Acceptance, Potential and Purpose- An Extraordinary Group Perspective
Earlier this summer, I had the opportunity to join the Extraordinary Teams partnership and its community of practice. As many nonprofit organizations and movements look for ways to pivot and shift in response to the uncertainty of this moment, it is essential that they are intentional about building and sustaining teams that lead with purpose.
You are the most important piece of the puzzle
“What could you better appreciate about yourself that might lead to appreciation of others? “
-Extraordinary Groups, Geoffrey Bellman and Kathleen Ryan
There are a number of things that struck me about the Extraordinary Teams framework that feel important at this moment. The six key elements of an extraordinary group are divided into three categories. The first category is centered on self, as a foundation for the other two categories, group and world, which are connected to an individual’s self acceptance and awareness of their potential. This is where the model opens space for a connection with coaching and healing practices. In the 25 years that I have worked with organizations, it is this space of self acceptance (or self compassion as I would call it) that is the stumbling block to the progress of a leader. I have often heard, “but I don’t have time for that” or “the work is too urgent for me to focus on myself.” Yet, what we know of extraordinary teams from this work (over 600 groups have been studied) is that the self acceptance gained by understanding one’s strengths and limitations, is at the heart of a healthy, thriving team. And a critical part of the acceptance work is the creation of a safe space for that person to express themself.
The creative dynamic that exists between self acceptance and potential feels like a dance in the world of organizational leadership. As a Latinx woman who has had the privilege of holding numerous leadership positions in organizations, reaching an understanding of the importance of acceptance and potential was hard. It was through the doorway of coaching that I was able to see my "enoughness" and reach for my potential in a way that felt authentic. I learned that, the more we are able to understand ourselves, heal our wounds and come into our groups and teams in our authentic power, the greater our personal and team wins. We need to win and celebrate now more than ever.
Learn more about Extraordinary Teams here.