Community Leadership Development: Process and Practice

Abstract

Research on leadership program impact typically focuses on quantitative measures of knowledgegained or attitude change at the end of the program. The nature of leadership as personal developmentand the likelihood of unanticipated outcomes resulting from development programs lead to the needto conduct studies to determine the extent of alumni application of new skills, knowledge andattitudes. To address this issue, research was conducted on community leadership programs inGeorgia using interviews, observation, and written surveys involving participants and programcoordinators. Analysis of the data showed that a broad range of community members have becomeinvolved in leadership activities because they "feel responsible for what goes on" after participatingin a program. Factors related to community context and program implementation affecting the natureand extent of alumni activity were also explored. These findings provide a foundation for developingsuccessful program practices and support for the continued development of program alumni as theyput leadership knowledge into practice in their communities.