Effective leadership requires the leader to be self-aware and clear on their motivations. To effectively lead, one must “develop the characteristics of a self-differentiated leader so that you can have the stamina and resolve to keep moving forward in the face of resistance” (Dwayne Harapnuik, 2021). Becoming a self-differentiated leader demands one to remain in touch with their driving purpose and the proposed change.
The most appealing aspect of self-differentiated leadership is the ability to remain connected to the team while staying true to the purpose and plan. Fortified against the virus-like triangulation and sabotage that surface from anxiety and insecurity, a self-differentiated leader can stand firm, lending stability from within. While working to help team members accept personal responsibility for their discomfort with change, a self-differentiated leader can listen and provide support without adopting the team’s anxiety.
Just like a self-differentiated cell in the body knows its purpose and function, becoming a self-differentiated leader allows me to foster and lead change without being influenced or stressed by the response of those around me. It is humbling to think that I can learn, practice, and evolve into a self-differentiated leader who creates the climate for healthy and effective organizational changes. I would love to be the change agent that provides my team members with happier, healthier, and more productive lives.
Since my goal is to develop and implement innovative changes, I must utilize each tool in my ADL Program toolbox and embark on the crucial conversations needed to get the change process underway.
References
Dwayne Harapnuik. (2021, February 28). EDLD 5304 Mod 5 [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bErRQq4DUSE
Friedman, E. H. (2007). A Failure of Nerve: Leadership in the Age of the Quick Fix. Seabury Books.
Mathew Bardwell. (2010, November 10). Friedman’s Theory of Differentiated Leadership Made Simple [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgdcljNV-Ew
Swan Hill Youth Mental Health Project. (2015, August 12). Friedman’s Theory of Differentiated Leadership Made Simple [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FaifIIeQC9k
The Advisor That Cares 
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