Title

Who They Are

What They Can Offer

Official Leaders

Elected officials, school board members, CEO’s, etc. They are traditional “leaders.”

Official leaders tend to focus on the official business of the community - such as policy decisions and economic development. They are often most in tune with civic leaders and may be seen as disconnected from people’s daily lives.

Civic Leaders

Religious leaders, neighborhood association presidents, etc. They hold recognized civic positions in the community.

Civic leaders often represent the interests of a particular group of people or institution within the community. They typically are knowledgeable about the official layer of the community and can provide the point of view of their interest group on official issues.

Catalysts

People who have wisdom, know-how and historical perspective about issues and places. They are respected and seen as unofficial “experts” in people’s eyes. Others turn to them for guidance and help.

Catalysts do not have official titles, but they can often be real and authentic voices of the community. They can offer insights and advice on what people really care about, what values they wrestle with, how they talk about issues and what they don’t know.

Connectors

People who move from organization to organization, like pollinating bees spreading ideas and social norms. Others turn to them to learn “what’s going on.”

Connectors often can lead you to influential but hard-to-find leaders (such as catalysts) and citizens who are part of less visible community organizations. Connectors also can help you learn how the work of different community organizations relates to one another.