“Community Leadership is all about the welfare of the people they represent.”
We live in a society where perceptions play a huge role in determining a situation that is often influenced by the vocal people in it. While people expect this to make the situation better instead this often takes us away from the path of harmony and peace in life, leaving us wondering where things went south. This happens because of the people or the group we start to look at as our community leaders. So, who are these community leaders and how can we determine if they are ideal to be our representative? Simply said, “Let’s find out.”
Who are Community Leaders?
A community leader is a designation that is bestowed upon a person or a group who are considered to be a representative of a community by the people (mostly media). They are often seen as an influencer as well as do-er who works for the welfare of people by solving problems and raising important issues to highlight a sort of change that is required. They focus on keeping their people together to work towards a common goal in their community. Here you can see ten qualities that make for a great community leader.
1. Self Awareness
A first and foremost quality that makes for a great quality community leader is that they are self aware. They understand that before they can lead others, they must know about their own abilities first. They need to be well aware of their strengths and weaknesses and shouldn’t be shy about asking for help. Also, situational wise they should be able to gauge themselves and places they fit in.
2. Eager to Learn and Adapt
A community leader knows that how they are limited in their knowledge and experiences. They understand that their perspective is not the only perspective present out there in any given situation. So, they try to learn more about it from various people in their community before finalizing on steps to be taken. Even in between a course of action, they are willing to listen to any suggestion or advice and adapt accordingly.
3. Empathy
Community leaders are known to be empathetic individuals meaning they can sense other people’s feelings without even hearing from. Often by looking at the situation itself, community leaders are quick to come with a plan of action to ease things out. Moreover, empathy is what leads to better leadership as it allows for the validation of viewpoints concerning all parties involved in a situation.
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4. Honesty and Integrity
If a person cannot be trustworthy then he can never be seen as a leader. It is that plain and simple to understand as being trustworthy and honest is a hallmark of every leader. Leaders are also a man of integrity meaning they are a man or women with set moral principles. Hence, for a good community leader, they must be trustworthy to the community and the people who listen to them. They should even create safe spaces for facilitating healthy discussions and make changes for the better accordingly. And always remember that with any kind of honesty and integrity, trust will be broken and they will start losing the respect of the people.
5. Dedication towards a Cause
A great community leader is a man of dedication as well. He never forgets the roots of the causes that had led him into the path to becoming a community leader. Hence, they are always committed to bringing the changes to the cause they have championed irrespective of the time it takes. They always find a way to keep volunteering for the causes that are beneficial to the people. They are a believer who believes that only in the benefit of the community lies their benefit too.
6. Service
What makes for a quality community leader are the services they provide to their people through various acts such as volunteering. Besides, they are even involved in activities such as fundraising or selling old items to raise money. They even work towards collecting and serving food for the needy and take part in general labor and transportations.
7. Interpersonal Skills
For a quality community leader, it is essential to have great communication skills such as mediating, negotiating, active listening, and even articulating arguments that seem essential. They must also have collaborative skills that allow them to work comfortably with other leaders and different types of people to create a productive space. Community leaders should be able to convey why and what certain things are needed to be done effectively.
8. Forward Thinking
Forward thinking is a sign of a great community leader where their thoughts are not rigid. They are open minded and progressive people who always try to think outside of the box to achieve the set goal. They boast of innovative approaches and critical thinking skills. They also look to bring in more next generation supporters to their cause as they understand that the future is them.
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9. Intelligence
Leadership isn’t just about being smart. They must have a high level of intellectual, emotional, and social intelligence to rally their causes with the deep support of the people in their community. Community leaders are competitive people who can even handle tough situations with only their intelligence approach.
10. Motivation
Are you even a leader if you cannot motivate anyone? A sign of great community leaders is their ability to inspire and motivate people to fight a change, to fight to make their own lives better. A motivational and inspirational leader who engages themselves in improving other lives is what makes for a great community leader.
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