two people attending an in the dark event, wearing blindfolds.

LEADERSHIP
IN THE DARK
Discovery in the Dark Menu
• Design Thinking for Innovation in the Dark
• Improv in the Dark
• Inclusion in the Dark
• Leadership in the Dark
• FAQ
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• About
ABOUT
Leadership in the Dark expert facilitators guide participating stakeholders in managing internal and external change, including organizational restructuring, political and economic dynamics, or community transitions. Together, participants identify systemic challenges and consider design solutions that embrace authenticity and empower diverse voices. This immersive tailored experience culminates in the use of open communication and improved dialogic skills in the composition of a roadmap that aims to, systemically and sustainably, address critical challenges collectively identified by the group.
The high-level goals of the Leadership in the Dark workshop are:
  • Understand concepts surrounding the Adaptive Leadership Framework to apply it for long term success;
  • Practice active listening to find common grounds, include different perspectives and improve team collaboration through open communication;
  • Empower participants and build their leadership capacity and attitude of shared ownership to improve engagement with the organization’s vision and objectives; and
  • Master new tools and frameworks to improve the understanding of the organizational environment, identify real challenges and plan forward.
Duration of the session: 2 hours, customized to client’s needs
Number of participants: up to 200
PHASES AND STRUCTURE
Leadership in the Dark is comprised of 4 phases
01

Introduction of Adaptive Leadership Theory:
To build a solid base, the first part of the session will walk participants through the concepts from the Adaptive Leadership framework developed by Prof. Ronald Heifetz

02

Self Discovery and Connection with Others:
Through different prompts and experiential exercises, participants will be asked not to share certain identifying details and this restriction is intended to remove comfortable reference points and routine discussion topics from the start, while simultaneously creating a safe environment to deeply connect with others.

03

Analysis of an adaptive challenge:
Working closely with the organization, the facilitator will guide participants to analyze and dissect a specific problem through the lens of the framework previously taught. During the session, participants will identify and map factions, understand the challenges hindering performance, the causes of resistance to change and hidden dynamics. At the end of the session, participants will have a clear understanding of the problem and will be equipped with the tools to overcome the fear of change successfully and become change enablers

04

Takeaway:
Participants will reflect on the concepts learned to create concrete steps to implement them in their organization and community.

Women speaking at an in the dark event, wearing blindfold

Man speaking at an in the dark event, wearing blindfold
Women speaking at an in the dark event, wearing blindfold
• Testimonials



Sara kicked off a one-week executive education program at the Harvard Kennedy School…[and] guided the 60 participants through a Discovery in The Dark experience, masterfully creating a safe and encouraging space for people to explore and discuss their conceptions of labels. In the program evaluations, participants noted this as one of the most powerful experiences of the week.

I was impressed with her ability to elicit participation that was honest, personal, and productive. Sara is an incredible facilitator and remarkably skilled at getting even the most reserved people in the room to openly reflect and share their own perspective and pre-conceived notions. Her sessions were invaluable in creating an open and safe environment that carried through the rest of the week.


– Laura Simolaris

Harvard Kennedy School

• Contact
CONTACT
To learn more, please email at info@saraminkara.com.
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