Previously on the Floricane blog, I’ve joked about being like this guy. Seriously, my Insights profile says, “when communicating with Kathy, do not get too emotional,” and do “gently remind her of the human dimension.” Unsurprisingly, I don’t think I am often (ever) described as acting “warm and fuzzy.” But, I sure felt like this warm and fuzzy guy last Monday, after meeting the team at the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD).
It’s not just that LCLD’s mission to “creat[e] a truly diverse U.S. legal profession” is tailor made for my heart-strings (I used to work in the legal field, as a women’s rights project director). Beyond that shared passion, the people that do the hard work of making LCLD’s mission a reality touched me with their camaraderie and thoughtfulness as we spent the morning delving into Insights. Many of us know how inspiring it feels to be on a team that’s relational and supportive, and I could tell the LCLD team “clicks” like that. Watching (and helping) a team dive even deeper into figuring out who they are and how to relate even better to each other is incredibly inspiring, too.
Even before we started the session, a whole bunch of human dimension emotions flooded the room. A number of people nervously anticipated their Insights results. My favorite quote was, “I’m afraid the results will show I’m too bossy – or another b-word.” Two thoughts came to mind as I listened in: One, I am someone who routinely sends brag texts to my friends after I check tasks off my to-do list – texts of endlessly repeating queen emojis. Needless to say, I hadn’t thought to worry about being seen as “bossy.” Two, Insights uses an online evaluator, testing word pairs to describe your style, and honestly, it hadn’t occurred to me that the word pairs alone – before even getting results -- would trigger worry.
The LCLD team’s warmth and harmonious dynamic helped to lift the worries in the room though, as teammates dug deep in to what makes their varying styles valuable. Personally, I am thankful that the LCLD team gave me the chance to step back from my usual style, put myself in their shoes, and practice how to more relationally convey one of the key take-aways of an Insights session: there is no right or wrong style, but an awareness of your preferences will help you become more adaptable.