Leading Locally: Collaborating Across Differences

This article focuses on working with people from different backgrounds and experiences. Learning to collaborate across differences helps expand participation, build stronger relationships, and move the community forward.

Differences Are Visible in Rural Communities

Rural communities are close-knit in nature. People tend to know one another, and with that, differences are often highly visible. People notice who shows up, who feels welcome, and remember how leaders act on those differences over time. This visibility can encourage accountability, but it can also discourage involvement if leadership feels closed or concentrated among a few people.

Recognizing that differences exist is only the first step. What leaders do with that awareness is what shapes whether people feel invited in or left out. When leaders deliberately and consistently address those differences, collaboration becomes possible. Collaboration, in a rural community, is not simply an idea; it is what sustains livelihoods and keeps communities moving forward. Leadership that fosters collaboration across differences helps expand communities' efforts from a small circle to a broader, more inclusive participation (Emery et al., 2007; Wilkinson, 1991).

Why Collaboration Strengthens Rural Communities

People contribute to the community in different ways. Some lead projects, others volunteer occasionally, and some wait until they feel ready. Strong leadership recognizes that all forms of participation matter and that each person brings something the community needs (Fraser, 2005). When that recognition is genuine, it creates the conditions for collaboration to take root.

Collaboration, in turn, strengthens the community. Wider networks spread ideas, share information, and connect people to new opportunities (Davies, 2009; Granovetter, 1973). In a rural context, where resources are often limited, and distances between people can be great, those connections become especially valuable. They are what allow a community to think and act beyond its immediate circle. Over time, inclusive leadership does more than solve problems: it also builds skills, social connections, and the ability to influence local decisions, supporting long-term well-being (Brennan et al., 2008; Pigg, 2013). That kind of growth does not just benefit the individual. It strengthens the community's capacity to face whatever comes next.

Moving Beyond the "Hero Leader"

However, collaboration can only go so far when leadership itself remains concentrated. Many communities rely on a few highly committed individuals. These people show up to everything, the same ones who carry the weight of all and hold the community together with sheer dedication. While dedication matters, depending too heavily on a few people can cause burnout, limit new ideas, and discourage others. One solution to this is the concept of 'shared leadership'. Shared leadership means distributing responsibility, decision-making, and influence across many people rather than concentrating them in one or two, so that each participant in the organization or in communities has a genuine role in guiding the community forward. It reduces these risks and keeps people engaged (Schweiger et al., 2020). When leadership is shared, everyone has a chance to participate. This approach makes collaboration across differences easier and keeps the community moving forward (Avolio et al., 2009; Pigg, 1999; Wilkinson, 1991).

Example of the Collaboration In Action

In a rural Pennsylvania town, Penn State Master Gardeners worked with a local middle school to start a small garden. They included many voice students, teachers, parents, and community members, and gave everyone a way to help, from planting to behind-the-scenes support. The group focused on a shared goal of growing fresh food and giving students hands-on learning. They listened to each other, shared ideas, and took turns leading tasks. They also brought together people who had not worked together before, building new connections. Over time, the garden became a success. Students gained skills and confidence, and the food was shared with families and a local food pantry. What started small grew into a strong partnership, showing how people can work across differences to make a real impact (Duke, 2026).

Practical Ways to Collaborate Across Differences

Try these everyday actions to include more voices and build stronger connections:

• Reach beyond your usual group. Include younger people, newcomers, and others with different views (Davies, 2009; Granovetter, 1973).
• Make it easier to join. Change times, places, or formats to enable more people to take part (Brennan et al., 2008; Pigg et al., 2013).
• Give flexible ways to help. Offer small or behind-the-scenes tasks (Emery et al., 2007; Fraser, 2005).
• Focus on shared needs.Work on issues people care about, like local services or youth programs (Wilkinson, 1991).
• Listen first. Let people share their ideas and experiences (Brennan et al., 2008).
• Share leadership.Take turns leading and helping with tasks (Avolio et al., 2009; Schweiger et al., 2020).
• Connect with different groups.Help people from different networks meet and work together (Granovetter, 1973).

Bringing It Together

Collaboration across differences is a daily practice that strengthens all kinds of communities. It happens when a leader notices who is missing from the table and goes to find them. It happens when someone new to the community is handed a real role, not just a seat. It happens in small moments, repeated consistently, over time. Leadership that shares responsibility, includes diverse voices, and builds genuine connections makes the community more resilient and better able to grow. Collaboration does not mean avoiding disagreements - it means creating an environment where people feel respected, included, and ready to work together. Leaders who bridge differences ensure that community efforts reflect a wider range of voices and have a lasting impact.

References

Avolio, B. J., Walumbwa, F. O., & Weber, T. J. (2009). Leadership: Current theories, research, and future directions. Annual Review of Psychology, 60(1), 421–449.

Brennan, M. A., Flint, C. G., & Luloff, A. E. (2008). Bringing together local culture and rural development: Findings from Ireland, Pennsylvania, and Alaska. Sociologia Ruralis, 49(1), 97–112.

Davies, A. (2009). Understanding local leadership in building the capacity of rural communities in Australia. Geographical Research, 47(4), 380–389.

Duke, S. (2026, March 31). Digging it: Master gardeners help middle school students grow a love of gardening. Pennsylvania State University.

Emery, M., Fernandez, E., Gutierrez-Montes, I., & Butler Flora, C. (2007). Leadership as community capacity building: A study on the impact of leadership development training on community. Community Development, 38(4), 60–70.

Fraser, H. (2005). Four different approaches to community participation. Community Development Journal, 40(3), 286–300.

Granovetter, M. S. (1973). The strength of weak ties. American Journal of Sociology, 78(6), 1360–1380.

Pigg, K. E. (1999). Community leadership and community theory: A practical synthesis. Journal of the Community Development Society, 30(2), 196–212. 

Pigg, K., Gasteyer, S. P., Martin, K. E., Keating, K., & Apaliyah, G. P. (2013). The community capitals framework: An empirical examination of internal relationships. Community Development, 44(4), 492–502. >

Schweiger, S., Müller, B., & Güttel, W. H. (2020). Barriers to leadership development: Why is it so difficult to abandon the hero? Leadership, 16(4), 411–433.

Wilkinson, K. (1991). The community in rural America. Greenwood Press.