you just 2 examples of each competency. A personal one and one from one of the leaders that I interviewed.
This month….
Operate outside your comfort zone
As a Black woman introvert, I feel like I STAY outside of my comfort zone. Even now. I recorded a video of myself talking to a camera to include in this post which is WAY outside of my comfort zone.
As I explain in the book, there are two ways to work on this competency:
Meet your fear
Make it your own
So I do videos but keep them brief and connected to my writing. I engage in large-group facilitation but couple it with 1-on-1 coaching.
When I interviewed Monica in Florida she spoke about the need to embrace the uncomfortableness in her job as an equity officer because it will always be there and even went on to say if you’re not pushing other people outside their comfort zone, you’re probably not doing your job.
A reflection question for you to think about this competency:
What fear do you need to meet to operate outside your comfort zone?
More explanation of this competency, how to practice it, and additional reflection questions and resources are in Chapter 3. Two study guides are also available on the ASCD website - one for leaders of color and one for white co-conspirators.
See you next month, when I give a brief overview of Competency #3: Practice Love and Rage
How to Continue to Support Leading-Within:
Go to Amazon and rate or review the book there! Reviews are a great way for others to see that this book is worth the time to read.
Post about the book on social media using the hashtag #leadingwithin. Even better if it includes a picture of you WITH the book!
Host a book club with your affinity/ERG group. Two study guides are also available on the ASCD website - one for leaders of color and one for white co-conspirators that are perfect for starting a group conversation. For book clubs with participants who have purchased and committed to reading the book, please reach out to me so I can support your journey!
Connect with me to speak to your organization or group about topics covered in the book, like ‘practicing love and rage’, ‘building a coalition’, and ‘taking a stand’.
If this is your first time reading, please go back and read my Introductions post.
Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think. If you like it, please share it with your network!