10/02/2010

Leadership Development

Definition: Leadership development is typically embedded in other types of community capacity-building strategies and attempts to engage the participation and commitment of current and potential leaders, provide them with opportunities for building skills, connect them to new information and resources, enlarge their perspectives on their community and how it might change, and help them create new relationships. (Chaskin, 27) Apply: Leadership development can be used as a training tool for a small group of community members to build solidarity and learn how to work together to help achieve goals for their community. Even if only a few members participate in the leadership development training, their participation can be useful to the entire community. A group of community members empowered with leadership skills can potentially provide broad representation for the community and engage community members in realizing strategic goals and objective. Adapt: Leadership development cultivated in small groups (cadres), such as in the example above, can also play an important role in business, to train managers and other employees to work together to achieve the strategic goals of the business. In the same way as with community development, leadership development can be used in business to provide multiple points of leverage within the organization and engage employees in working towards a common goal.

4 comments:

  1. Apply: Typically, every community has a leader or potential leaders that can be identified by members within the community. However, for communities to be effective in their initiatives, it is helpful for leaders to receive resources and increase their skill capacity. Many community leaders and organizers join conferences, seminars, and workshops held at the local and national level in order to receive additional information and resources that enhance their leadership knowledge. Leaders are then more equipped to respond to the needs found within their communities, as well as develop programs that prevent future needs from occurring.

    Adapt: Leadership development can be found in various settings, especially business. This is usually done through trainings and mentorship programs. Many corporate businesses are aware that if they invest in their employees through offering the necessary trainings, resources, and tools than their businesses will make additional profit. This is due to the fact that business owners have nurtured an employee who possesses the proper skills and knowledge for the leadership position, and as a result he or she will produce favorable outcomes.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Apply: In thinking about Leadership Development I always think about leaders in my community that inspired me and contributed to my own leadership enhancement. They have all been different in their own way but share many skills in common. Those leaders that I speak about have all possess a passion and motivation to create change and have the charisma to drive others to join the movement. They don't have final say in every decision-making process but rather involve all the community to have a stake on every issue. They also take the responsibility of developing new leaders in order to pass on the torch.

    Adapt: Leadership development is important in any type of job setting. Every job requires guidance and someone to facilitate the decision making process to insure that the job is completed, without the proper guidance an organization facing the threat of not being successful.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Apply: It would be beneficial if there were leadership opportunities offered to youth at a younger age. The earlier the better. When children are younger they enjoy learning about the world and getting their hands exposed to the number of things the world has got to offer. If children are exposed to what is means to be a leader and how to be a leader at a younger age, it will carry on with them to their future. Leaders are what help empower others to see their potential of being a leader too. If people empower other people to be leaders then they will empower the next person, and so on and so forth. Leaders are not born, they are created with the help of people who tell them to never give up and keep on swimming. Leaders are essential to promote social justice and change. People say that they are not leaders but I think we all have the potential to be leaders.


    Adapt:
    Leadership development is important in every aspect of society. If people are not motivated, empowered to lead then things will remain the same. There are leaders everywhere and it is important that we find the leader within us so that we can empower others to lead. The task of mentoring person-to-person is a way that leaders are born. When children are able to explain who they are, this builds relationship, and helps them see the inner-leader within themselves.

    ReplyDelete