How to be a community leader and promote positive change
When you think of being a leader, does your mind automatically jump to business-related positions? That’s understandable, but being a leader transcends work and local community leaders can make a huge impact in neighborhoods, towns, and more.
Community leaders help facilitate conversations and bring people together while also highlighting issues that may be present. Often, these issues come in the form of equal representation among people, but these leaders also can play a large role in driving change to better the community financially and in other ways, as well.
Some people are natural leaders, but leadership is more than just a title. We all have the capacity to lead and being a local leader is a great way to elicit change and build a supportive community that benefits everyone.
If you feel this drive or see inequality that needs to be addressed and don’t know where to start, we’ll help you on this journey with a handful of tips you can take with you.
Be a good + kind human
This is how we at River District Consulting treat our clients, but it is also a great attitude to take in all walks of life. Be understanding, be patient, and be empathetic to those around you. Understand that your struggles may not reflect those around you and the best thing you can do is listen.
Being a good + kind human will echo through everything you do and it is absolutely one of the most important aspects of being a leader at any level, whether that is your small town of 400 or a major city teeming with millions of people. Of course, it is important to remember to be equitable with that kindness. Make sure you are not missing groups of people with that good + kind behavior.
Join community sessions and groups
One of the best ways to start showing people you are serious about your community is to join groups and attend community meetings and sessions. Often, these times of events may fly under your radar, so it is important to keep track of local government social media pages and newsletters. This will keep you on top of things and help ensure you don’t miss out on something you otherwise would have attended.
Local governments often hold town hall meetings and other sessions that allow residents to speak up about ongoing issues or highlight positive things happening in their communities. This is also a great way to meet others who have the same passions as you.
Attend local events
Similar to community meetings, local events are a great way to make yourself known to your community. As a bonus, events are normally a ton of fun! Attending is a great first step, but if you are capable, you can take it a step further and actually volunteer at some of these events.
By volunteering your time, you are not only helping your community, but you will be able to learn even more about the inner workings of things you are passionate about and meet others who can help facilitate change in your town, city, or small community.
Grow your communication skills
An important part of being a leader is being able to clearly articulate your thoughts. By working on your communication skills, you’ll be able to inspire those around you and clearly explain issues you may see in your town or city. While talking in front of others can be intimidating, it’s something that, with practice, will become more natural to you.
The easiest (and cheapest!) way to work on these skills is to get out there and talk to people. Join groups and community events that align with your views and see how others communicate to get things done. We recommend starting with smaller groups, especially groups that align with your beliefs, as that will make conversations more comfortable early on. Then, as your confidence grows, you can start branching out to improve your communication skills even more.
Sign up for a leadership course
A Leadership Southside session in 2022.
If you are serious about positioning yourself as a leader, taking a class dedicated to teaching people how to be one can be a huge step in the right direction. It is worth noting that there is typically a cost associated with taking classes, so that is something to keep in mind.
However, if you can afford it, taking a leadership class can be a great way to hone your skills and learn from people who have been in your position before. It can also be a great way to network with others in your area, which can open even more doors.
If you are local to Pittsylvania County or Danville, VA, we love what both Leadership Southside and Collab Lab are doing, and we highly recommend looking into this if it is a viable option for you.
With Collab Lab, applicants get to learn more about building cross-sector relationships, enhancing collaborative leadership skills, uncovering strategies for meaningful engagement, and more.
Leadership Southside (LSS) provides people with leadership development with a focus on business, education, public, and nonprofit sectors. Participants can expect to develop leadership skills that echo across personal improvement, but also in their professional lives. Additionally, and what best applies to this, is that LSS helps develop community leadership skills.
Elli Whitehead, project coordinator and associate consultant at RDCG, has this to say about Leadership Southside: “With LSS, I’ve learned some essential things about myself- how I communicate, how I resolve conflict, and how I work with others. These developments make me a stronger leader and a better colleague.”
Be proud of your community and how you support it
This last piece of advice really combines everything from above. There are many ways to do good for your community, but if your goal is to position yourself as a leader, others need to know!
That could be sharing events that you are attending on Facebook or telling others about a group you are involved in. This lets people know that you care about the betterment of your town or city and are actively doing things to reach that goal.
Obviously, you don’t want to come off as bragging, but being proud of the things you are doing and sharing accomplishments and goals can go a long way to inspiring others. And when that happens, your whole community benefits.
Being a leader is a great way to herald a change
Being a leader comes naturally to some of us, while others have to work a bit harder at it. It can be intimidating, for sure, but if you feel drawn to improving your local community, the process (and results!) can be extremely rewarding.
As we’ve outlined above, being a leader often starts with making your presence known. Attending events and joining local groups can show people you are serious, and that can lead to you being involved in more conversations that have the potential to drive your community in a new and improved direction.