1. Government College University Faisalabad. Page 1
Sociology
Assignment Name: -
Ten characteristics of Community Leader
Submitted To: -
Mam Sumera Khanum
Submitted By: -
Zunera Latif
Roll No: -
27901
Registration No: -
2017-GCUF-
Session: -
2017-2018
Class: -
B.Ed. (1.5 year)
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
GOVERNMENT COLLEGE UNIVERSITY, FAISALABAD.
2. Government College University Faisalabad. Page 2
10 Characteristics of Community Leaders
Traits of a good leader are common across disciplines,
professions and geographical regions. Community leadership is unique in its approach and goals.
Community leadership is not about managing or even coordinating. And it is certainly not about dictating or
imposing your own ideas onto others.
In addition to traits of superior leadership in any discipline, such as integrity and responsibility, here are ten
characteristics that are particular to excellent community leaders:
1. Maximize Individuals’ Strengths
Community leaders often work with volunteers. They may be elected by members of the community,
assigned to work with a group, or they simply step forward and want to help. In any case, community
leaders rarely have the luxury of choosing who they work with.
Your job involves being able to identify the strengths and interests of each person on your leadership team
and maximize those talents and skills in a way that keeps your team engaged in the work. Your fellow
leaders need to feel that they are making a meaningful contribution to the group, the community and the
work.
2. Balance the Needs of Your Leadership Group
Some individuals may have a strong need for control. Others may have a deep need to be appreciated for
their time and service. As a community leader, your job is to balance everyone’s needs, as well as keep your
sights focused on the work that needs to be done for the group to move forward.
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3. Work as a Team
Let’s face it, community leadership is slow work. It is much less efficient than, say, military leadership,
where underlings simply obey the orders of their superior officers. Community leadership means that one
person does not do it all.
It can be useful to teach your leadership team the difference between efficiency and effectiveness. An
efficient leader will take a task away from someone who is not completing their work in a timely manner.
An effective leader will ensure that the person gets the support they need to complete the task. Effectiveness
often takes more time than efficiency. Community leadership is about building relationships and working
together. Being patient with one another and supporting one another process builds capacity and
relationships. But be forewarned, this takes much more time than simply being efficient.
4. Mobilize Others
Even a leadership team cannot do it all. You will likely have to work with staff and volunteers to undertake
big projects. Community leadership is part education, part inspiration, part motivation and part mobilization.
Mobilizing others is not about telling them what to do, barking orders at them or dictating how things need
to get done. It is about finding a balance between what needs to be done, which can do it, which is willing
and has time to do it, assigning the work and then showing appreciation for others’ efforts. Learning to have
some fun while you work together is an important aspect of mobilizing and motivating others.
5. Pitch In
There is a myth that leaders lead, and do-errs do. But in a community, leading by example is often the most
effective way to get full buy-in for projects. Don’t schedule a community clean-up unless you are willing to
get out there with garbage bag yourself.
Community leaders are rarely having the luxury of focusing only on policy and governance. This kind of
work involves arriving early, staying late, cleaning up, and generally rolling up your sleeves to pitch in.
6. Practice Stewardship
This is about getting people to take responsibility for their physical space and surroundings. This includes
natural areas, structures and spaces. Stewardship means working together to protect, preserve and take care
of your community. This involves renewing, repairing, rebuilding and constantly reviewing your physical
community to ensure that it is healthy, strong and well-maintained.
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7. Be Accountable to the Community
Above all else community leadership is about the people who live with you and near you. The people who
form the community are the beneficiaries, but also those who whom you, as a leadership are accountable.
Community leadership is not just about policies, processes or procedures. More than anything, it is about
people.
Often when I guide community leaders in my work, I will ask “What do you think will happen at the next
Annual General Meeting if this does — or does not — move forward?” This keeps the leadership team
focused on why they are doing what they do, and why they are really making decisions.
8. Think forward
There is a saying in some Aboriginal communities about thinking five generations ahead. Being a
community leader means not only thinking for today, or even tomorrow, but being able to make wise
decisions that will still benefit the residents long after the current leadership team is gone.
9. Recruit and Mentor New Leaders
Speaking of the current leadership team being gone, community leaders often get so caught up in all the
work that needs to be done today, that they forget to think about tomorrow. Planning for the future is an
important aspect of community leadership. Having a healthy base of volunteers and having individuals ready
to take on new positions are indicators of a healthy community.
Community leadership work means building a succession plan to keep the community strong as you move
forward into the future.
10. Walk Beside, Don’t Lead From Above
In some models, leadership is a position in a hierarchy. Those at the top of the hierarchy have the power and
make the decisions. Community leadership is about developing every person’s capacity for leadership,
starting with self-leadership and self-responsibility. Those who have positions of leadership must
demonstrate principles and practices of good leadership by living the example. So, the community leader
does not take the prime parking spot out of a sense of entitlement. There are no special privileges that put
community leaders above others who live in the community. Every member of the community has
responsibilities and rights. Community leaders walk beside others and listen to them.
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A community leader’s job is not to take on all the problems of the world themselves and fix everything, but
rather to work together with everyone in the community, to mobilize and guide others, to facilitate solutions
and thing about the long-term health of the community and its people.
