Premium
Resolving complex community problems: Applying collective leadership and Kotter's change model to wicked problems within social system networks
Author(s) -
Caulfield Jay L.,
Brenner Elizabeth F.
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
nonprofit management and leadership
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.844
H-Index - 54
eISSN - 1542-7854
pISSN - 1048-6682
DOI - 10.1002/nml.21399
Subject(s) - creativity , collective leadership , sociology , public relations , collective efficacy , social network analysis , social change , social psychology , psychology , political science , social science , social capital , law , china
How does collective leadership within social networks resolve chronic and complex problems common to communities? Unfortunately, sometimes it does not, but when it does, the outcome may be truly extraordinary. We use a case study approach to explain how one Midwest community within the USA applied collective leadership within a community network to reduce teen births. It took ten years of what many identified as provocative media campaigns and comprehensive sex education programs to reduce teen births by 65%, significantly exceeding the stated goal. Using Kotter's change model as a backdrop, powerful strategies and provocative creativity reveal courageous leadership within a social network of diverse people and organizations focused on improving the social well being of their community.