a liberation playbook™
Our leadership development workshops are based on
a liberation playbook™
framework that helps leaders across different sectors, namely in education and non-profits, co-create healing and liberatory spaces where they learn and work.
In our workshops we explore how to develop these different Modes. Leaders must flexibly switch between Modes, taking cues from their internal and external worlds. You don’t need to be an expert in each of them, simply master the basics and do them consistently well.
Be a Beginner. Leaders humbly deepen and widen their learning.
Be a Leader. Leaders know who they are and who they’re not. They know their role, their people, and their work. Here, we explore prominent life experiences, values, identity markers, and how they have shaped your leadership identity. We answer the questions: Who am I as a leader, and why?
Be a Healer. Healers actively tend to their needs and help create conditions for others to heal. They rigorously explore their experiences to identify and release beliefs that no longer serve. We answer the questions: What do I need to heal, and how?
Be a Holder of Space. Space Holders facilitate the space between purpose and people. This chapter teaches us to improve facilitation skills by examining critical planning and executing strategies for liberation and healing. We answer the question: How might I design and hold liberatory space with and for others?
Be a Coach. Coaches allow people to uncover their own answers. They use targeted skills that enable others to connect to their inner resources and find the necessary solutions. We answer the question: How might I help you uncover the answers you already have?
Be a Luminary. A Luminary “illuminates,” or brings out, the talent of their people and matches it to the path forward. They develop critical Foundations for the work of a team or individual, including but not limited to: setting vision and direction, identifying top priorities, establishing a strong culture, using equitable hiring practices, etc. We answer the question: How do I strategically plan for my role/work?
Be a Model. A Model leads by the quality of their example. They have high integrity because they embody strong culture and still take responsibility when they fall short, helping them co-create a culture of learning.* We answer the questions: How can I lead by example? How might I provide line of sight into my leadership to allow for meaningful learning?
Be You. Leaders apply new learning without sacrificing their core authenticity.
See below for sample content from our workshops
From the Culture of Learning Series
Culture of Learning: a culture of learning is a vulnerable and courageous culture that allows people to take risks, fail fast, and learn from each other free of shame or judgment. It is created by prioritizing the development and integration of new knowledge and skills as much as achieving goals or outcomes. When teams create a learning culture, they often ask questions like:
What did we learn from that?
What worked and didn’t work? Why?
How might we do better next time?
How might we be better next time?
They create spaces for team members to share their reflections and insights about their work—their successes and failures. Effectively creating a learning culture necessitates a culture of feedback because the most accessible learning can come through authentic reflections from trusted colleagues who know you and the work.
From the Decision-Making Series
General Stipulations in Using New Frameworks and Tools:
No one tool can solve for everything.
The strength of the tool is contingent on the strength of the alignment, mindset, and skill among those using the tool.
We approach decision-making as a process rather than an isolated event.
The most effective decision-making processes are grounded in guiding principles (usually the organization’s values).
From the Power & Authority in Classrooms Series:
The best source of what is going on in a classroom: students. it’s always the students. This is where we have the strongest evidence of impact. As educators, we can intend to get something across, but it is not until we learn from the students themselves, that we know the message sent was indeed received.
After asking students for permission to learn more about their experience you can try asking:
Do you like this class? Why?
How about your teacher? Why?
Does your teacher like you? How do you know?
Can you share what you are working on here?
Why is that important to learn?
What kinds of things are you interested in—perhaps something you would like to pursue as you get older?
How is this class helping you get there?
Is this work easy, medium, or hard?
Is this class easier, harder, or about the same as your other classes?
Is there anything you need to be your greatest self here?
From the Power & Authority in Teams/Orgs Series:
Everyone appreciates “transparency,” but not all transparency is created equal.
Use responsible transparency as a guiding principle in your leadership. Responsible transparency calls you to be forthcoming about critical content—the ‘right stuff’ in the ‘right’ way to the ‘right’ people at the ‘right’ time. Responsible transparency doesn’t mean sharing everything all the time. Oversharing can unintentionally create confusion, delays, and even cause harm. It requires using sound judgment to ensure people have access to the information they need in a timely manner that allows them to make good decisions for themselves and the work.
Responsible transparency considers systems-level implications such as:
how the information impacts people at different levels of the team/organization (look out for disproportionate impacts on historically marginalized populations)
how culture might be affected, and
the unintended consequences that could manifest as a result of the communication (or the lack thereof)