Leadership Theory in Practice
Summer 2020: Wisconsin WFP
In March 2020, while randomly going through CU Boulder’s Political Science Twitter account, I stumbled across a fellowship opportunity. The pandemic was still new to all of us, as watched it unfold, not yet knowing what would come in the months to follow. The fellowship, Progressive Pipeline, stated it was looking for students with diverse backgrounds interested in organizing for progressive causes. I applied and was accepted, and there began my five-month journey into grassroots political movements. I was paired with the Working Families Party of Wisconsin and we hit the ground running in June 2020. The other fellows and I phone-banked, texted, reached out to as many Wisconsinites as we could to ensure that everyone, regardless of political affiliation, knew where and how to cast their ballots. We did research on districts and scheduled relational meetings with folks to learn about what they looked for in a political home. At times, it was hard. We were at the height of a global pandemic. People were in the streets protesting the death of George Floyd. Sometimes, we wondered if we actually making an impact as people continued to hang up our calls. But we kept pushing and it meant the world to watch Wisconsin go blue in November.
I would argue that this experience exemplifies the relational leadership theory and effective small group leadership. Relationships are foundational and trust can only be built from our ability to connect and empathize. My entire summer was spent relaying my story, my reason for engaging with politics, to total strangers, and in practicing that vulnerability, folks in Wisconsin gave me a little bit of themselves too. That is what leadership means to me. Throughout LEAD 4000, we talk about the power of stories, with Reinsborough and Canning writing that, “Stories are the threads of our lives and the fabric of human cultures” (Reinsborough & Canning 2010:17). My WFP cohort was small, but we were mighty. We disagreed, pushed each other’s buttons, but our mentors steered us along, and we never forgot our main goal. That is what small group leadership is: individuals coming from various walks of life and pushing aside egos for one great purpose. I hope to carry my story on, create meaningful connections, and work collaboratively in the future as well.
​
​
​
