Applying Systemic Liberation to Yourself as a Non-Profit Leader
By Dr. Virginia Lacayo
In this System Shaker's Playbook series, we’re diving into the transformative framework of Systemic Liberation. In the last article, we explored the foundational principles—equity, interdependence, and collective intelligence—and how they signal a radical shift in leadership and change. In this article, we pivot from theory to practice, focusing on the most critical system you can influence: yourself.
Transformation Starts with You
As a non-profit leader, you likely entered this work fueled by a desire to make a difference. But even the most well-intentioned leaders can inadvertently replicate the very power structures they aim to dismantle. After all, we are just humans, and we have all been socialized and conditioned by the Systems in which we all operate. I don’t know anyone who is completely free of bias, assumptions, and limiting beliefs. That is part of the human condition. And that is why Systemic Liberation calls for radical self-inquiry—a commitment to confronting your own biases, rethinking entrenched power dynamics, and cultivating the virtues necessary to drive meaningful change.
Leadership isn’t just about strategies and outcomes. It’s about who you are, how you show up, and the systems of thought you carry within you. Oppression isn’t just out there; it lives inside us, embedded in our conditioning, our habits, and our assumptions. Systemic Liberation starts when you recognize this truth and choose to engage with it.
Confronting Your Own Biases
Bias isn’t a flaw in your character; it’s a feature of how the human brain navigates complexity. The problem arises when these unconscious patterns go unchecked, shaping decisions and actions reinforcing inequity. Systemic Liberation invites you to:
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Acknowledge Your Blind Spots: No matter how progressive you consider yourself, there are areas where your perspective is limited. That’s not a failure—it’s human. The key is to stay curious and open.
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Seek Discomfort: Growth doesn’t happen in comfort zones. When you feel defensive, that’s often a signal to lean in, not pull away. What are you protecting? What assumptions are being challenged?
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Invite Feedback: Create mechanisms for honest, critical feedback from those around you, especially from voices that differ from your own. Not as a token gesture, but as a genuine strategy for self-awareness.
Rethinking Power Dynamics
Traditional leadership models often equate power with control—over people, processes, and outcomes. Systemic Liberation flips this script. Power isn’t something to hoard; it’s something to distribute.
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Shift from Authority to Facilitation: Instead of being the person with all the answers, become the leader who asks the right questions. Facilitate environments where collective intelligence can thrive.
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Decentralize Decision-Making: Where can you create more autonomy within your team? How can you design systems where power is shared, not concentrated at the top?
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Challenge the Myth of Meritocracy: Recognize that success isn’t solely the result of individual effort but is shaped by systemic factors. Acknowledging this doesn’t diminish personal achievement—it contextualizes it.
Cultivating Courage, Compassion, and Consciousness
The virtues of courage, compassion, and consciousness are not abstract ideals; they are daily practices that shape how you lead.
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Courage: Not the absence of fear, but the willingness to act despite it. Courage in leadership means speaking truth to power, challenging the status quo, and making decisions aligned with your values—even when it’s hard.
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Compassion: Often misunderstood as softness, compassion is a fierce, active force. It’s about holding space for complexity, acknowledging pain without being paralyzed by it, and extending grace to yourself and others as you navigate change.
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Consciousness: This is the bedrock of Systemic Liberation—an ongoing awareness of how systems operate, both externally and internally. Conscious leaders are reflective, intentional, and committed to aligning their actions with their values.
Practices for Personal Liberation
Applying Systemic Liberation to yourself isn’t a one-time exercise; it’s a continuous process. Here are some practices to integrate into your leadership journey:
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Journaling for Reflection: Regularly write about your leadership experiences. Where did you show up with integrity? Where did you fall short? What emotions tend to control your reactions? What thoughts and beliefs fuel those emotions? What patterns do you notice over time?
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Mindfulness Practices and Self-Coaching Skills: Develop self-coaching skills by learning the tools to help you understand and manage your mind and emotions. Practice them daily. It is also useful to cultivate presence through meditation, breathwork, or reflective silence. This helps you respond rather than react, especially in high-stakes situations.
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Accountability Partnerships: Find a coach or a trusted colleague to hold you accountable for your growth. Not someone who’ll just affirm you but someone who will challenge you.
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Learning from Diverse Voices: Actively seek out perspectives that differ from your own. Read authors, attend workshops, and engage with communities outside your typical circles.
The Ripple Effect of Personal Transformation
When you commit to your own liberation, it doesn’t stop with you. The way you lead, the culture you create, and the systems you influence begin to shift. Liberated leaders build liberated organizations.
Imagine staff and stakeholder meetings where every voice is valued, decisions made reflect collective wisdom and organizational policies are rooted in equity rather than compliance. And you feel empowered, confident, and inspired. These aren’t utopian ideals; they’re the natural outcomes of leaders who’ve done their inner work.
Moving Forward
Up next: we’ll expand this lens to your organization, examining how to embed the Systemic Liberation framework and principles into your culture, policies, and systems.
Remember: The most radical thing you can do as a leader is to transform yourself. Not because you are the center of change, but because your growth ripples outward, shaping the world around you.
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