Sweet Honey in the Rock.. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for.

Embracing Leadership Lab Jan West

When I dare to be powerful – to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid.” –Audre Lorde

Giving Circles are a platform for Leadership Development.

Embracing Leadership Lab Who We Are You as a Leader You as Giving Circle Leader You as a Mentor and Preparing for Succession 11 Ways to Unleash Your Leadership Working Together with Your Challenges: What are leadership challenges you face in your Giving Circle?

Who I am What’s My Authentic Voice?

Who We Are Who is already in a giving circle? Who is quite experienced in a or your Giving Circle? Who is newer in a Giving Circle? Who thinks of herself as a giving circle mentor? Who thinks of herself as a giving circle mentee? Who Thinks of Herself as Leader?

Your Introductions.. What Sparked your interest in Giving Circles? What’s one of your leadership Strengths? Who is a leader you admire and why?

What’s the context of Giving Circle Leadership? Volunteer leaders and members Strategic activists Consensus decision-making Diversity of Experiences and Opinions So—old “power-over” methods aren’t appropriate

Women’s Giving Circle Leadership Involves.... Acknowledging and Using Your Power-to. Authentic Leadership: bringing your true self to the conversation. Conversational Leadership: conversation is the work. Collaborating to make change

Leadership is relational It starts with you, the leader. You extend your leadership to the giving circle and community. You teach, mentor, and prepare for the leadership succession of your circle.

Giving Circle You Teaching, Mentoring, Succession

Giving Circle You *Confidence *Using Your Strengths Great Interpersonal Skills, Empathy Authenticity, Self-motivation Ability to Delegate Ability to promote fun and delight—to Celebrate

Confidence Men apply for jobs when they think they meet 60% of the criteria. Women apply for jobs when they think they meet 100% of the criteria. Perhaps most important of all in Leadership: Genuine Confidence in Ourselves and extending to Confidence in others Gloria Feldt: Women step into and away from their own power.

Recognize and Use Your Strengths Strengths = Natural Talent (and Power) Great at the big picture? Excellent with details? Star public speaker? Amazing with organization? Skilled strategic planner? Math genius? Great at outreach? - Much more impactful to leverage our strengths rather than working on improving our developmental areas.

What gets in the way of your confidence? What gets in the way of your claiming your strengths?

Imposter

5 Ways to Unleash Your Self Leadership Increase Your Confidence and Courage Recognize and Use Your strengths Increase Self-Care and Make a resilience plan Use Your Authentic Voice Celebrate Small Successes

Make a Risk / Resilience Plan Part of Your Sustainability Plan What level of risk are you choosing to take? Emotional/financial/social What’s the worst thing that could happen if you take the risk? Can you live with that? What’s your plan for resilience? Social, Emotional, Physical, Spiritual, Community Get support, do something physical, listen to music, re-energize, laugh, play

Lab Work: Let’s Talk What are your strengths as a leader? When do you feel your most confident? Where do you stay strong in your power, and where you do pull back? What helps you sustain your energy? How do you like to celebrate small successes?

Breathe.

Giving Circle Yo u *Encouraging Vulnerability-based Trust Partnering with others and recognizing their strengths Ability to Create a collegial atmosphere where there is the freedom for allowing diversity of opinions *Find the gems in Conflict

6 Ways to Unleash Your Circle Leadership Partner with others and Recognize their Strengths Speak up before you feel 100% sure *Encourage vulnerability-based trust *Find the gems in a conflict Welcome feedback Celebrate Small Successes

Encourage Vulnerability-based trust... People who aren’t afraid to admit the truth about themselves are not going to engage in the kind of political behavior that wastes everyone’s time and energy and makes the accomplishment of results unlikely Be courageous enough to be a vulnerable with each other Can be large or small things

Why is Vulnerability-based trust hard? We humans have a strong desire for self-preservation. Get comfortable being exposed to one another, unafraid to honestly say things like “I was wrong” “I made a mistake” “I need help” “I’m not sure” “You’re better than I am at that” and even “I’m sorry.” Key ingredient = courage and authenticity

Find the Gems in Conflict Each person shares their point of view Use reflective listening Stay open, don’t take it personally Focus on the issue, not the person Look for the gems of important info in each point of view Keep listening and asking curious questions Confirm when each person feels heard Observers can listen for common ground or ideas that can be brought to the surface – it’s Ok to ask for help with the conversation How does the new information help create an effective solution? Brainstorm solutions – and decide on path going forward.

Lab Work: Let’s Talk How do you encourage trust in your circle or community? What types of conflicts tend to arise—or are not arising—in your circle? How do partnerships work in your circle? How does the atmosphere in your circle contribute to expression of a diversity of opinions?

Giving Circle Mentoring and Succession Yo u Partner and collaborate with someone with leadership potential Delegate Do fewer hands-on tasks and more mentoring and teaching Mentoring and Teaching leads to Succession Planning and readying the future leaders of the giving circle

4 Ways to Unleash Your Mentorship and Succession Planning Talk with Each Other about Vision and Strategy—What does the circle need? Coaching for Development rather than Problem-Solving Your power, presence, and support makes a difference Teach the culture and skills needed for the circle to thrive going forward

Leadership Lab: Let’s Talk What are your Giving Circle Leadershpip Challenges?

Giving Circle You Teaching, Mentoring, Succession

Looking towards home... What’s it going to take to go from where the circle is now to your vision of how great the circle can be? What’s 1 Leadership Behavior you’d like to practice?

Thank you. I appreciate being here and the work you are doing