The Leadership Learning Community exists to strengthen the work of those dedicated to developing leadership that can address a range of significant social issues. LLC connects a diverse group of leadership development practitioners, grant-makers, and thought leaders who identify successful practices, conduct research, evaluate current leadership efforts, and exchange information and tools. Through its website and regional and national meetings and learning opportunities, LLC generates and disseminates publicly accessible knowledge to promote effective leadership support and development.

Momentum - The Title

Posted July 22nd, 2008 by Elissa Perry
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Momentum 2008 thus far, has been a terrific gathering. Well worth the time, in fact, exponentially so. I have so many notes and thoughts though that I've finally come up with an approach to lite digestion and sharing. My plan is to go topic by topic as the event was structured and talk about what resonated. I begin with looking at the title followed by the premise for bringing us together.

The Title

Wikipedia describes Momentum as the product of the mass and velocity of an object (p = mv) in its classic definition.

This all makes sense to me. And for a moment this morning, I wondered as I recalled and heard people talk about the experience of grandparents that propels them forward - a strong hand in the small of the back - and about visions of a different world that draw others forward into an imagined future, does momentum come from experience or from hope? It only took a few minutes to realize that both are necessary for momentum to matter at all and momentum is essential.

Wikipedia also tells us that Momentum is "a conserved quantity, meaning that the total momentum of any closed system (one not affected by external forces) cannot change." So are the systems we are trying to impact open or closed? If they are open then what are the external forces that are effecting them and in what direction? What does this mean for a sector? What does it mean for how we lead?

John Edwards spoke about breaking down silos, the intersection of systems of oppression, and the necessity of national leadership in the opening plenary session on Sunday night. But I'm getting ahead of myself! Stay tuned for more!

Leadership and Language: The Boundary Crossing Dilemma

Posted June 12th, 2008 by Deborah Meehan
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2008 Boundary Crossing Gathering

LLC has been involved with The California Endowment in a project to convene leadership programs that share a focus on supporting “boundary crossing” leadership. This work and use of the term boundary crossing took shape in response to the civil unrest in Los Angeles and concerns about racial divides. Boundary Crossing Leadership in its early days was rooted in a social justice and oppression perspective with a focus on the need to build solidarity across racial divides and other ‘ism’s. Eventually ‘boundary crossing’ came to encompass a broader range of boundaries including boundaries that separate organizations, sectors, and disciplines.

The language of boundary crossing has met with mixed reviews for a number of reasons worth trying to learn from. On the one hand, the language has developed some popular support and was the theme of the recent Grant Makers in Health Conference. It seems to find some resonance with people, perhaps because it’s a broad enough term to hold many concerns. And perhaps that’s also part of the problem. The term is now being used to encompass social justice work, a systems change perspective, a remedy to non-profit fragmentation and isolation, collective leadership practices and spiritual work. There is often immediate suspicion toward new leadership terminology … it’s the next new thing, without also appreciating our efforts through language to be strategic in how we think about and invest in leadership.

Its not surprising that people engaged in racial justice work are concerned about the lack of a power analysis in the boundary crossing framework. To simply talk about the need to cross racial boundaries without recognizing that institutionalized racism is expressed in oppressive relationships dilutes the issues of power involved in whose boundary is being crossed by whom and for what purpose. In a recent meeting of predominantly social justice leaders, there was strong reaction to the language of ‘boundary crossing’ on many levels, “boundary crossing” is charged language in many immigrant communities, its language that unlike “solidarity” leadership has the problem, ‘boundaries’ embedded in the language that describes the solution. A number of new suggestions have been offered, “solidarity leadership”, “changemakers”, “social justice leadership”, “multi-cultural leadership”, “unity leadership”, and “bridging leadership”.

The confusion does not serve the strategic concerns of those who gravitated to the language as a call to overcome our fragmentation and develop multi-stakeholder partnerships that can leverage systems change. Sometimes the confusion makes me want to throw up my hands and avoid language as shorthand that fails to communicate adequately what we really mean. And then again, no one can deny the power of language and rallying words as we try to organize ourselves to support social justice and systems change. Personally, I can understand the arguments being made by folks working around racial divides who call this social and racial justice work. I also think that the language of Boundary Crossing can be an important way to highlight the need to work across organization and sector boundaries. How are you talking about your leadership work and what positive or negative impact does language have on your efforts?