The Leading Change Network is a community of practice: organizers, educators, and researchers committed to the following goals:
1) Developing Leadership: We recruit, train, and develop leadership by (1) identifying organizing talent in classrooms, workshops, and campaigns; (2) introducing a pedagogy of organizing to campuses, organizations, and movements; (3) sharing opportunities for coaching training, and mentoring.
2) Continual Learning: We facilitate real time peer-to-peer learning, adaptation, and innovation supplemented by the insights of current research; share organizing materials, resources, and methods; and support face-to-face online and offline collaboration.
3) Creating Capacity: We connect individuals, communities, and organizations that seek change with the methods, resources, and people who can assist in creating the organizing capacity to achieve this change.
Our work revolves around strengthening the practice of organizing, the research that contributes to this practice, and methods of teaching the practice. As a network, we are interested in the development of organizers in diverse settings, researchers in diverse disciplines, and of educators in diverse institutions. Each of these, in their own way, contributes to improving practice. Working across these boundaries increases the effectiveness of each facet. For example, introduction of Ruth Wageman and Richard Hackman’s research on team design to the Obama campaign historically improved field practice. Conversely, problems organizers face can drive important research questions—illustrated by publications organizational effectiveness growing out of work on the Sierra Club. As demonstrated by our work with public narrative, developing classroom content can contribute to organizing campaigns even as organizing campaigns can contribute to course work. As we strengthen one, we strengthen all.
For more information visit The Leading Change Network website: http://leadingchangenetwork.org/