In the next couple of cohort sessions together (virtually and in-person) at the ULI Larson Leadership Program in Detroit, a collection of consultants and experts guided the group into diving into your own personal leadership style. Understanding your personal profile and approach informs areas of growth as a leader and an individual.
One Line Design Studio, Co-Founder, Karrie Drinkhahn was selected for ULI Michigan's annual Larson Center for Leadership and following the process and steps through this cohort feels important to share – both in what we are presented but also where we grow.
For those of you who know me personally, will probably not be surprised by the results of my DiSC profile test results. After being led by Carol Murray from The Lifework Institute, her results came through on the Everything DiSC Work of Leaders evaluation – it revealed that I was a “iD” type of leader. Every leader has a blend of all four of the styles, but this shows where you tend to lean.
So what story does my “iD Dot” tell? A natural passion to grow, expand, and explore through a high energy level and a need for excitement constantly seeking bigger accomplishments. The priorities that shape my leadership experience are to be pioneering, energizing, and commanding. Not surprising, right? These areas and more details are great to know, but it is most important to understand your strengths and weaknesses to create a vision, build alignment, and champion execution with your team.
Credit: https://www.everythingdisc.com/
This exercise also shared with us our weaknesses, and where work is needed to improve leadership skills at the different phases of the process. A couple of my weaknesses included: clarity in my messaging, focusing on not seeking closure too quickly, and continuing to soften the matter-of-fact messaging with encouraging inspiration. Again, probably not a surprise for those who know me (and have worked with me!).
My commitment to this process, is not about me in the end – but ultimately about leading my current and future team members to be there best. Cheers to continually being curious, always learning, and seeking improvement!
Our next cohort, we will begin to work on our local Detroit project as a team. Stay Tuned!