David D. Chrislip is a senior associate of the National Civic League and former vice president of research and
development for the American Leadership Forum.
Larson, Carl E. :
Carl E. Larson is professor of human communication studies and past dean of the School of Social Sciences at
the University of Denver.
Review
"Creating civic will by engaging citizens on the toughest public problems helps break legislative and bureaucratic
gridlock and restores trust in public institutions. This book shows you how to do it."
--The Honorable Federico Pena, U.S. Secretary of Transportation
Submitted by the Publisher, September, 2000
Summary
The leaders who are most effective in addressing public issues are those who have the credibility to bring together
the right people to create visions and solve problems. Drawing on their extensive research, as well as on the advice
and guidance of the leading scholars and practitioners in the field, David Chrislip and Carl Larson show how elected
officials and other civic leaders can generate the civic will to break through legislative and bureaucratic gridlock,
deal with complex issues, and engage frustrated and angry citizens. They also describe how to design, initiate,
and sustain a constructive, collaborative process. This groundbreaking book provides insight and answers to the
major challenges facing communities today.
As American society becomes increasingly diverse and public issues more complex, the traditional community problem-solving
methods have come up short. Working together successfully today requires a profound shift in our conception of
how change is created, and an equally profound shift in our conception of leadership. Collaborative Leadership
is designed to help citizens and civic leaders bring together diverse community members in efforts that lead to
real, measurable change in the lives of communities.
Drawing on their extensive research--which included six in-depth case studies and forty-six additional studies
of successful community collaborations--as well as on the advice and guidance of the leading scholars and practitioners
in the field, David D. Chrislip and Carl E. Larson provide insight and answers to the major challenges facing communities
today. They tell how to deal with complex issues; how to engage frustrated and angry citizens; and how elected
officials and other civic leaders can generate the civic will to break through legislative and bureaucratic gridlock.
The authors describe how to design, initiate, and sustain a constructive, collaborative process. And they show
that the leaders who are most effective in addressing public issues are those who have the credibility to bring
together the right people to create visions and solve problems.
Table of Contents
Foreword
Part One: The Case for Collaboration
1. The Promise of Collaboration
2. The Challenge to Traditional Leadership
Part Two: Leadership Strategies for Effective Collaboration
3. Discovering the Keys to Successful Collaboration: Lessons from the Field
4. Setting the Stage for Success
5. Creating a Constituency for Change
6. Building and Sustaining Momentum
7. Producing Results That Matter
Part Three: New Visions of Leadership and Civic Action
8. Skills for a New Kind of Leadership
9. A New Vision of Civic Action
Appendixes:
A: The Research
B: Assessing Collaboration
