Process Theory

The process theory is this idea that leadership is a process that incorporates inclusive, meaningful engagement of both the leader and the followers; a relational and ethical process of people together attempting to accomplish positive change. I feel this leadership is very much prevalent in today’s society, simply because it acknowledges that both leaders and followers are significant, and that the relationship between the two is what produces change in the world. At this point in leadership theory development, we must recognize that followers are as important (if not more important!) than the leader. There are five parts to this theory: Inclusive (which means there are diverse points of view that are able to be expressed, everyone has an opinion), empowerment, ethicality, purpose (ability to make commitments) and process. I have seen this style of leadership at work in my high school ecology club. The founder of this club recognized the need to promote more eco-friendly practices into the running of the school (purposeful), and also saw how starting these programs would benefit our society as a whole (ethical). And the students also supported this vision, and when they were able to bring their concerns to the club (such as recycling) the club heard them out (inclusive) and then started acting on those concerns (empowerment). What ended up happening was that the club became one of the largest on campus, not only because students felt they could make an impact (empowerment) but were also able to make that impact in such a way that furthered their message of sustainable living (process).
What this club ended producing was a campus-wide recycling program, that became very important to the campus as a whole. As a person who was in the club and volunteered with them, I could see how teachers and students were actively thinking about what they threw away and what they could recycle. It got to the point where it was almost too much for us all to handle on the days we went to pick up the recycling bins! So, by the process method of leadership, this club was able to produce social change. Granted, on a small scale, but social change doesn’t have to be huge. Social change is the significant alteration of social structure and cultural patterns through time. The Ecology Club was able to alter the cultural pattern of our school from throwing anything and everything away in the trash without another thought, to a school-wide movement of recycling those things which could be salvaged. And although the club has effected social change into the cultural fabric of the high school, their next steps are to bring more awareness to the greater part of Gilbert, and possibly effect an eco-friendly movement in that community as well.