One of the many results of globalization has been the emergence of global social movements to well … address the other results of globalization … such as unfair trade practices, increase militarization and massive human displacement, loss of food sovereignty and the lack of local accountability with decision-making powers shifting upward and in many cases outward to international financial institutions.

Civic society is evolving in this era of globalization that exacerbates global inequality. More than ever civil society movements need leadership. Leadership that can traverse both the macro and micro levels of the new global stage. The old slogan think globally, but act locally is really being turned on its head.

Jim Collins in his book Good to Great and The Social Sectors, says, “True leadership only exists if people follow when they have the freedom not to. If people follow you because they have no choice, then you are not leading.”

One of the many challenges facing civic society leaders is to be able to lead within evolving structures of social movements, such as networks, coalitions and campaigns to name a few. When people “follow a leader when they have the freedom not to” social movements then become shaped by this “following” and in turn this becomes key in shaping the agenda of a social movement which strives to be representative, inclusive and participatory.