(c) Can Stock Photo / andreync
What do you think of when you say: leader? Some people would think about their boss at the company, some would think a politician, some would think of a women fighting for the equal rights and some would think about their community leader. But, how do we define who is the community leader and how can you become the one?
Let’s start from the beginning
Do you know someone who is always in your community trying to help everyone? Maybe he is trying to help you with the heavy bags or planting trees or trying to find a solution to your community problem? Here we are! There is usually no definition to the community leader and there is no one telling or giving that position of a leader to someone. Being a community leader may be a difficult and non-paid job and whether or not to be that one, you decide.
Things you can do to become a leader
Besides the decision that you can make, there are several other things you can do in order to become a community leader:
- Get into it
If you are really interested in your community and are eager to help it somehow, then you will find ways out of every situation. All you need to do is getting to know the problems and needs of your community:
- Do you need to restore this or that part of the building?
- Do you need to plant more trees and flowers?
- Is there a need of a playing area for the children?
- What other complaints do the residents have?
Analyze all of those problems and see how you can find solutions for them. Be sure you are interested in doing every job you are being up to. Make sure you are proud and happy with what you are doing in your community.
- Find your team
Every job must be done with the people who are sharing the same thoughts and ideas about it. This case is not an exception. Remember that you can’t do this or that thing alone. Some of those endeavoring may need all of your time and energy and may last for months or years. Find people with whom you can go with and will go till the end. This is why sharing the same ideas and having the same values about the importance of what you are doing is important. Find those people and start building your team with them.
- Continually train new leaders
Out of the people you will choose to work with you in the team, separate those people who can be good leaders as well. After all, the community can be huge enough and you won’t manage to organize and plan everything everywhere. Train them, not with the special trainings, but with your example. Show them how to do this or that thing, how to gather people, how to communicate with them and how to solve some issues. Little by little, you will have those people who will be helping you during every endeavoring you will have.
- Find resources
Well, every community has some needs and if they are not being solved that is either because there are no resources for solving them, like enough money, workers etc., or there is a lack of attention. If we speak about the second option: lack of attention, be as consistent in your requirements as possible. If you have applied for the government to give you some money for the construction, for example, follow up to see what’s up with it and where it goes.
In case there are some problems with the resources try to involve in this as many people as possible. Organize some donating events and concerts, apply for grants, in other words- try to do all of the possible things to find resources.
These ways are sure to help you during your way to becoming a community leader and developing yourself in that sphere. The more you learn about your community and the needs it has, the more involved you will become into that world. And, most probably, the more you will understand what your community really needs. As time goes, you will have your steady place in the community and will be able to also think forward and bring all of the best into your community. We wish you all of the best luck to you and hope that very soon your community will have one of the best leaders.
