RippleNW.org  •  RIPPLE Community Forums

Really enjoyed reading this article.  I am a firm believer in the success of side-by-side leadership.  And when I reflect on great leaders I have come across in my life, many of them have the qualities mentioned in this articel Most effective leaders have the ability to see the big picture, be open minded and accept responsibility (i.e. the buck stops here).  One comment about a great leader that has stuck in my head is “quiet but deadly” as this person didn’t say much, kept her head under pressure, was highly effective and able to put a great team together/keep the team working cohesively and productively.

Thanks Tom!  I agree with everyone about this article being great.  I see it is in the Community Vitality.  I intend to copy and share the article. Also I would like to add ‘compassion’ as another key to a great leader.

Thoughtful article, making sense.  Again the age-old adage of Positive Thinking pops up and puts a good perspective on finding solutions to community problems.  Emphasis on what has worked previously rather than complaining about what has not worked leads to further avenues of creativity and I can see where active involvement of a variety of folks in that thinking process is key too.  Maryanne L.

Here I am again!  LOL

We are in the middle of our last community training - it is great - each time I have met new people in our community - made new connections - and in our small little corner of the world you would think we already know the resources in our community. 

It is always so refreshing to see people that might not otherwise connect come together - and there is the HOPE for our community to see a common vision and work together on projects - Thanks for all the coming together at this web site and at our trainings and meetings - I have learned so much from everyone over the last 5 years. 

We have so many Sue’s in our groups - all working together learning new skills to keep our groups glued together for a common goal - Thanks everyone.

And now I know why Bob said something yesterday about me putting my photo up - so I had to check back in and read everyones’ posts - if you want to put your photo in - upload your picture where it says avitar - or something that sounds starwarish...........on your profile - you just have to play around and look at what all the little icon buttons do.

Thank you Tom and all the rest of you that have responded to Tom’s thought provoking post about characteristics of leaders.  I agree with Tom’s six characteristics of leadership which Vernita so nicely summarized: a positive “can-do” attitude; inspires an inclusive, compelling vision; models respectful, meaningful norms of behavior and interaction; focuses on what is shared/common rather than what is divisive or different; mentors and cultivates future leaders; and leads by doing as a servant of the community. These characteristics are built on a foundation of trust and consistency.

Here are my nuances that I will add to this model: While being a Servant leadership (providing service to others) and working along side others is a crucial characteristic of community or shared leadership, there also needs to point of accountability where the buck stops.  And in this shared leadership we need to remember what many of you have said about selfless leadership where we focus on the good of the whole (the community chain idea) that we are only as strong as the weakest link so we need to bring everyone up, we are an interconnected system.  We also know that there is synergy in shared leadership, that the sum is greater than the individual parts.

Other leadership aspects that are crucial are the ability to actively listen and summarize in the persons own words the key things you heard and the points of agreement or stasis points.  Leaders need to be innovative and creative and not afraid to try different approaches.  As Einstein says “insanity is doing the same things and expecting different results.” And shared leadership works best in a learning community where best practices are sought and refined to use different approaches and get different results.

I look forward to hearing from many more of you on the nuances that you see make the leaders we are all striving to be.  Thank goodness we have each other to remind us that that there is no such thing as perfection, only progress.

As someone who has the privilege of working with many of these community leaders, I have often pondered the question you pose in your title: What makes a community leader? Frankly, I am humbled time and time again by the level of commitment these well-intentioned, caring individuals bring to the volunteer work they do in their own corner of the world. I have learned more from them in a few short years than I learned in an entire PhD program--well, maybe it’s just that the kind of learning I have acquired from these individuals is the “rubber meets the road” kind of learning that has a direct impact on how I see the world and live in it.

Tom cites 6 characteristics of a community leaders: 1) embraces a positive, “can-do” attitude, 2) inspires an inclusive, compelling vision, 3) models respectful,menaingful norms of behavior and interaction, 4) focuses on what is shared/common rather than what is divisive or different, 5) cultivates future leaders, and 6) leads by doing as a servant of the community. He focuses on the atmosphere of trust that emerges under such leadership.

To all of these characteristics, I would add consistency. The community leaders with whom I work do so through good times and bad. When volunteerism is up and when it is down. It is their enduring, consistent willingness to do the hard work consistently, through every season of their community, that allows their efforts bear fruit. It is picking up your shovel and gloves and going to work in the trenches (even when you’re not appreciated and are indeed frequently thwarted) each and every day that brings the long-term respect and trust of community residents. Thank you all for changing your corner of the world one day at a time.

The thing I failed to mention in my previous post is how rewarding it is to put into practice the tools I am learning.  When I step back from my leadership role and allow others to be in charge without my being involved, wonderful things unfold and projects become quite expanded.

I am part of a grassroots celebration for Earth Day in Coos County on Saturday, April 19.  Because I am only convening the meetings, the event is so far greater than I could have ever imagined.  We have a fabulous website—coosbaynorthbend.com/Earth/index.htm --, an excellent poster designed and created by a 14 year old artist, many booths and participants, and delightful entertainment.  The whole process has been so easy and fun.

There is also a fundraiser happening Earth Night with two great bands to benefit Bay Area Recycling Team, our Ford Institute Leadership Project.  This idea was a gift from Kevin Baker who is a community volunteer and has put the entire event together.

I highly recommend the practice of allowing others… even or maybe especially when something is your forte.  Char Luther

Hi everyone,

I enjoyed Tom’s article very much and have lived with “Sue” for many years.  I think there is a lot to be learned by reading the responses.  There is a lot of insight in this group. Dick

Thank you for all the comments. This RIPPLE “room” seems to be working.

I’m heading out the door for meetings in Portland, but I wanted to jump in and say again how much I’ve learned from all of you. If there is one idea that you’ve brought up here that I could have spent more time with in the article, it would be about not being too tough on yourself if you are not perfect. A person who has one or more of these strengths, mediates the ones they don’t have, and keeps trying is just about perfect in in my book. I look forward to offering more next week.

Great article, Tom.  I feel honored to be able to hear your voice in my mind as I read the article.  I find the side-by-side concept empowering.  If we are standing in circle and focusing on a common goal in the center, it becomes even more synergistic.

I am one of those who find being a leader far too easy and am constantly reminding myself to rein in and allow others.  From my conflict-avoider stance, my real challenge is when an even stronger leader takes charge and (from my perspective) does not allow others the opportunity to participate.  My work is to stay focused on the vision, try to enroll the participation of all and remember that the goal is collabortion and cooperation.

I have printed out your guidelines for the front of my FILP folder. Thanks again for your insights.  Char Luther

Cool concept Tom. I guess that is why I enjoy being a leader with friends. That unilateral approach rather than the old Manager/boss vs employee type thinking. This spills over into business as well. This type of training is alot more fullfilling than that I received to be a GM Service manager. I like being a nice guy. Cudos to you and the Ford foundation, Thankyou for making me a better person as well as a better leader, Gordon Kaesemeyer, Mayor Halfway

Tom

You really captured the essence of a community leader. I especially appreciate your including the mentoring function as I too believe that we leaders “of a certain age” can best serve our community by a willingness to guide and support our younger colleagues. It is just a joyous experience to watch someone you coached grow into a respected leader.

One other observation I would offer concerns that old standby-communication.  In my experience, effective leaders like Sue utilize a variety of communication techniques to ensure that everyone involved is current on all aspects of the project.  Extensive communication is one key to the open, inclusive component of leadership.

Sharon Hobart-Hardin

I am struck by this idea of “servant leadership.” It seems this concept is at the very heart of the philosophy of leadership shared in our leadership classes.  I like this term very much and find it uniquely descriptive of community leadership and the sort of participative decision-making I am seeing more and more of in rural communities today.

Sharlet et al,

Thanks for sharing your thoughts. The Side by side approach does seem like the better path of equality and inclusion in which all are needed, appreciated and an important part of the whole. It kind of sounds like a song I heard too. I also like the forum, as it does help to exchange our personal experiences. It ties us together and is very interesting. Thanks again Tom and all for participating and sharing.

I’ve had the opportunity to read Tom’s article and felt fortunate to have read it. It has always been my same belief in the many professional management roles I have held in the past, whether it be in the Federal, State, or private sector of work. The side-by-side vision has always been my concept in training, whether in a “leadership” or “follower” role that I’ve held. It’s very nice to actually see in put in black and white. I know its sounds sometimes like an “ideal” world concept, but they also say “when envisioning it, it will happen”. I know this sounds a little corny, and by saying these thoughts, I could possibly sound my age, but it’s the beliefs that you hold and share, that make it happen. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the subject Tom.