Discernment Leadership: Leading with Integrity and Courage Toward Equality

True leadership equates to an individual in power who possesses the capacity to lead. Power is obtained in a variety of ways and influenced by the culture we live in. Power is gained through privilege, reputation, influence, monetary worth, resources, and hierarchical structure, to name a few. While an individual with a grasp on power has a degree of control, and the ability to make things happen, power alone doesn’t equate to true leadership. 

True leadership is much more than wielded power and smoke-and-mirrors. In our Western society and virtual world, a person of influence can most certainly possess power and wield control without having quality leadership skills or without even knowing how to lead at all. In a seat of power, an individual can pronounce they are a great leader, having never earned the title or reputation. They can state they are a “role model,” even as their methods are harmful and not well-received. Some, calling themselves great leaders for a social justice cause, rule and instruct by means of coercion, persuasion, and intimidation. Others purposely ignore contingents or place citizens on the back burner, perpetually on hold. Some openly commodify a historically marginalized people, ignoring the absence of equal representation; many condone or look the other way concerning harmful acts of othering, ableism, and discrimination. These are leaders, merely because their actions and wishes result in outcomes, regardless of the consequences and the effect on the people around them. But let us not be fooled into thinking they are true leaders.

True leaders don't lack dignity. They are worthy of our honor and respect. Quality leadership requires discernment and compassion and a vastly-open-mind for navigating differing viewpoints. It requires taking the wheel and moving fast to protect underserved people in danger. It equates to remaining strong against an encroaching enemy, whether that enemy be systemic injustices or disgruntled outsiders. It means recognizing when it's time to fall back to reflect and regroup. True leaders move with integrity and create safe space for mature and uncomfortable dialogue. They don't avoid discomfort. They don't put their reputation above the larger community. They abide by their people.

Effective leaders offer direction and encourage others to contribute to a sense of engagement and belonging. A true leader puts people above selfish motives and a person above generalizations. They advocate for truth and equality. They capitalize on the willing efforts of the content and respected community members. True leadership means everyone is responsible, everyone a decision maker, everyone learning and growing and contributing, with an active voice at the table.

When quality leadership is upheld, systemic growth toward social justice becomes a norm, not a rarity. Citizens become mutual influencers with shared responsibility and vision, ambassadors for a cause. Lateral networks and new relationships form. New leaders walking the talk emerge. A bottom-up community develops; one where everyone is able to contribute and be seen as capable and valued. 

Discernment Leadership is a leadership style I developed. Discernment Leadership is a quality leadership practice. Discernment Leaders employ self-reflection to make wise choices for the betterment and continual transformation of the overriding community of distinct individuals. 

Discernment denotes having the wisdom and knowing to separate what is important and true from what is not. Translations of the concept of discernment include having profound insight and perception and understanding. It also represents the ability to distinguish between, and recognize, the implications of different situations and the most beneficial course of action. Discernment stands for the ability to assess the status of individuals, groups, and social movements. Discernment is knowing when to take action and when to let go. When to dive deep and when to put things in motion. When to speak up and when to keep quiet.

The 6 Principles of Discernment Leadership are as follows:

(by Marcelle Ciampi)

Embrace Growth and Self-Awareness: Open to ongoing learning from education, relationships, and life experience; when affronted, respond with reflective-wisdom and respectful actions.

Create Safe Space: Create safe and trusting space for building relationships, mature conversations, and collaboration, while aspiring to break down the barriers of social constraints and foster cultural transformation for the benefit of the community.

Encourage Understanding: Encourage the understanding of differing perspectives and experiences; advocate and allow opportunity for the diminishment of polarities and superior/inferior constructs (e.g., using"we" over "they" in public announcement).

Practice Diversity with Dignity: Place the diverse needs of the people of a community above one’s own self-interest and personal gain, allowing for equal representation, a true voice at the table for all, and the elimination of practices that segregate a select subculture of the population.

Act with Integrity and Courage: Recognizing change is a natural enemy to fear, confront and reflect on fear, sit courageously in discomfort, and respond with love, honesty, empathy, humility, transparency, and beneficial calls to action. 

Serve as a Champion for Change: Serve as a resolute and resilient role model for diversity, equity, and belonging (DEB), by leveraging resources and following through with honorable actions to the benefit of the community at large.

In our united desire for social justice and a place of true belonging, I encourage us all to embrace leaders emulating the qualities of a discernment leadership and to pay close attention to the leaders we choose to support and publicly recognize.

Essential read: Diversity with Dignity: I support Autistic people's human rights in the workplace. Do you?

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Marcelle Ciampi M.Ed. (aka Samantha Craft), a respected Autistic author and international ambassador, is best known for her writings found in the well-received book Everyday Aspergers, endorsed by best-selling author Steve Silberman. Senior Manager of DEI at Ultranauts Inc., an engineering firm with an autism hiring initiative (featured in the New York Times), Ciampi is credited for largely-architecting an innovative universal design approach to workplace inclusion. Some of her works, especially the Autistic Traits List, have been translated into multiple languages and widely-shared in counseling offices, globally. A former school teacher, Ciampi has corresponded directly with over 10,000 individuals on the autism spectrum and been featured in various literature, including citations in articles, books, and research papers. Her upcoming book, Autism in a Briefcase: Straight talk about belonging in a neurodiverse world, is based on 3000-hours of study. Ciampi also contributed to the book Spectrum Women: Walking to the Beat of Autism and was recently accepted as a doctoral student in the field of organizational leadership and social justice. Marcelle is Autistic (Aspergers) with gifted-intellect, and dyslexic, dyspraxic, and hyperlexic, what she calls a ‘blended-neurodivergent.’ Two of her adult sons are also neurodivergent, as is her life partner.

Diversity with Dignity slideshow