MDRC cultivates disability pride and strengthens the disability movement by recognizing disability as a natural and beautiful part of human diversity while collaborating to dismantle all forms of oppression.
We use 6 qualities of leadership that function in all three components of this model to identify growth in leadership capacity. The six qualities are: Worth, Self-Knowledge, Desire, Voice, Action, and Reflection. Below the qualities are listed. Below each quality there are 3 statements that someone might say depending on which component of the model they are currently focused in.
Self - I am worthy of respect
Community - I am worthy of joining others
Visionary - I am worth listening to
Self - I know my strengths and limitations
Community - I know what I have to offer others
Visionary - I know what my group can do
Self - I know what I want
Community - I know what my group wants
Visionary - I know what needs to be done by my group
Self - I speak up for myself
Community - I am part of a shared voice
Visionary - I can voice my group's issues
Self - I take action
Community - I take action with others
Visionary - I lead my group's actions
Self - I reflect and learn about myself
Community - I reflect and learn about my group
Visionary - I reflect and learn about my leadership
They can be used as a pre and post measurement for movement of an internal sense of self. They can also be used as a means to measure the effectiveness of various components or specific circumstances of a program. For example, after a participant delivers a successful statement at a public hearing, or a group works through a particularly difficult conflict, answering the questions could provide information about the effectiveness of an activity or intervention.