Understanding Local Leadership
Bo BeaulieuPurdue Center for Regional Development
The Structure ofCommunity Leadership
Oftentimes, leadership forms a structure much like a pyramid
The level of influence that individuals have is dependent upon their location in the leadership hierarchy
Levels of leadership can be categorized as legitimizers, implementors, doers and general public
Legitimizers
Persons in the community whose approval is necessary to guarantee the success of important undertakings
They get involved in projects having significant policy implications
Their endorsement is important if groups hope to be successful in getting their goals accomplished
Implementers
Are the most active participants in community projects
Involvement usually is limited to areas where they have technical or professional expertise
Role is to implement the plans and decisions arrived at or approved by legitimizers
Doers
Perform many of the project chores (stuffing envelopes, distributing information)
Seldom involved in planning and decision-making aspects of a project
Tend to be task-oriented in their activities
General Public
Includes a sizable number who never become involved in local activities.
Some become active on an occasional basis.
Their views are important, particularly on matters that affect them directly.
The Community Leadership Hierarchy
Legitimizers
Implementers
Doers
General Public
Locating the Mix of Local Leaders
Positional
Reputational
Decisional
Social Activity
The Positional Approach
The idea behind the positional approach is that individuals who occupy the top spots in the major organizations of the community are the local leaders
Their key roles in the various organizations give them access to important resources that they can mobilize for any community project
The Reputational Approach
This method begins with the assumption that those individuals who have the reputation for power constitute the community’s leadership structure.
• Who in this community has the most influence in deciding important matters facing this community?
• When proposing something new for this community, whose support do you feel is vital?
The Decisional Approach
This approach assumes that active participation in community projects or issues is leadership.
Therefore, individuals who perform roles in community decision-making activities constitutes the community’s leadership structure.
The Social Activity Approach
This method focuses on those individuals who are active and who hold office in local clubs, voluntary, service, and civic organizations in the community.
These individuals tend to be willing to take on time-consuming tasks associated with getting projects off the ground.
A Synthesis
Legitimizers Positional & Reputational
Implementers Decisional
Doers Social Activity
Leadership Level Approach for Locating Leaders
The Leadership Template