Edwin Friedman, the man that coined the phrase well-differentiated leader, mentioned that differentiated leaders are the calm and collected leaders that do not get caught up in the things that might bring others down. They are influencers and role models. These leaders are the ones that can lead the crucial conversations that are necessary when a group is trying to bring about a change in the form of an innovative idea.
Here is how the self-differentiated leader uses crucial conversations with other leaders:
When I go back and read what I wrote above, it makes me really think about what I need to do to become a more self-differentiated leader. I can sometimes (often) be a very emotional person. I get my feelings hurt and I wear my heart on my sleeve, therefore I struggle with "re-taking my pen". I have a hard time taking feedback and feedforward while staying calm and non-emotional. I truly believe that this is the one thing that I will need to work on first. I am good, however, at having the ability to know when to have the right conversations at the right time and to stay on the path I have chosen to take while looking at other's paths.
"Differentiated leadership is a direction in life. A direction toward maturity. And the only way we can get moving in that direction is to take care of our 'self'" (Differentiated Leadership - Top 10 Learning Solutions, 2018).
References
Differentiated leadership - Top 10 learning solutions. (2018, July 10). Top10 Learning Solutions. Retrieved March 10, 2022, from https://www.top10learningsolutions.com/differentiated-leadership/
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