Who Are the Leaders Among Us?

By: Kristin Clements-Effner, MSW Training Coordinator/Cofounder

Over the past couple of years, there has been a number of efforts focused on getting young professionals engaged in organizations and community initiatives.  In the blogosphere, you don’t have to search long to find posts and opinions about the impending leadership crisis or the lack of a leadership crisis within our organizations as existing CEOs and Directors retire.  Catalyst supports and advocates for diverse leadership with in our community that is reflective of the pluralistic community in Indianapolis and surrounding areas.  This brings us to our third value: We embrace leadership that is inclusive, reflective of the diversity around us, and rooted in the belief that it takes all kinds to make a community flourish.

When you hear the buzz word of “Diversity”, most people think of race, ethnicity, and gender.  Diversity runs much deeper than that and should include age, socioeconomic status, occupation, etc.  Most efforts and discussions on leaders focuses on the “up and coming” professional or the more experienced professional that has served in administrative positions throughout our business and nonprofit communities.  This is at the detriment of our community, as we are excluding those under the age of 18, blue-collar workers, retired individuals, and the list goes on. 

There are quiet leaders among us and those who haven’t recognize the potential that rests within to change the world.  Catalyst strives to value all individuals for the leadership qualities they bring to their involvement and hopes to ignite passion in those that haven’t yet found their place.  We believe that by expanding our scope and view of who a leader is and each individual’s ability to make a difference, we will truly have a rich society that makes a community flourish.