What Cultural Responsiveness Means to LeaderWise
We regularly receive questions from candidates and denominational partners about the ways in which we work to make our assessments culturally responsive. The values and practices that inform our assessments also extend to our psychotherapy, consulting and other accompaniment work, and we wanted to share, more widely, some of the key themes that emerge in these conversations. In our efforts to be culturally responsive and ethical, the following questions tend to guide this aspect of our work:
How do we honor the fullness and complexity of the cultural experiences of those we serve?
How do we work to establish safety and hold vulnerability for those we serve?
How do we meet the changing needs of the ministry context?
The ministry landscape around us has continued to change dramatically in recent years, and LeaderWise works diligently to keep pace with the changing needs of our ministry partners. One significant change in ministry candidates coming to LeaderWise for psychological evaluations has involved candidates’ diversity with regard to race, age, country of origin, socioeconomic status, education level, LGBTQ+ identities, and experiences within religious settings. In order to be equipped to meet candidates where they are, LeaderWise staff members have pursued specialized training and education to broaden our understanding of and attunement to these cultural experiences, and their impact on candidates' functioning within the ministry context.
Guided by our professional ethical codes, all LeaderWise staff members uphold a particular commitment to those who are marginalized or vulnerable. We strive to be a space in which voices are heard, identities affirmed, and experiences valued. We honor, for example:
diverse cultural backgrounds;
the fullness of race and color;
the range of expressions of sexual and gender identity;
the varied voices that come with differences in age, ability, life experiences, and socioeconomic status.
We see well-being in the context of culture and community. We care about how candidates are doing amidst this current sociopolitical climate and polarized time. We explore their awareness and skills in navigating encounters of similarity and difference.
As a whole, LeaderWise affirms—through our professional and personal experiences, as well as decades of research—that discrimination and structural inequities contribute to disparities in mental health outcomes, access to care, and overall well-being.
Additional actions we take toward cultural responsiveness involve reviewing our standard forms regularly with a goal to eliminate/minimize bias in language and processes and employing subject matter experts when possible. We work to be transparent and open with candidates and clients, inviting questions and discussion throughout our processes. Each of our staff areas (assessment, psychotherapy, and leadership development) meet weekly for consultation and continuing education, conferring on cases to expand our own understanding and identify biases we may have.
We recognize this work is ongoing, and we are always open to your feedback and questions. Feel free to contact us if you would like to be in conversation about LeaderWise’s work in the area of cultural responsiveness.
