Sviluppo locale e leadership. Una proposta metodologica

This paper proposes a new methodological approach for local development. It is divided in three parts. The first part analyzes the critical points of local development in the framework of EU policies; the main critical point seems to be the lack of leadership competences to manage complex situations and the governance process. The second part underlines the main concepts and theories which are at the basis of the proposed methodology: system dynamics, constructivism, chaos theory, action research. The third one describes the methodology which is mainly focussed on: -an image of the organisation as a development community whose order and sense is given by the clients; -an image of the territory as a complex system of organisations whose interactions have to be driven by the development of the local community as a whole, avoiding internal conflicts;-a cyclic approach to create development inspired by action research principles: a group of process owners, belonging to the territory, start investigating the local social question and on this basis they create a local social network and promote experimental processes. The cyclic approach is based on a rhythm between action and reflection involving the local community. After the experimental phase it will be possible to extend the change process in a wider perspective. During the first cycle the process owners will acquire a new professionalism which could be a base for a new local leadership and a real governance.