Leadership is a crucial force in driving positive change within communities. But what does it take to be an effective community leader? I worked with a team of researchers to develop a theory based model of Community Leadership which we think will help to highlight the skills necessary. Identifying the Issue (Initiating and Spread of Interest): It all starts with recognizing a problem within the community. Maybe it's a lack of educational resources, deteriorating infrastructure, or something else entirely. Your role as a Community Leader is to pinpoint these issues. Getting Organized (Organization of Sponsorship): To tackle complex issues, you often need an organization to back you up. This involves planning, building relationships, and promoting teamwork among community members. Clarifying Goals (Goal Setting and Strategy Formulation): Once you've identified the problem, you need to set clear goals. What do you want to achieve? These goals act as your roadmap for creating change. Creating a Strategy (Goal Setting and Strategy Formulation): With your organization in place, it's time to develop a strategy. How will you achieve your goals? This step requires collaboration and coordination with your team. Spreading the Word (Recruitment): Communication is key. You'll need to inform your community about the issue and your plans to address it. Rallying support and getting people interested is a big part of the process. Resource Mobilization (Recruitment): To make things happen, you might need resources, whether it's funds, volunteers, or supplies. You'll need to inspire others to join your cause and help gather these resources. Putting Plans into Action (Implementation of Strategy and Plans): This is where the rubber meets the road. You implement your strategy and work towards your goals. Monitoring Progress (Implementation of Strategy and Plans): Finally, you must continuously monitor your efforts' success. Are you making a difference? If not, it might be time to adjust your approach. Community leadership is all about facilitating change through a series of non-linear steps. It's not about holding a formal position of authority but rather using influence and collaboration to drive positive transformations in your community. By understanding this process, aspiring community leaders can better prepare themselves to create meaningful change. I've included a the final manuscript for a more detailed description below: Lamm, K. W., Carter, H. S., Lamm, A. J., & Lindsey, A. B. (2017). Community leadership: a theory-based model. Journal of Leadership Education, 16(3), 118-133. https://doi.org/10.12806/V16/I3/T2 Please be sure to share your thoughts and feedback below!

This morning I gave a guest lecture on systems thinking. This is one of my favorite topics as it provides a framework to examine and describe the complicated interactions we see and experience in the real world. One of the biggest challenges with teaching systems thinking is the complexity of both the concept and application. We are often conditioned to see linear cause and effect interactions. System thinking expands this perspective to include the interrelationships between events, both causal and interactive. I was fortunate to work with an amazing team to develop a new approach to teaching system thinking - Hypothetical Case Scenarios. This model is like the old "Choose Your Own Adventure" books where learners are presented a scenario and possible outcomes. Learner choices guide the narrative and they are presented a summary of outcomes based on their choices. Hypothetical Case Scenarios (HCSs) Transformative learning tools: HCSs enhance students' systems thinking, focusing on food-system scenarios. Improve Instructional Insights and Improve Holistic Decision-Making: Discussions reveal students consider economic, social, and environmental aspects of scenarios. Empathy and Structured Dialogue Overcoming Empathy Gap: HCSs promote empathy, allowing students to understand complex issues from various perspectives. Safe Dialogues: Moral conflicts in scenarios encourage structured, safe discussions on sustainable development goals (SDGs) and societal challenges. Implementing HCSs for Transformative Learning Cognitive Dissonance: HCSs create disorienting dilemmas, challenging students' preconceptions. Instructor Facilitation: Instructors play a crucial role in guiding concept reconstruction. Collective Reflection: Group dynamics encourage the reconstruction of assumptions. Future Directions Diverse Topics: Explore HCSs in various food-system scenarios using multiple methods. Consider Disciplinary Backgrounds: Be sure to think about students' disciplinary backgrounds and prior interdisciplinary experiences. Empowering Complex Problem Solvers: HCSs equip students with the skills to address challenges, such as the SDGs. I've included our research below for your reference. Please be sure to share your thoughts about teaching systems thinking including any suggestions or best practices below. Sanders, C. E., Byrd, A. R., Gibson, K. E., Golson, A., Lamm, K. W., & Lamm, A. J. (2023). Teaching systems-thinking concepts with hypothetical case scenarios: An exploration in food-systems science education. Foods, 12(14), 1-20. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12142663

Last week during the University of Georgia (UGA) State of Extension speech Associate Dean Dr. Laura Perry Johnson concluded her remarks with the following statement, "This purpose sums it up very, very perfectly. I don't know how we lucked on such a great purpose, but the facilitators that helped us get to this I think really nailed it.” I am proud to have worked with Dr. L. Rochelle Sapp and the UGA Extension Leadership Team to develop this statement: "We translate science of everyday living for farmers, families and communities to foster a healthy and prosperous Georgia." My pre-academic life as a management consultant, and later as the president of my own consulting organization, helped me to appreciate the importance of connection and how organizations can share who they are, and what purpose they serve in the world. This strategic approach is grounded in my Issue Leadership model, which is based on the principle that exceptional leaders (and organizations) are those who are committed to making a positive change in the world. I am a huge fan of Simon Sinek and the power of Why. My view on the strategic statement of purpose is that is helps to complete the equation, specifically, Why Us? When we as individuals, or organizations, understand the change we are trying to make (Why = Critical Issues) as well as our role (Why Us = Core Strengths) we can clearly communicate what we are trying to do and how we are going to do it. In future blog posts I will share more about how I use research based techniques to help guide individuals and organizations through the strategic statement of purpose process. Please be sure to share your thoughts and feedback in the comments below!

Welcome to my website and blog! My hope is to use this space as a hub dedicated to sharing my, and my collaborators, research related to leadership development and tackling critical global issues. My hope if for this platform to bring together knowledge and resources to empower aspiring leaders. At the heart of this project is a commitment to address pressing challenges that affect our world today. From the social, cultural, human, policy, environmental, and financial challenges facing the world, I want to use this platform to help share my research and resources with those seeking to make a positive impact. I will be summarizing peer-reviewed academic publications, curated to provide evidence-based insights and strategies. Stay updated with the latest news and developments with cutting-edge research and real-world applications. With a focus on purpose-driven leadership, this site aims to cultivate a new generation of change-makers. Whether you're a student, professional, or simply passionate about making a difference, join us on this transformative journey. Together, let's unlock the true potential of leadership and work towards a brighter future. Please sign up to receive notifications and check back frequently for the latest news and information. Most importantly, thank you for taking the time to visit - please reach out if you have any specific questions or suggestions for future research! Leave a comment or subscribe to keep up to date with the latest information.