Why do some communities succeed and others struggle? Why does one community enjoy a robust local economy and just a few miles down the road another community is resigned to stagnation and decline?

This patchwork of differential positions among Iowa communities has spurred many hypotheses and explanations about characteristics that are important in explaining why some communities thrive and others decline. A common thread among successful community developments or social change efforts is the role of leadership. This document explores the centrality of leadership in successful community development and provides a road map of the key steps in achieving social change.

The accompanying worksheet provides a framework for the 5 step process and acts as a guide for implementing community change.