Binder Activities

Choose one real leadership context—a team, class, program, group, or community space you lead or influence. Then work through the four steps.

1. NoticeWhat pattern or challenge am I noticing in my leadership context?

   Ask:

   • •When participation becomes difficult in this setting, what tends to get your attention first?
   • •What behaviors, reactions, or situations are easiest for you to notice?
   What I notice:

2. NameWhat assumption or interpretation do I tend to make?

   Ask:

   • •What meaning do you tend to attach to those behaviors?

   What do you tend to assume about people who:

   • •participate readily,
   • •hesitate,
   • •remain quiet,
   • •ask repeated questions,
   • •disagree, or
   • •respond differently than you expected?
   The assumption or interpretation I tend to make:

3. CheckWhat else could be true, or what might I be overlooking?

   The purpose of Check is to create room for possibilities you may not have considered at first. What else could be influencing how someone participates?

   Consider factors such as:

   • •clarity,
   • •confidence,
   • •previous experiences,
   • •power dynamics,
   • •communication preferences,
   • •culture or identity,
   • •access needs,
   • •stress,
   • •trust, or
   • •uncertainty about expectations.
   What else could be true:

4. ChooseWhat leadership practice do I want to strengthen?

   What is one leadership habit you would like to strengthen during this course? Consider something another person could actually notice you doing.

   For example:

   • •pausing before making an assumption,
   • •asking one more question before responding,
   • •explaining expectations more clearly,
   • •offering more than one way to participate,
   • •noticing who has and has not entered the conversation, or
   • •checking the impact of a decision instead of relying only on your intention.
   The leadership practice I want to strengthen:

Return to this page at the end of the course to notice what has changed.

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