One or two leaders can't possibly solve all the complex problems that our communities face. The model of one leader at the top with everyone else at the bottom just doesn't work for communities. There is room in this world for more community leaders. You may find yourself doing things you never imagined you would! We need many community leaders No matter what your skills are right now, you can become a better leader if you work at it. Leadership skills are built step-by-step.
You can figure out how to make your voice heard. Some people that are leaders today once had a hard time saying anything in a small group. Many successful leaders started without confidence or skills. You will become more confident in yourself and in your world if you take action to lead others around you. As a leader, you may need to communicate to large numbers of people, negotiate, and handle dicey situations. There is almost nothing as challenging as leading groups of people. Often, people lead because it helps them grow and expand their lives. We may not all establish our own foundations by the time we are eight, but we can make a significant difference if we put our minds to it. (from Karnes and Bean, Girls and Young Women Leading the Way, 1993.) With the help of her grandmother and a lawyer she established the Isis Johnson Foundation. Shortly after the hurricane, Isis's grandmother suggested she start a foundation. When Hurricane Andrew hit she collected 1,648 pieces of clothing to send to people affected by the storm. The next year, she collected 4,000 items. When she was six she collected 1,600 items to give to people in need. At five, with her grandmother at her side, she went knocking on doors asking for food donations for poor people in her community. When Isis Johnson of New Orleans was four years old she saw a news report about starving children in Ethiopia which made her feel the need to act. Establishing a day care center, increasing job opportunities in your community, getting rid of a toxic waste dump, or empowering others to lead are all activities that are heroic in their own way. Still, as a community leader, you can make a profound contribution. The day-to-day acts of community leadership are usually not as dramatic as described above, and they usually don't inspire a chorus of recognition. It is human to want to make a significant difference in the world. Maybe you are the person who deftly persuades the terrorist to put down the gun, just in the nick of time. Let's take a closer look at what you can gain from being a leader: You can make a differenceĭo you ever daydream that you are the one to save the day? Perhaps you are the passerby who dives into the water to rescue a drowning child. You can take on challenges that are fun, rewarding, or interesting. You can choose to work on issues that you care about. You can choose to lead and participate in ways that energize you and help you grow, instead of leading in ways that drain you. You don't have to lead out of obligation. Why should you be a community leader? Leadership can be good for you. So why not get some help along the way? Why should you be a community leader? Nonetheless, flying by the seat of your pants can be a bumpy ride. That's not a bad way to go people mostly learn from experience.
Many community leaders learn by trial and error. You can probably take as much responsibility for your community as you are willing to. Even people who run for office first make a decision that they want to be a leader. All you need to do is decide to take responsibility for some corner (or bigger chunk) of your community.Ĭommunity leaders are often self-appointed. You don't have to run for office or be given a title to be a leader. If you have answered "yes" to any of the above questions, you are most likely a community leader already, or on your way to becoming one. Doesn't wait around for someone else to get the job done?.Are you a community leader? Are you interested in becoming one? Try answering the questions in this leadership quiz. Learn how to make a difference within your community by following our guide to being a successful community leader.Ĭommunity leaders take responsibility for the well-being and improvement of their communities.