June 2002 USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service 1

Collaborative Community Leadership

June 2002 USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service 2

Session Goal

Differentiate between traditional

leadership and collaborative community

leadership

June 2002 USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service 3

Traditional Leadership Definition

• Leadership is influencing people--by providing purpose, direction, and motivation--while operating to accomplish the mission and improving the organization.

• Source: FM 22-100 Army Leadership Home Page

June 2002 USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service 4

Traditional Leadership DefinitionExamples

• Military

• Police Chief

• Strong mayor form of government

• Others you can think of?

June 2002 USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service 5

A Old View of Community Leadership

Modified from: Kline, S., Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs

Visionary

Leadership

Top Down AuthorityStrategic Planning Process

Long Term

Community Goals

Commanding

Action

Citizen Projects

June 2002 USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service 6

A New View of Community Leadership

Modified from: Kline, S., Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs

Supporting

Roles

Citizen Projects

Long Term

Community Goals

Visionary Leadership

Community Visioning

Grassroots Support

Community Action Process

June 2002 USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service 7

A New View of CommunityLeadership

Modified from: Kline, S., Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs

SupportingRoles

Citizen Projects

Long Term

Community Goals

Visionary Leadership

CommunityVisioning

Grassroots Support

Community Action Process

Visionary

Leadership

Top Down Authority

Long Term

Community Goals

Strategic PlanningProcess

Commanding Action

Citizen Projects

June 2002 USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service 8

Leadership

How does one become a leader?

June 2002 USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service 9

Leadership Redefined

• A Collaborative Community Leader is

one who helps guide a community group

to enable people to form relationships

and interact to address common issues,

work towards common goals, and

commit to the wellbeing of the larger

organization or community.

June 2002 USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service 10

Collaborative Community Leadership

• How is this type of leadership different?

To lead the people, walk behind them.

Lao-Tzu

June 2002 USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service 11

Collaborative Community Leadership

What do leaders do?

• Inspire

• Coach

• Support

• Decide

• Dare

June 2002 USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service 12

Collaborative Community Leadership

What does it take to succeed?

• Passion

• Courage

• Determination

• Optimism

• Negotiation skills

• Confidence

June 2002 USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service 13

Collaborative Community Leadership

What are the characteristics of a collaborative community leader?

June 2002 USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service 14

Recognizing Community Leaders

• Believe they can make a difference

• Believe anything is possible. Preserving the status quo is not on their agenda.

• Are not afraid of hard work

• Do what needs to be done and inspire others to do it with them.

• Encourage others to lead

June 2002 USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service 15

Collaborative Community Leadership

A Collaborative Community Leader creates an environment that enables people to form relationships and interact to:

Create a shared vision; Create joint strategies to address common

issues and concerns; Work towards common goals; and Commit to the wellbeing of the larger

organization or community.

June 2002 USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service 16

Collaborative Community Leadership

• Collaborative Community Leaders evolve from a process of Community Leadership Development. There are nine principles of community leadership development.

Source: USDA Social Sciences Institute

June 2002 USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service 17

Principles of Community Leadership

Development

Source: USDA Social Sciences Institute

June 2002 USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service 18

Principles of Community

• Honors heritage and embraces its future

• Identifies and builds on shared interests and values

• Values diversitySource: USDA Social Sciences Institute

June 2002 USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service 19

Principles of Leadership

• Shares responsibility

• Fosters collaboration

• Intends action

Source: USDA Social Sciences Institute

June 2002 USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service 20

Principles of Community Leadership Development

• Issue-based, not issue-bound. (Not limited to a specific issue)

• Bolsters local capacity

• Offers a context for learning

Source: USDA Social Sciences Institute

June 2002 USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service 21

Collaborative Community Leadership

is based on Principles, not Prescriptions!

Source: USDA Social Sciences Institute

June 2002 USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service 22

Principle-Centered Leadership

• An empowered organization is one in which individuals have the knowledge, skill, desire, and opportunity to personally succeed in a way that leads to collective organizational success.

Stephen R. Covey: Principle-Centered Leadership, Simon and Schuster, 1992

June 2002 USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service 23

Summary of session

• Principles of community leadership

June 2002 USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service 24

Margaret Mead

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world, indeed, it's the only thing that

everhas."