The Leadership skill we don't measure
active presence is a gift. and i got dad jokes.
This month, I began working with a career coach. As a part of my coaching, I recently completed the CliftonStrengths assessment, and one of my top themes is Includer. I've taken the assessment multiple times, and Includer is always in my Top 5.
“Stretch the circle wider.” This is your philosophy. As an instinctively accepting person, you hate the idea of someone being ignored or on the outside looking in. You want to include people and make them feel like they are part of the group. While some are drawn to exclusive clubs or cliques, you avoid groups that prohibit some people from joining. You welcome what people have to say without judgment regardless of their status, race, sex, nationality or faith. Your kindness and inclusive nature are rooted in the belief that people should respect differences and that fundamentally, we all have value and deserve to be included.
I mean, it checks out! 👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻
Bri Gerzevske
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No spam, no corporate jargon. Just real leadership, observed in slightly (or very!) strange ways. 😎😎😎
I’ve always been someone who notices.
- I notice who hasn't spoken yet in the discussion. Or who has dominated it.
- I wonder if one's silence is comfort or discomfort.
- I track the person or people lingering on the edge of the conversation.
AND TBH THAT'S ON MIDDLE CHILD SYNDROME™️.
Kidding aside, inclusion feels natural to me. And not as a means of strategy, either. It just is.
So when I reflect on leadership culture, I get the sense that even the more "progressive" concepts (/cough/ active listening /cough/) truly are not enough to be an effective, human-centered leader.
