The Social Change Model of Leadership: A Brief Overview

By Wendy Wagner

Key Assumptions tive action, students and groups

A
major portion of the Multi-
Institutional Study of Leader- must be clear about their values
ship (MSL) uses a measure of The SCM, like many of today’s and consistent with their actions.
the Social Change Model (SCM) to emerging leadership theories
(Burns, 1978; Komives, Lucas, & • All students can do leadership.
study leadership as an outcome of the Leadership development is not
college experience. To fully under- McMahon, 1998; Rost, 1993), empha-
sizes a nonhierarchical approach reserved for students holding
stand the results of the MSL, it is there- leadership positions, but is for
fore important to be familiar with the to leadership. Some of the “key
assumptions” upon which the any student wanting to engage
approach to leadership development with others to create change.
advocated by the SCM. The purpose model is based best describe this
of this article is to describe its back- approach: • Leadership is about change.
ground and key assumptions, as well • Leadership is collaborative. Effective leadership involves
as the seven central values for leader- Effective leadership is based on, being able to accomplish positive
ship development programs and the collective action, shared power, change for others and for the
overarching dimension of change that and a passionate commitment community.
are at its core. “to social justice” (Higher (Adapted from Higher Education
In 1993, Helen and Alexander Education Research Institute, Research Institute, 1996, p. 10)
Astin, working through the Higher 1996, p. 11).
The SCM is unique in that it was
Education Research Institute at the • Leadership is the process a created specifically for the college
University of California Los Angeles group experiences as it works undergraduate. No longer do
and a grant from the federal collaboratively toward a goal. It college and university leadership
Eisenhower Leadership Develop- is not the acts of an individual educators have to rely on adapting
ment program, gathered ten leader- with authority. corporate leadership models to fit
ship specialists and student affairs
• Leadership is based on values. To into the undergraduate learning
professionals from across the country
have the trust necessary for collec- environment.
to create a model of leadership devel-
opment for undergraduate college
students. Calling themselves “The
Working Ensemble,” this group met Diagram of the Social Change Model
six times in two-day working ses-
sions, discussing what knowledge,
values, or skills students need to Group Values
develop in college in order to partici-
pate in effective leadership focused
on social change. The result was the
Social Change Model of Leadership
Development (Higher Education • Collaboration
Research Institute, 1996). • Common Purpose
• Controversy
The SCM was presented at With Civility
numerous professional conferences
and the Guidebook (Higher
A C
Education Research Institute, 1996)
was provided at no charge for sever- B D
al years as a deliverable from the
grant and continues to be distrib-
uted at cost from NCLP. Kezar,
Carducci, and Contreras-McGavin
(2006) observe “The social change E
• Consciousness
model of leadership development
of self F
and the seven C’s of social change • Citizenship
have played a prominent role in • Congruence
shaping the curricula and formats of • Commitment
undergraduate leadership education
initiatives in colleges and universi-
ties throughout the country”(p. 142).
Individual Values Society/Community Values

8
Seven Critical Values of
Leadership The Seven C’s: The Critical Values
The working ensemble eventual-
ly concluded that there were seven of the Social Change Model
“critical values” (Higher Education
Research Institute, 1996, p. 21) to
leadership development. As each INDIVIDUAL VALUES
begins with the letter C, these have
come to be known as the “Seven Consciousness Being self-aware of the beliefs, values, attitudes, and
C’s.” The Seven C’s are grouped of Self emotions that motivate you to take action. Being mind-
into three categories: ful, or aware of your current emotional state, behavior,
• The Individual: What individual and perceptual lenses.
qualities should our programs
attempt to develop? What per- Congruence Acting in ways that are consistent with your values and
sonal qualities support effective beliefs. Thinking, feeling, and behaving with consistency,
collective action and social genuineness, authenticity, and honesty toward others.
change?
Commitment Having significant investment in an idea or person,
• The Group: What processes do
both in terms of intensity and duration. Having the
students need to learn in order
to work effectively in groups? energy to serve the group and its goals. Commitment
How can collaboration foster originates from within, but others can create an envi-
individual development and ronment that supports an individual’s passions.
social change?
GROUP VALUES
• The Community/Society: How
can involvement in positive Collaboration Working with others in a common effort, sharing
change in the community pro-
responsibility, authority, and accountability. Multiplying
mote group collaboration and
develop individual character? group effectiveness by capitalizing on various perspec-
tives and talents, and on the power of diversity to gen-
(Adapted from Higher Education erate creative solutions and actions.
Research Institute, 1996, p. 19)
Common Having shared aims and values. Involving others in
Feedback Loops Purpose building a group’s vision and purpose.
Notice that each level is inextrica-
bly tied to the others. Learning and Controversy Recognizing two fundamental realities of any creative
development at the individual level with Civility effort: 1) that differences in viewpoint are inevitable,
helps facilitate the leadership and 2) that such differences must be aired openly but
process at the group level. Likewise, with civility.
participation in collaborative group
processes provides experience and COMMUNITY VALUES
feedback that enhances a person’s
development at the individual level. Citizenship Believing in a process whereby an individual and/or a
These “feedback loops” exist among group become responsibly connected to the community
all three levels of the model.
and to society through some activity. Recognizing that
Resources members of communities are not independent, but
interdependent. Recognizing individuals and groups
Several SCM resources are available
through the National Clearing- have responsibility for the welfare of others.
house for Leadership Programs. A
Since it is a key assumption of the SCM that the ultimate goal of leadership is
Social Change Model of Leadership
Development Guidebook (Version III) positive social change, “change” is considered to be at the “hub” of the SCM.
is the ensemble guidebook for
Change Believing in the importance of making a better world
understanding and using the model
in leadership development pro- and a better society for oneself and others. Believing
grams. Additionally, a group at that individuals, groups and communities have the
St. Norbert College who also had ability to work together to make that change.
an Eisenhower grant, l e d b y
Ensemble member Kathy Shellog,
developed An Appli-cation (Adapted from Higher Education Research Institute, 1996, p. 21; Tyree, 1998,
Guidebook for the Social Change Model p. 176; and Astin, 1996, p. 6-7)
of Leadership Develop-ment, which

9
provides learning activ- Institute. (1996). A
ities related social change model of
to the “Seven C’s.”
The SCM was the
“To fully leadership development
guidebook. Version III.
Available
theme of Concepts & understand Los Angeles, CA: Now
Connections Volume 4, Higher Education
Issue 2 (available in PDF the results of Research Institute.
form at no charge to
the MSL, it Kezar, A. J., Carducci,
Newly Updated
NCLP members). In
R., & Contreras-
1998, Maryland doctor-
al student Tracy Tyree
is therefore McGavin, M. (2006).
Rethinking the “L” word
completed a disserta-
tion that created a sur-
important to in higher education: The
revolution of research
vey instrument to be familiar on leadership. ASHE
measure each of the
seven C’s, as well as with the Higher Education Exploring
Report, 31 (6). San
Change (Tyree, 1998).
These eight scales, approach to Francisco: Jossey-Bass Leadership For
collectively called the
Socially Responsible leadership
Komives, S. R., Lucas,
N., & McMahon, T. R.
College Students
Leadership
(SRLS), were subse-
Scale
development
(1998). Exploring leader-
ship: For college students
Who Want to
quently revised (Appel-
Silbaugh, 2005; Dugan, advocated by who want to make a Make a Difference
difference (1st ed.). San
2005) to reduce the Francisco: Jossey-Bass
number of question the SCM.” Publishers. 2nd Edition
items from 105 to 68
while maintaining relia- Rost, J. C. (1993).
bility and validity, resulting in the Leadership for the
SRLS-Revised 2 (SRLS-R2). Either of twenty-first century. Westport,
these scales is available at no charge CT: Praeger.
from the National Clearinghouse for Tyree, T. M. (1998). Designing an
Leadership Programs to aid in instrument to measure the
research and assessment of college socially responsible leadership
student leadership programs. A using the social change model of
web-version of these scales with leadership development.
reports using national normative Dissertation Abstracts
MSL data will be available through International, 59 (06), 1945. (AAT
site lisences Spring 2007. For infor- 9836493)
mation on
any of these resources, visit ________________________________
www.nclp.umd.edu or write wwagn- Wendy Wagner is the Coordinator of the
er@umd.edu. National Clearinghouse for Leadership
Programs, a doctoral student in
References the College Student Personnel
Appel-Silbaugh, C. (2005). SRLS- Administration program at the
Rev: The revision of SRLS. College University of Maryland, and member of by
the Multi-Institutional Study of
Park, MD: National Clearing-
house for Leadership Programs. Leadership research team.
Susan R. Komives
Astin, H. S. (1996). Leadership for Nance Lucas
social change. About Campus, 1,
4-10.
Timothy R. McMahon
Burns, J. M. (1978). Leadership. New
York: Harper & Row.
Dugan, J. P. (2006). SRLS-Rev2:
Third revision of SRLS. College
Park, MD: National
Clearinghouse for Leadership www.josseybass.com
Programs.
Higher Education Research

10
 CONCEPTS & CONNECTIONS
A P U B L I C AT I O N FOR L E A D E R S H I P E D U C AT O R S

Volume 15 Issue 1 THE MULTI-INSTITUTIONAL STUDY OF LEADERSHIP 2006

Assessment: Because We Want to Know

dictable but uplifting on the need for greater

I
ntoxicated by the memory of stu-
experience of learning accountability – seem to
dents whose life trajectories
that their diligent,
“A primary upend our professional
seemed changed by their college
experience – especially, perhaps, the empathic efforts during
some fulcrum period in
emphasis on security and threaten to
render our confident
parts of that experience in which we
had a strong part – we snuggle into a student’s life had long- documenting beliefs about the value of
lasting influence and our work antique, if not
a certain comfort with our work,
confident that it serves students
produced extraordinary outcomes precious. From federal
effects? Coming down commissions and state-
well. What campus educator has from the professional and fostering house debates to campus
not had at least once the unpre- high that such exhilarat- mandates and accredita-
ing moments merit, we program tion standards, account-
may soothe ourselves by improvement ability has generated the
INSIDE THIS ISSUE: thinking that it is only
the vagaries of chance makes
crucible of change in
higher education for this
Assessment: Because We and distance that pre- young century.
Want to Know by Richard P. vent our hearing simi- assessment The question, of
Keeling larly fulsome praise
from many other stu- an organic course, is not whether
yesterday’s students
The Multi-Institutional Study of dents. No need to won-
Leadership: Understanding the der about everyone when element of are telling the truth
Project by Susan R. Komives, when they recount the
we have such a good
John P. Dugan, and Thomas report from someone.
the ethical power of our influence.
Whether we teach lead-
C. Segar After all, there it was,
clear as a bell: the evi-
professional’s ership or neuroscience,
The Social Change Model of we have the potential to
Leadership: A Brief Overview
dence that we made a repertoire.” catalyze the intellectual
difference. About those
by Wendy Wagner and personal transfor-
pleasantly close encoun-
mation of students;
UC Berkeley’s Experience with ters with former students who recite
there are more than enough individ-
the Multi-Institutional Study of happy claims about our impact on
ual examples of the fulfillment of that
Leadership by Mark Lucia and their lives we often say, “One of
potential. The real – and much better
Gregg Thomson those will keep you going for
– questions concern scope, scale,
months, even years.” Or, as Ira
The MSL at the Institutional and transparency: What actually
Gershwin wrote in the lyrics to the
happened? How many students
Level: UMBC’s Team song for which his brother, George,
have benefited? What information
Approach by Erin Hundley composed the music,
describes, or shows, the effect?
Hardening the Science of The memory of all that – Critical questions; especially when
Web-based Surveys in No, no! They can’t take that away resources are not unlimited – but
Assessment Research by from me. when we refer to the answers as
Scott Crawford evidence, our fears of somehow being
But now, many educators fear
on trial or having to prove something
Select Descriptive Findings exactly that: the loss of acknowledg-
can overcome our commitment to
from the Multi-Institutional ment of and respect for the long-term
improving our work. And the confla-
Study of Leadership by John effects of their work at the hands of
tion of assessment with evaluation in
P. Dugan and Susan R. the strengthening forces of mandated
our minds can quickly spin evidence
assessment. Demands for evidence –
Komives into grades.
generally framed in arguments based Continued on page 3