1. Social Change & Grassroots Leadership
Britt Andreatta, Ph.D.

2. Grassroots Leadership
Leadership that grows organically from the “grassroots” of the affected community (the people), who organize collectively to alter relations of power.

3. Characteristics of a Grassroots Leader
Initiative and passion
Humility-not on a “power trip”
Empowers those around him/her
Facilitator
Shares the spotlight
Responsive to community concerns
Receptive to feedback
Flexible

4. Traditional vs. Grassroots Leadership
Collective
Can function without “leader”
Builds leadership
All skills and work valued equally
Accountable to community and each other
Valued by action and commitment
Leadership is owned by all
Collaborative
Builds coalition among race, gender, and class line
Collective vision for common good
Traditional Leadership
Hierarchical
Depends on the “leader” being present
Work is valued based on place on the totem pole
Accountable to those above
Assumes leader/follower relationship
Decisions made by the leader
Followers sole duty is to carry out tasks given by the leader

5. Traditional vs. Grassroots Leadership
Traditional Leadership
Narrow definition of leadership
Certain characteristics make a “capable” leader
Tasks determined and delegated by the leader
Leaders think for masses
There is one way, THIS way
Grassroots Leadership
No distance between “leaders” and community, collective decision making
Leadership defined more broadly, different styles valued
Democratic decisions facilitate the process
Creative, fluid, exploratory

6. Challenges for Grassroots Organizing
The tendency to begin operating under traditional models of leadership which leads to a disconnect from the community
Hierarchies
Egos around status of roles
Fear of criticism (external as well as internal)
Consensus building can be time consuming and frustrating initially
This model directly challenges the fundamental structure of most institutions

7. Qualities of a Grassroots Leader
Initiative and passion
Humility – no power trip
Empowers those around them
Facilitator
Shares the spotlights
Responsive to community concerns
Receptive to feedback
Flexible

8. Social Change Activists
Leaders that can be described as Social Change activists are… Any person who consistently works (directly or indirectly) to dismantle systems of oppression, and in doing so empowers others to do the same.

9. Why is this definition important?
Because the “activist” is often misrepresented which serves to:
discourage people from being active in the community
contributes to a narrow perception of who is an “activist” and in doing so many contributions are ignored.

10. Examples of Grassroots Leadership
The Farmer’s Alliance movement of the late 19th century
The Women’s Movement of the 60s/70s
Labor organizing
The Fund for Santa Barbara
Pueblo aka The Coalition for a Living Wage

11. Key Question
How do I integrate grassroots leadership into my leadership style or my organization?
Establish roles not positions
Challenge conventional assumptions about leadership
Facilitate, don’t direct
Rotate roles and duties
Check your ego at the door
Ongoing outreach
Get comfortable with feedback
Be critical of self before divisions arise

12. Follow Up Questions What are the benefits to grassroots leadership?
What are the challenges? When does grassroots leadership falter? And why?
Can people in a corporation or University be grassroots leaders?
Do you think your society has a dependency on leaders?
What are some examples of grassroots leadership?

13. Therefore: Leadership is action, not position
The ultimate leader is one who is willing to develop people to the point that they eventually surpass them in knowledge and ability.

14. Social Change Model The model is inclusive.
Leadership is viewed as a process rather than as a position.
The model is only one of the many possible models of leadership development.

15. Goals of the Model Two primary goals:
To enhance student learning and development; more specifically, to develop in each student the greater:
Self Knowledge: understanding of one’s talents, values, interests, especially as these relate to the student’s capacity to provide effective leadership.
Leadership competence: the capacity to mobilize oneself and others to serve and work collaboratively.
To facilitate positive social change at the institution or in the community. That is, to undertake actions that will help the institution/community to function more effectively and humanely.

16. Positive Social Change
The approach of leadership development is embedded in collaboration and concern with fostering positive social change – the model examines leadership development from three different perspectives or levels:

17. The Individual:
What personal qualities are we attempting to foster and develop in those who participate in a leadership development program? What personal qualities are most supportive of group functioning and positive social change?

18. The Group:
How can the collaborative leadership development process be designed not only to facilitate the development of the desire, individual qualities (above), but also to affect positive social change?

19. The Community/Society:
Toward what social ends is the leadership development activity directed? What kinds of service activities are the most effective in energizing the group and in developing desired personal qualities in the individual?

20. Seven Core Values Consciousness of self:
Striving to know oneself and continually develop
Congruence: thinking, feeling and behaving with consistency, genuineness, honesty and authenticity
Commitment: the investment of time and energy into helping the group find and pursue a common purpose

21. Collaboration: working together toward that common goal by sharing authority, responsibility and accountability
Common purpose: working with others who share a common set of aims and values
Controversy with civility: airing differences in a safe environment
Citizenship: action engagement of the individual in an effort to serve the community

22. Societal/Community Values Individual Values
Group Values
Collaboration
Common Purpose
Controversy with civility C A D B
Consciousness of self
Congruence
Commitment E
Citizenship F
Societal/Community Values
Individual Values

23. The 7 Cs organized by Focus
Arrow A: Consciousness of self is a critical ingredient in forging a common purpose for the group as its member ask, what are our shared values and purposes?
Arrow B: Feedback from any leadership development group is most likely to enhance the individual qualities of consciousness of self, commitment, and congruence when the group operates collaboratively with a common purpose and accept controversy with civility.
Arrow C: Responsible citizenship and positive change are most likely to occur when the leadership group functions collaboratively with a common purpose and encourages cavity in the expression of controversy.

24. Arrow D: Conversely, the group will find it very difficult to be an effective change agent or to fulfill its citizenship or community responsibilities if its members function competitively, if they cannot identify a common purpose, or if they pursue controversy with incivility.
Arrow E: The Community is most likely to respond positively to an individual’s efforts to serve if these efforts are rooted in self-understanding, integrity, and genuine commitment. Responsible citizenship, in other words, is based on self knowledge, congruence, and commitment.
Arrow F: An individual learns through service, and his or her consciousness of self is enhanced through realization of what he or she is (and is not) capable of doing. Commitment is also enhanced when the individual feels that he or she can make a difference. And congruence is enhance when the individual comes to realize that positive chance is most likely to occur when individual actions are rooted in a person’s most deeply held values and beliefs.

25. Important Considerations
For the program to work effectively it is essential that the following be considered:
Preliminary task definition: what is the need or problem? What changes are needed?
Identification of personal and shared values: what is important to us individually and as a group?
Task research or redefinition: what additional information about the task or need should we gather?
Division of labor: what skills are areas of knowledge needed? Which student participants or members of the leadership group have the knowledge or skills needed?
Mode of group functioning: how can debriefing, reflection, and feedback become essential group activities?