Join us on Facebook 10th Anniversary!
Add Comment

Part 1

Engaging Community Leadership: The Intersecting of Global Dialogue and Systems Change

Engaging Community Leadership: The Intersecting of Global Dialogue and Systems Change (Adaptive and Engaging Leadership with a Purpose in a Shifting World)

James R. Calvin, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Management
Department of Management
Carey Business School
The Johns Hopkins University

Abstract
It has been said that living life is living history in the making. In the classic historically based book, A Tale of Two Cities, the author Charles Dickens writes in the classic book that “it was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” The Dickens saga was set in the years leading up to the French Revolution when globalization appeared different than it does now. The field of community development is expansive given the divergence of theories, concepts, training and approaches in institutes, colleges and universities. Around the world the changing and shifting circumstances of nations, cultural regions and communities presents significant challenges as well as opportunities at this point in time in the globalization journey. Globalization is also a driving factor and force in emerging trends toward community development research, theory, practice and potential outcomes and strategies. In our current time there are compelling events that have shaped and are shaping these times as we all go into the future amidst the swirling array of human dynamics, the quest for freedom, diverse groups of people and their leaders, human crises and needs, commerce and innovation, North and South perceptions and realities, and a changing global climate among other factors at play. Consequently, it is the view of this author that it is important to promote dialogue exchange as the pace, rate and reach of global systems change, human orchestrated and natural, continues full speed ahead. In this vein, the cacophony of regional and world events and forums for strategic contemplation, thought and action includes annual G7 or G8 summits, the World Economic Forum that is held in Davos, United Nations convening and other global implication summits and settings for years to come.

Still, there are naturally ascendant conditions that are challenging the knowledge transfer competencies that crosses at will all country and community boundaries to threaten diverse people in places, regions and countries that are aligning and realigning along racial, ethnic and cultural divisions and groups. In some ways it’s people coming together in the pursuits of freedom and livelihood at times around conflicting views of reality. The intent in this exploration of ideas about community talking and eventual actions is to present and comment on some of the critical and key interrelated factors that are driving adaptive leadership strategies as communities confront and contend with a multiplicity of circumstances and situations that are interwoven that involves business, economic and social arrangements and strategies to manage affairs with a focus and eye toward the near future given the possibility that situations and other situations are still to arise. Moreover, all of these factors with complex connections also involve the need for people and groups who are engaged in the contextual play between systems and freedom in all aspects of community life and livelihood.


Author(s)

James R. Calvin, Ph.D.

James R. Calvin, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Management
Department of Management
Carey Business School
The Johns Hopkins University


Comments (0)

Add Comment

About this Article

Add Comment