PART IV

Putting Leadership into Action

WE ARE NOW READY TO learn about the leadership principles that have propelled Latinos forward. Looking at mainstream leadership is a good starting point, because we will find connecting points between this and how Latinos have traditionally led.

For generations, the centerpiece of mainstream US leadership was the individual leader. This fashioned a hierarchical form, which was very effective in an assembly line economy where people followed orders and looked to a boss for direction. Today, our economy centers on service, technology, communications, and industries such as health care and education, where people skills, joint problem solving, and on-the-spot decision making are required. To address this, leadership has become collaborative and team oriented.

Leadership is also changing due to the external environment. Civil rights, changing demographics, higher educational levels, and political awareness have transformed leadership into a more inclusive and participatory form. Additionally, the diverse, better educated, tech-savvy, and increasingly young workforce expects to participate and function more autonomously. This resonates with Latino inclusiveness—diversity is simply a Latino leader’s competitive edge.

We should also consider that in our rapidly changing, super complex world, even the smartest, most experienced leader will simply not have all the answers. Leaders must craft environments in which people work together to generate viable solutions and achieve results. They must hand over the reins and shift the locus of control from I as the leader to We—the people served by the leader.

Latino leadership aligns with today’s collaborative orientation. Latinos are natural collaborators, having learned to work and cooperate with others at an early age. Values such as reciprocity and generosity encourage collaboration. Leaders serve people and share responsibility—a rich foundation for creating inclusive and empowering environments. Perhaps, then, we can say that leadership by a few is being replaced with leadership by the many—a revered Latino leadership principle that we will learn about.

Latinos know that the journey to social justice and economic equality requires ardent community organizing. Advancement has only come because of the struggles and dedication of our leaders. Latinos find examples of this right in their familias. Just as I honor the sacrifices of my mother and father, so too can Latinos look back and learn from the leadership of their antepasados.

Janet Murguía follows such consejo (counsel). “I think my parents, in their own humble ways, taught me a lot of the great skills of leadership. They were honest and hardworking, sacrificed for their children, helped their community, and taught me responsibility for others. These are valuable cultural assets. If we embrace these, they will serve us well.”

The leadership principles that follow describe proven ways to engage, inspire, and mobilize people who desire to create a more just and inclusive world. Latino leadership has passed the test of time and has a centuries-old track record of collaborative, collective, and activist leadership. The Power of Latino Leadership honors this tradition and lays the foundation for the evolution and expansion of this dynamic form of leadership.