Leading Across Differences

Leading across differences is the capability to create direction, alignment and commitment across five identified differences – vertical, horizontal, stakeholder, geographic & demographic – in communities and organizations, and using strategies for improving relationships across those differences in service of a higher vision or goal. True change for children and families requires this capability because the complex issues facing our communities are multifaceted, impacting multiple stakeholders. The ability to build coalitions, inspire community trust, and mobilize community engagement is fundamental to creating the progress we want to see.
In November, as part of the WKKF Community Leadership Network with the Center for Creative Leadership fellowship program, the fellows gathered for the penultimate time in Jackson, Mississippi, the heart of the civil rights movement. It was a fitting location to dig deep into the skills and capacities needed to effectively lead across differences.
Difference within communities

Difference exists on multiple dimensions. When one thinks of difference, it is often the difference in identity between communities that comes to mind, but diversity and difference exist within communities that are often overlooked.
Huong Nguyen serves as the community engagement director at the New Mexico Asian Family Center where she brings her lived experience to supporting immigrant and refugee families. A nuanced understanding of difference is critical in her role because of how difference manifests in the Asian Pacific Islander, immigrant and refugee communities.
“My community is very diverse, in terms of language and also in terms of immigration stories. The Vietnamese community, the Filipino community, the Afghan community, all have different stories. Also, there is an important difference in income levels. For example, Indian and Taiwanese incomes trend higher compared to Bangladeshi, Cambodian or Laotian incomes. When we are grouped together, higher reported income levels hide the struggles of so many groups.”
When working within diverse communities, Huong emphasizes that common ground can still be found. “It’s about being able to see the differences, but also find the common ground, the goals or values we share, and start from that.”
New Orleans fellow Meshawn Siddiq also underscores the realities of intra-community difference in her work as both the deputy director of the New Orleans Health Department and founder of the H.E.R. Institute (Health, Education and Research).
“We all, whether within the same race or the same gender or whatever, we all have differences. The reason why we may do this work is because we have a shared vision or goal and, if we have that, we can find a way to work across those differences.”
Vertical difference

Another dimension of difference is vertical difference – a difference across levels and authority. Learning about this dimension of difference was particularly relevant to Michigan fellow Nkechi Mbanu, who leads Detroit CARE (Cummin Advocating for Racial Equity). “I am in a slightly different position from many of my peer fellows because I come from the perspective of a funder. I am not the expert, I lean on those with lived experience to truly know the best way to apply our resources.”
To lead across this dimension of difference Nkechi stresses the importance of intentionality. “We must think and act intentionally about how we engage with the communities and across the different stakeholders who all represent different points of view. We have to lead with transparency and an open heart, that’s what engenders trust.”
Building trust and creating space

Mississippi fellow Laura Sessum agrees, she’s also a funder currently serving as the executive director of Singing River Health Foundation. “If the goal of my organization in my community is to help people find their common humanity and thrive, I need to make sure everyone’s included and everyone’s represented.”
“There is often a lot of lip-service but nothing will change unless you follow through and show that you value everyone being at the table and that you’re willing to build a bigger table,” says Laura. “It’s not just about being inclusive, it’s about being expansive. Trust is a natural consequence when people know that you actually care about what they say and value their perspective and input.”
Michigan fellow Mary Kay Murphy roots herself in the value of community input as an educator and education equity strategist working to create stronger school systems that support teachers. Her work spans across school districts, and she’s often collaborating with teachers who represent communities very different from her own.
“I want to ensure that the work I’m doing is honoring the people within the community. I have to understand who they are as individuals, and who I am and how I am showing up in the space. I often root my work in their visions for the future. A generation from now when their children are the parents in the seat, what do they want to be true? What do they want to be brighter and better? And, how do we collaborate around that vision and let the community’s vision for that generational change drive the work?”
Knowing ourselves to know others

As the fellows lead across the various dimensions of difference, they each credit the fellowship program for giving them the tools they need to succeed. For Nkechi and Meshawn, their biggest takeaways have been in how gaining a greater understanding of themselves has equipped them to work better with others.
Nkechi says, “For me, the fellowship has been full of such great lessons of self-mastery. It has given me the tools and the confidence to be able to do a lot of internal work. To feel more confident, to be able to be in spaces that are not necessarily comfortable, and to be comfortable seeking out difference.”
Meshawn shares a similar story about gaining confidence with differences. “What has been really key is gaining an understanding of who I am, and not having to compromise that. Then being able to accept others and identify their differences. Finally, it’s been about having enough confidence to work across those differences in a way where I can still be strong, powerful and true to who I am, with the understanding that others can show up as they really are. In the end, we can all have this equal playing field while we work together.”
Power in difference

The fellows also found the diversity and difference within the fellowship program to be incredibly powerful. “This space helped me heal,” shares Huong. “The number one thing for me has been this incredible network of support.”
Neema Pickett, who leads the City of Albuquerque Office of Black Community Engagement, put it best: “This is a cohort that stretches across the nation, from varied economic backgrounds. We have narratives and stories that come from the most impoverished places in the land to the legacy of power and privilege.
“We lead in all these different types of organizations, whether it’s business, government or the nonprofit sector. We all have these different skill sets and talents that each one of us has invested in curating over time.
“With all this difference, to come together with a common goal and say, ‘I will become the thing I most want to see in the world!’ It’s so beautiful. I am so grateful for this amazing network that is now my family. I will hold the fellows close and very dear, forever.”