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Relational Leadership Model Analysis

Renee Harding

Ball State University

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Abstract

The Relational Leadership Model explains the components that build an effective leader.

Leadership rests solely on one’s ability to build and sustain relationships, the Relational

Leadership Model breaks down the five primary factors that make up a relational leader. Julia

Weis displayed several of these components through effective communication skills,

implementing of inclusive guidelines, and openness to new ideas within their group.
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Leadership is a skill that many people embody, but not many people implement. This

embodiment can be established in one’s relationships, workplace, and/or social endeavors, but

implementing this skill takes a little more courage for some. This is primarily evident for those

using their leadership skills for social change. Leadership skills built off of different kinds of

qualities, but one very important aspect of being a leader is one’s ability to be relational. In this

paper, I will be breaking down the different components of the Relational Leadership Model and

identifying them in an interviewee. By using this model, I will cover how the interviewee holds

attributes under purposeful leadership, ethical leadership, and inclusive leadership.

For this interview, I talked with Julia Weis, a Junior at Ball State University. Julia is the

President of the organization Students for Life at Ball State University. This organization is

affiliated with the national student organization known as Students for Life of America, which is

a non-profit organization working towards the abolishment of abortions in the United States.

This organization’s goal is to “transform culture by recruiting, training, and mobilizing pro-lifers

to abolish abortion. We launch and support Students for Life groups in colleges, high schools,

middle schools, law schools, and med schools throughout the nation to educate other young

people about the violence of abortion, create new pro-lifers, and transform campuses into places

that support pregnant and parenting students” (Student for Life, 2019). Student’s for Life at Ball

State follows this structure to help influence peoples’ personal beliefs about abortion through

education and activism. With abortion being at the center of many social conflicts in today’s

political realm, Students for Life at Ball State is fighting to make social change.

Using the Relational Leadership Model, also being referred to as RLM, I was able to

identify certain ways that Julia fits its different parts. Relational Leadership is defined as “a

relational process of people together attempting to accomplish change or make a difference to

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benefit the common good” (Komives, Lucas, McMahon, 1998). The RLM is made up of five

primary components. These components are inclusive, empowering, purposeful, ethical, and

process oriented. Of all the elements that build the RLM, Julia’s leadership style specifically fits

under the following three elements: purposeful, ethical, and inclusive.

Purposeful leadership means having a specific commitment to an objective or activity. In

this case, the objective for Julia and her organization is to eliminate the ability for one to get an

abortion. Julia exemplifies this component by having a hopeful, positive attitude, and believing

that their group can make an impact on their campus. These attributes were identified in Julia

when she was asked how she collaborates and finds common ground with others to facilitate

positive change. Julia went on to explain that “in the past, I have reached out to other

organizations who are likeminded with our group and those who are not likeminded with our

group, to join in on a discussion or an event. When doing this, I have found that it allows for the

opportunity for those opposed to each other’s views to find a common ground and conduct

potentially productive discussion. I believe that our group has a purpose and I know that through

hosting discussion with this structure, we can make a difference in even the smallest way”. I also

asked her how she communicates her purpose, and how she gets her group to work together to

create it. When describing her leadership style, I discovered it to fit what is known as the

democratic leadership style. According to Stephanie Kelly and Patrick MacDonald (2019) in

their article “A Look at Leadership Styles and Workplace Solidarity Communication”, this

leadership style involves leaders “utilizing this style solicit the input of their subordinates are

seen as more helpful and friendly and are open to subordinates communicating their ideas”. I

compared her to this style when she explained how she embodies a very open leadership style,

believing that everyone should have a say in things that the group is doing and that everyone’s’
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ideas should, at the very least, be heard. Julia has a very organized approach within their weekly

meetings and through this structure, she is able to make sure everyone is on the same page with

their overall plans, goals, and desired successes.

Another component that she can be identified under is ethical leadership. To fit the

ethical component, one must be motivated by standards and values that are moral in nature. In

other words, the beliefs of the ethical component are that all people should be encouraged to

exemplify socially responsible behavior, and that actions are more important when they are

benefiting others over one’s self. To help depict whether or not Julia owned this attribute, she

was asked how she stays true to her values and morals and what she does to make sure the group

encompasses these same values. Her response went on to explain that “there have been times

when people have attacked us through verbal and technological means, and I have made sure to

prepare the group members with appropriate responses to those actions, and to instill that

motivation behind every response should be out of respect, compassion, and love, regardless of

what is being said or threatened”. She also showed this element through another example when

explaining how she pushes for the group to be “ahead of the buzz. For instance, when other non-

affiliated pro-life groups come to campus and use approaches that we do not condone or support,

I make sure that we are putting out a statement expressing our non-affiliation and disapproval of

their approach when deemed appropriate”. She explained that this is important because as many

people tend see these displays, they automatically assume that they are in connection to Julia’s

organization. She believes that it is important to make her group’s ethics and morality known,

especially in the midst of potential misrepresentation.

The final component for which Julia can be identified is inclusive leadership. To embody

the inclusive leadership component means to include people and diverse thinking. Julia was
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asked how she involves people from outside of her organization, and although she gave several

examples, one fit particularly well under this factor. Julia explained an event that she had

planned and hosted last year that brought in a speaker from the Pro-Life movement. This event

allowed for productive and civil discussion from both sides of the abortion debate. This was just

one of the many events that she had put forth with inclusivity in mind. She went on to say that

“including others is something I find to be very important in our mission. It may seem that our

goal is to change a pro-choice person’s mindset to align with the pro-life mindset, but at the end

of the day, although that is something we strive for, our real goal is to allow everyone a chance

to be informed and educated on the grounds of fact. In today’s world, and especially in this

upcoming generation, people are so quick to form their opinions off of things they see promoted

through high platforms, such as social media, Hollywood, etc., without being properly informed.

To include a double-sided discussion allows everyone the opportunity to form an opinion off of

purposeful information. Without including others’ opinions, the final mindset may not be built

on a strong foundation of knowledge and consideration”. I also asked Julia how she makes sure

that the group is not blocking the goal of inclusivity in their events. She explained that this was

something she always kept in mind when planning things for the group. She makes sure to

consider their plans from the opposing perspective to make sure that it is appropriate, respectful,

and allowing of expression of opposing opinions.

Aside from questions asked with the intention to help identify what components Julia

embody, I wanted to know about some problems that she was facing as a leader of the group. She

told me how one of her biggest problems that she had been facing/continues to face is the

problem of nondiscriminatory, or “just”, funding. As the group has needed funds to help

continue their fight, such as hosting events to help involve students and bring people together to
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promote resources for those who are pregnant, the group has been denied proper funding simply

because of their views on the issue. This discrimination is a matter that the group faces from the

University directly, and it is something they are working towards fixing, continuously. When

asked how this issue affected her role as a leader, she didn’t seem to be phased by the problem.

Although frustrating, the issue was just another form of adversity that she, along with the group,

had to overcome. She then explained that if it had affected her leadership style in any way, it

built up a form of assertiveness that she did not encompass prior. This is a good characteristic to

have as a leader, according to Connie Bacon and Michael Severson. They claim that

assertiveness was “found to be related to several elements of good communicator style and

communication apprehension” (Bacon & Severson, 1986). This is just another attribute that

shows Julia to be a strong leader. After this interview, I was able to learn hands on about the five

components of the RLM, and it helped me to better understand the purpose of the model itself.

To hear examples of each component and its making of a leader, I have a new insight as to the

importance of these attributes.

The Relational Leadership Model allows for one to discover how they lead, and how well

they do it. By using this model, I was able to discover how Julia is as a leader in her mission

towards social change by primarily focusing on her leadership characteristic categorized under

purposeful leadership, ethical leadership, and inclusive leadership.

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References

Bacon, C. C., & Severson, M. L. (1986). Assertiveness, Responsiveness, and Versatility as

Predictors of Leadership Emergence. Communication Research Reports, 3(1), 53–59.
Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com.proxy.bsu.edu/login.aspx?
direct=true&db=ufh&AN=18581456&site=ehost-live&scope=site

Kelly, S., & MacDonald, P. (2019). A Look at Leadership Styles and Workplace Solidarity
Communication. International Journal of Business Communication, 56(3), 432–448.
https://doi-org.proxy.bsu.edu/10.1177/2329488416664176

Komives, S, Lucas, N., & McMahon, T. (1998). Exploring Leadership for College Students
What Want to Make A Difference. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. (68-72).

Student for Life. (2019, May 13). Retrieved from

https://www.studentsforlife.org/supporters/what-we-do/.