What makes a leader?
Wise words from the organizing archives
I’ve run across some great agitators in my time, but Shel Trapp, who co-founded National People’s Action, was the best. Within hours of coming to town he could get a group that thought they were attending just another organizing training, looking through the phone book for the home address of the slumlord or banker who had been screwing them over. Soon enough, the group would be loading up cars and vans to do an action.
Trapp helped develop thousands of neighborhood leaders who became tough as nails and refused to take no for an answer. As a result their communities had more power and would consistently rack up wins.
Last year I found this piece of his on identifying leaders in an old filing cabinet at the People’s Action office in Chicago. Though I’m guessing this was written in the early 1980s, it largely holds up. At a time in which we could use a lot more leaders, I thought it might be of help.
Identifying Leaders
I have never had anyone come up to me and say, "Hi, I'm a leader and would like to lead your organization." Nor have I ever walked into a room and seen a person with a big "L" on their forehead. Finding and developing leadership is a slow process which sometimes results in success and as often in failure. It boils down to perseverance and hard work. However, there are some guidelines:
Are they angry? When they talk about issues, is it from emotional experience or an intellectual exercise? We have seen many smart and intelligent leaders, but without emotion these leaders will not put in "the kill." So, we are always looking for those people who, in a face-to-face meeting, in a leadership meeting or in a public meeting, express anger. When you find that person, then provide them the opportunity to show that anger in a public forum.
A word of caution: Watch out for the "Living Room Lions," the people who in their living room rant and rave about how they are going to tear the enemy limb from limb, but who in the confrontation end up like lambs. One time we found a person so angry at the planning meeting at his house that we made him the spokesperson when we went to the alderman's office. He seemed so strong that we did not even have a back-up leader! When we got to the alderman's office, he ended up sympathizing with the alderman on what a hard job it was to be an alderman!
One way to avoid this is to give the potential leader a small role to play in a public meeting, such as presenting one of the demands, and see if the anger carries over to the public meeting.
Will other people follow them? I remember once being in a leadership meeting where the group was trying to decide on a course of action. Time and time again, the chairperson brought up a suggestion for action, and every time somebody found something wrong with the suggestion. After about an hour of this, one member of the group made a suggestion. The rest of the group immediately jumped at the suggestion and accepted it. In subsequent leadership meetings, we saw the same thing happen. It did not take too long to figure out that the real leader of the group was the person who sat back and timed her suggestion for action, made it, and then watched as the group accepted it.
Will they take suggestions and directions from others? Good leaders are not rigid; they are open for suggestions and adaptations of the strategy. They check with the group before agreeing to anything. Good leaders have a basic understanding that their power comes from the people and that they must stay in touch with the people if they are going to maintain their power.
Will they take responsibility? Are they willing to see that fliers get passed out, that phone calls get made, that letters are written? Are they willing to accept the decisions of the organization and then stand by their guns if they are attacked later? I recall a situation where a very tough demonstration was planned by the leadership. They all accepted it, endorsed it, and were part of carrying it out. It was fantastic! But we had stepped on some very big toes and strong reactions came from the city, the media and even some funding sources. The same leadership who had developed, accepted and carried out the demonstration soon began to disavow any part of it. No amount of talking and strategizing could make them see how close they were to victory. In addition to disavowing the action, they backed off the issue. It is interesting to note that none of those people are leaders today. Good leaders take responsibility for their own decisions and for the decisions and actions of the organization.
What else? Lots of things, such as having a constituency, being articulate, being aggressive, being sensitive, and on and on. The key as in all other endeavors is practice, learning by doing. Getting the experience first of presenting one demand, or presenting research to the organization, and then taking on increasing responsibilities. One does not become a professional athlete in one day or one week; it takes practice, experience and practice. The same is true of becoming a leader.
You must be continually on the lookout for good leaders and you must realize that some people can lead in certain situations, while other situations call for different leadership skills. A leader who is good in confrontation may not be good in negotiation. It is important to know the difference. The good organizer recognizes this and puts leaders in situations best suited to their particular skills.
Trapp reminds us that new leaders are not going to come to us, we are going to go and find them. We are looking for someone who people will follow, but also someone who will listen to others, to remain connected to their base. People who have a readiness to take responsibility for their actions and the organization’s, especially when the chips are down. Finally, Trapp reminds us that leadership development is a process - one that like anything requires practice.
Check out this Fundamentals of Organizing pod episode, where Scott Reed talks about the development of organizers and members.
Trapp now also in German: Dynamiken des Organizing. Published by forum community organizing foco.