Primer for Empowering Resident Leadership: Capacity Building for Community Council Leaders

By Adrienne Bitoy Jackson M.S. Ed. and Sandra Bivens M.S.

A user friendly, work book and "how to" guide to foster leadership development. Promotes critical thinking and reflection to stimulate and encourage capacity building. Can be used by individuals or with developing community groups.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Mar 31, 2011
• ISBN: 9781257296217

Book preview

transformation.

CHAPTER wiza ON CHARACTERISTICS OF LEADERSHIP

A leader is best when people barely know he exists. Not so good when people obey and acclaim him. Worse when they despise him. If you fail to honor people, they fail to honor you. But of a good leader, who talks little, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say, ‘WE DID THIS OURSELVES!'

Lead, Follow or Get Out Of The Way

What is leadership?

Leadership is a part of relationships. It brings together basics of service, duty and accountability. In not for profit organizations, like resident management corporations, the leadership thinks through and sets the mission of the organization.

Are there different types or styles of leadership?

There are many types and styles of leadership. Leadership can be defined as managerial, personal, political, participative (shared) and/or directive. These are types of leadership. Usually, when we refer to managerial leadership we are talking about leadership in the work place, for example supervisors, department or division heads. Personal leadership can apply to personal duties or positions within a family. When we talk about political leadership, we discuss the public servants that we have elected to speak for us in government. Participative (shared) and/or directive leadership is leadership where decision making is shared. Participative (shared) leadership generally occurs in community collaboratives. Directive leadership speaks to times when a certain kind of system of guidance is required.

In types of leadership, people develop ways to act with and relate to others to move an organizational agenda forward. These ways are called leadership styles. Some of the leadership styles frequently used to accomplish goals are: 1) autocratic or authoritarian leadership, 2) democratic or participatory leadership, 3) charismatic leadership, 4) situational leadership and 5) abdicative or laissez-faire leadership.

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When most people think of leadership, they think of a single person’s control over a group of members. This form of leadership is called autocratic or authoritarian leadership. It is based upon a person’s rank or place in a formal organization. In the autocratic style of leadership, the decisions are made from the top down. The authoritarian leader makes decisions on his/her own, and directs others to do them. S/he criticizes quickly and perhaps harshly, and influences by fear or pressure. ¹ This kind of leader leads by telling others what to do, there is little or no choice allowed in the decision making. An autocratic or authoritarian leader would say, Do it because I said so, I am the boss and I am in charge. Examples of this type of leadership are chairs, military rankings, corporate managerial positions, etc.

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Another type of leadership is democratic or participatory leadership. Participatory leadership creates a feeling of openness. Members are asked for feedback at the very beginning of the decision making process. In participatory leadership, decisions are made from the bottom up, or through general consensus. This kind of leader leads by asking people what to do. When the democratic or participatory style of leadership is used in a not for profit organization, the members choose to make certain decisions from the organization’s mission. They take into account their ability to deal with the situations being faced. A democratic or participatory leader would say, How do you think we should do this?

Occasionally, a leader uses charm to hold a volunteer group together. This type of leadership is called charismatic leadership; people join the group because they are drawn to, like or admire the leader. This kind of leader gets people motivated because the people like who they are. Therefore, the loyalty, in most cases, is to the leader his/her self and not to the memberships’ mission. Charismatic leaders use charm to get the membership to see things their way. They use influence and persuasion to sway others. Often members are left feeling that they have been tricked into taking an action that they might not have taken any other way. Other times, when members identify strongly with a charismatic leader they can be blinded to flaws of character, or hidden agendas and misled. If something happens to the charismatic leader, the membership may be not be able to move forward because charm is based an individual’s personality.

It is not realistic to believe that any one person can or should be prepared to lead in every situation. Having only one leader in an organization does not help to build or develop the leadership skills and abilities of the group. ² In an encouraging and free environment, leaders rise to the occasion, as specific areas demand. Their natural skills and abilities tell when it is appropriate for them to assume the leadership role. When this occurs, it is called Situational leadership.

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For example, sometimes in situational leadership a particular skill, such as arranging a contract or conflict resolution is required to move the organizational goals forward. The membership selects someone who has strong bargaining skills to head the activity and act in the membership’s best interests. S/he acts, making decisions, with their trust. S/he is entrusted with trying to clarify an issue, come to terms in an agreement or mediate a conflict with opposing forces. Once the activity is concluded, s/he gives up the leadership role.

Another case of situational leadership comes from association, or who knows whom. What if we know that there are some negative feelings between two people who must come together to resolve an issue crucial to the membership? While the two people may have the best skills for the situation, it may be more helpful or successful to use someone in the role of the leader, who does not share the negative relationship. The person with the negative relationship, then acts as an adviser to the person in the leadership role.

Finally, abdicative or laissez faire leadership is in fact an absence of leadership. "Laissez faire is French for let do. That is exactly what happens. The leader" lets the membership do anything with no regard to mission, or organizational goals. It is an anything goes kind of leadership.

In laissez faire leadership, a leader is identified, but s/he is leader in name only. S/he chooses, for whatever reason, not to perform the duties of leadership and allows anyone to assume the leadership role.³ This is not the same as when someone is assigned the role of leader. In this case, someone just comes forward, from time to time, and fills the empty position.

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Things to think about:

Have you ever been in a situation where there was no leadership? What happened? How did you feel? Are there times when one leadership style is more appropriate than another is? How or when could you use the different leadership styles in your organization?

Thoughts and Comments:

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Exercise 1-1 Structured Experience: Written Reflection Training Objective:

To pick out specific leadership traits and characteristics; and decide which are most desirable and/or effective

A Leader Is Someone Who...?

Tell participants to take fifteen minutes to think about someone that they consider to be an effective leader. Ask each participant the following questions and tell him/her to write down his/her answers. Q1: What traits or behaviors does this person demonstrate that s/he most admires or respects? Q2: What skills or abilities does this person apply to lead others effectively? Q3: What is the selected person’s style of leadership?

Using the nominal group technique, share and discuss the individual responses with the group. After the discussion, make a list of the leadership attributes.

How does someone become a leader?

What it takes to be a natural leader is already in us.⁴ One does not need to be born a leader to lead a group successfully. People become leaders because it is in their self interest to do so. What do we mean by self interest? Self interest is the personal awareness, vision and selected role that an individual uses to guide his/herself through life.

It is based on what that individual wants out of life, for him/herself and for others. Self interest should not be confused with selfishness, which willfully rules out the well being, wishes or rights of others. Nor should it be confused with self centeredness, which views ones own, wants or beliefs as the starting point for any action undertaken. Real leaders operate out of their own self interest with respect for the self interest of others. They look for the mutual self interest and a shared purpose based on a collective vision.

So what is meant by a real leader? A real leader is anyone who has the support of others who share the collective vision. You can not be a leader without people who follow the vision.⁵ Sometimes people take it upon themselves to assume the post of leadership. These people are self appointed leaders, and not real leaders at all. Because you need members to be a leader, one person show leadership will not sustain an organization or help it meet its goals.

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Can you remember the first time that you were in a leadership role? When was it? Where and how did it happen? How did your leadership role make you feel? Did it affect your relationship to other people around you, for example your family or friends? If so, who and how were they affected?

Thoughts and Comments:

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How can you recognize a leader?

Leaders emerge when the need arises. Often leaders are not known outside their own community. Real leaders assume any task necessary to assist in reaching organizational goals. They think that any work is worthy of their time or effort, if it moves the membership forward. For example, they may empty the garbage, help to set up for a meeting, canvass and pass out fliers, stuff envelopes, do filing, etc. No activity is too small or beneath them.

There are different types of leaders in an organization. Each type of leader makes a rare contribution to the work of the group. Examples of some types include the Chair Person. The chairperson is someone who is skilled, uses tact, is inclusive of others and is quick on his/her feet. Another example is the Pit Bull. Pit Bulls are tough, headstrong persons, who will not take no for an answer. They constantly recruit others and seek more freedom and flexibility than the set ways of performing the task allow.

Other types of leaders are the Salt of the Earth. They prefer to be behind the