Imagine!’s Leadership Development Group Update: December 2016

Imagine!’s 2016 / 2017
Leadership Development Group Update
Submitted by MacKenzie Haering

During a meeting last month, Imagine!’s Leadership Development Group (LDG) asked, “Why do some teams thrive, while others flounder?” To ensure that our team works together as successfully as possible, we spent a night asking and answering the question above.

Pictured above (left to right) are Kathryn Craig, Jessica Gaylord,
Cameron Navis, Alicia Burdick, and MacKenzie Haering 

To help us get off on the right foot, LDG member Alicia Burdick’s mother, Beverly Kingston, Director at the Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence, Institute of Behavioral Sciences at the University of Colorado Boulder, facilitated a meeting called “True Colors.” True Colors is a personality test designed to help people better understand their unique personality traits, as well as the personality traits of others. This test revealed that everyone in the group had traits in common; we all were identified as compassionate, accepting, and caring. These characteristics help each of us in our professional roles as we work towards creating a world of opportunity for all abilities. Although we have similarities, we also have distinct differences. For example, some of us are spontaneous-risk takers, while others are more structured and methodical, and some were described as analytical fact seekers.

To help us work effectively together, we identified a list of Norms to help promote productive, harmonious meetings, and an inclusive environment in which each of us would be valued.

The Norms that we identified focus upon:

• Individual check ins – to practice active listening
• Develop clear structure and goals
• Identify a weekly team leader; the team leader creates a weekly LDG agenda
• Be vulnerable, share your story
• Share your strengths, and support others with their vulnerabilities
• Have fun

The True Colors meeting helped our team become more inspired and connected. We now feel as though we are working towards a common goal – to support one another through this journey of leadership development.