Deep Leadership

Across Cultures

Leading a shelter organization probably

requires you to play many different roles over the

course of a day…..

Fearless Advocate

Counselor and Therapist

Multi-tasking Manager

Inter-Agency Diplomat

Fundraising Expert

Motivational Coach

Firefighter

Daily Miracle Worker

Wise Spiritual Leader

(plus remembering togo home and have a life)

Great leaders are…

• Grounded• Courageous• Humble• Decisive• Constantly learning

Great leaders can…• Communicate effectively • Embrace change & uncertainty• Engage others towards a shared goal• Prioritize and focus their efforts• Ask for help

Great leaders have…

• Boundless energy• Deep domain knowledge• Integrity• A sense of vision & direction• Profound self-awareness

Lines of Leadership Development

The Inward Arc

The Outward Arc

Source

‘Outer’ Lines of Development

Technical skillsProcess skills

MetaskillsDomain knowledgePersonal experience

‘Inner’ Lines of Development

Blending theory and practice (Praxis)Meta-capacities

Psychological developmentSpiritual development

Congruence

How do you cultivate the ‘inner’ qualities of leadership?

• Being grounded & centered• Self-awareness• Humility• Courage• Vision• Energy• Integrity• Authenticity

Leaders from all sectors are working in increasingly complex social terrain…..

…especially between cultures

As leaders your work may include

• Providing effective services to Aboriginal clients• Getting a deeper understanding of where clients are

coming from• Building effective working relationships with

Aboriginal agencies and community organizations• Recruiting and managing Aboriginal staff• Increasing the cultural competence of non-

Aboriginal staff• Working with Elders, community liaison workers

and cultural specialists

So what is Culture?

A Working Definition of Culture

“A system of shared beliefs, values, customs, behaviors, and artifacts that the

members of a society use to cope with their world and with one another, and

that are transmitted from generation to generation through learning.”

(Bates, D. G., and Plog, F. Y. (1990). Cultural Anthropology. New York: McGraw-Hill.)

The ‘Iceberg’ Model of Culture

Above the surface

Below the surface

Action Layer Ritual, communication,

body language

Speech Layer Language, vocabulary, grammar

Thought LayerValues, attitudes, ethics, beliefs

Artifact Layer

All people have culture

Most of culture is invisible and unconscious

Cultural patterns that we are not familiar with are often invisible to us

Education is the transmission of culture

Many basic cultural patterns are in place by two (mothers are the carriers of culture)