Final Assignment APA

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YOUTH VIOLENCE: POLICY ACTION PLAN
Youth Violence: Policy Action Plan
Yusef Ismail
Capella University
DPA8400 – Theories of Leadership & Public Administration
[u10a1] Unit 10 Assignment 1

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Executive Summary
Youth violence remains a serious threat to the health and well-being of young people in American
inner cities. It is critical for practitioners and other stakeholders to deﬁne their roles and develop the
abilities to address the threat effectively. While there are no conventional approaches to combating youth
violence, various approaches to its prevention and intervention have been introduced and are being
evaluated. Violence prevention and intervention demands a flexible approach that addresses the extensive
behavioral, environmental, and social causes that contribute to violent behavior (Kiaerulf & Barahona,
2010). Establishing a systematic plan to confront the challenges of youth violence is essential. This may
encompass a wide variety of approaches—in the public health, educational, and criminal justice realms.
Today’s sector leaders and other key stakeholders must exercise stewardship and responsibility over the
process (Kiaerulf & Barahona, 2010).
Today’s public sector leaders must function as change agents who are accountable the
development and implementation of change strategies. Crosby and Bryson (2005) argue that none possess
enough resources, time, money, or authority to solve complex public problems on their own. Public sector
leaders and citizens alike must produce formal and informal power-sharing alliances that could be crucial
in dealing with the issue of youth violence. Leaders must bring together a considerable mass of diverse
stakeholders to develop a common understanding of the issues, and look for promising solutions.
Leadership in a shared power world involves integrating the development of a collaborative or shared
approach to leadership where no single person or organization is in charge. This type of leadership is
important to ensuring an apparent community voice, balanced leadership, and shared
responsibility for decision making (Crosby, & Bryson, 2005).
Literature Review
Globalization has swiftly redefined today’s business climate. Today’s leaders (whether public or
private) must be able to stay abreast of rapid changes while developing ingenious strategies for the future.
They must function as change agents who are accountable for the development and implementation of

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change strategies (Popescu, & Rusko, 2012). Leadership is recognized as a group of qualities and
behaviors that a leader possesses which encourage the participation, growth, and commitment from
organizational stakeholders. In general, there has been minimal research which compares the leadership
skills, and factors which are relevant to public and private organizations. There are varied approaches to
leadership which depend upon the particular structure of an organization because leaders are functioning
under contrasting and very different requirements. Current literature for leadership within both realms
seems to utilize the findings from private sector leadership research as the foundation for their
propositions for efficient leadership (Demeter, 2013). Subsequently, the capacity of leadership considered
in each sector show great likeness.
According to Demeter (2013), every type of organization is formed to create some kind of value.
Nevertheless, private organizations develop strategies to measure this in monetary terms, while public
organizations focus on value that result in the attainment of social purposes. The values and goals of for-
profit organizations are guided by commitment to the goals of owners, and shareholders. As a result,
leaders are expected to develop strategies to reach financial goals, incentivize performance, and
encourage productivity to increase greater profits. On the other hand, since revenue is not directly
produced through public sector programming, and activities, a different cultural framework exists within
these types of organizations. This produces the need for leadership that can manage intricate
constituencies as well as the general mission of upholding public principles (Thatch, & Thompson, 2007).
There is significant overlap in the essential skills and competencies associated with leadership
effectiveness (Demeter, 2013). Current research literature places an emphasis on the characteristics that
leaders can exemplify to stimulate to evoke efficient performance from others. Above all, today’s public
sector leaders should act with integrity, openness, and honesty while encouraging a working environment
that values fairness, and respect (Hazen, & Hazen, 2011). They must by all means, strive to behave in
an ethical manner. Ethics is a form of philosophy that involves arranging, defending, and
recommending theories of right or wrong actions. Professional Ethics are the professionally accepted

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standards of personal and business behavior, values, and guiding principles (Brecher, 2014). At the core,
these ethical principles stress the need to do what is good (known as beneficence), and to do no harm
(known as non-malfeasance) (Brecher, 2014).
In practice, these ethical principles mean that as a professional, leaders should minimize the risk
of harm to the public, and avoid using deceptive practices. According to Sarros and Santora (2001),
leaders should strive to establish credibility in the validity of their authority by inciting trust among
partners, followers, and other stakeholders. For people to relinquish personal sovereignty and agree to be
led, they have to believe in the legitimacy of the leader’s authority. Compliance of and aid in change
strategies is predicated on their perceived personal benefit related to the change. Disheartening or
unsatisfactory results due to unmet promises undermine a leader’s credibility and may cause perceptions
of unfair treatment and violations of trust. Research indicates that ambivalent leadership may weaken the
legitimacy of the need for change and empower recipients to justify reasons for resistance (Northouse,
2012).
Subsequently, communications must remain consistent and vigorous. Keeping everyone informed
and on the same page is crucial. Followers and partners seek trust in the form of open, honest
communication. Leaders must supply people with consistent, relevant information about important
changes or challenges in order to increase participation, and acceptance. Being an effective communicator
is an indispensable leadership quality (Chemers, 2000). Advancing change requires leaders to possess a
variety of communication techniques to convey their vision, and enact plans in order to chart their
organization’s course. Creating a compelling organizational vision is a continual process for improving
performance by developing strategies that produce results. It involves looking at where the group wants to
go, assessing the organization’s current situation, and developing approaches for moving forward
(Bryson, 1995).
Subsequently, great leaders depict a vision that captivates people and increases their self-worth.

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Leaders who produce the best outcomes are able to keep people motivated and informed which may give
them a clearer sense of what their roles are (Chemers, 2000). This allows followers to build a firm
emotional connection with their leaders while possessing an enhanced sense of trust and confidence in
them (Seyranian, & Bligh, 2008).
By cultivating healthy internal and external relationships with followers, and stakeholders,
leaders are able to empower people toward collective and individual fulfillment of goals (Chemers, 2000).
In order to create power-sharing accords that can be effective in solving public problems, leaders must
also be able to connect with various stakeholders across traditional boundaries, and communicate a vision
of greater possibilities as a collective. These collaborative leadership strategies are needed to guide
groups of interdependent entities toward accomplishing goals that they all wish to achieve, but none of
them can solve alone (Crosby, & Bryson, 2005). Trust is the bond that can hold a team or coalition
together. Members of a collaborative will come from varied agencies, and therefore have contrasting
operational procedures, organizational cultures, and goals. While these differences can serve as barriers to
effective collaborations, research suggests that trust can help surmount this. Forward-thinking leaders can
inspire and strengthen mission-specific commitment by identifying productive ways of working together,
without leaving others in the background (Crosby, & Bryson, 2005).
Leadership theories such as charismatic, transformational, visionary, and servant styles of
leadership have influenced an abundance of research and various training initiatives for business leaders
(Thatch, & Thompson, 2007). The charismatic leadership theory was developed by renowned sociologist
Max Weber. Weber popularized the term charisma and depicted charismatic leadership an uncanny trait
which develops in leaders during times of adversity. Subsequently, an abundance of research has
analyzed and redefined the attributes of charisma (Sandber, & Moreman, 2011). According to Choi
(2006), charismatic leadership is believed to have three essential components: empowerment,
envisioning, and empathy. Charismatic leaders possess a strong tendency to exhibit sensitivity to their

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followers’ emotions and needs. They figure out what their followers want and concentrate on issues that
are of importance to them (Choi, 2006).
The next leadership style, which is very important, is transformational leadership. According to
Sarros and Santora (2001), transformational leaders create change by reshaping the status quo in some
intrinsic way. They do this by providing people with a compelling vision that motivates them toward
collective change. Transformational leaders empower their followers by increasing their awareness of
self-efficiency and confidence by utilizing verbal persuasion, and by acting as role models (Sarros, &
Santora, 2001). Subsequently, people build a firm emotional connection with transformational leaders.
Transformational leaders also share an emotional bond with their followers, which may produce a feeling
of unity (Choi, 2006). Because of their extraordinary relationship with people, these leaders are indeed
effective agents of social change.
Visionary leadership is another important style of leadership. The characteristics involved in
visionary leadership include encouraging the development of common values and shared vision to
increase an organization’s effectiveness (Northouse, 2012). Visionary leaders must be transparent about
their own needs and beliefs while focusing on the shared vision of the group(s). According to Crosby and
Bryson (2005), the creation of a compelling personal vision can help diverse groups of stakeholders
develop an awareness of their common goals, and what they may do to overcome prevailing issues. As a
result, it is important to examine the leader’s personal standards which help formulate their personal
vision. These standards are firmly linked to the leader’s personal desires, values, abilities, and personality.
The final leadership style which will be discussed is Servant Leadership. Current servant
leadership models are connected with the human desire to band together with others and help build a
better society. Servant leaders give priority to the good of followers over their personal self-interests.
Servant leaders are those who put their customers, employees, and community as their number one
priority. Servant leadership begins with the innate feeling that one would like to serve, then an
intentional choice causes one to aspire to lead (Parris, & Peachey, 2013). Servant leaders possess

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a strong tendency to exhibit sensitivity to their followers’ emotions and needs. They figure out
what their followers want and concentrate on issues that are of importance to them (Parris, &
Peachey, 2013).
Today’s leadership is evolving, because leaders have discovered ways to engage more people
toward the common goal of sustainable advancement. In order for today’s leaders to mobilize for
systemic change, they must possess the ability to identify problems, and be prepared to take chances
which encourage inventive approaches. They must possess the ability to organize others to assist them in
turning innovative ideas into changes in policies. Leaders must develop a collaborative or shared
approach to leadership in order to remain effective (Crosby, & Bryson, 2005). In a hierarchical or
bureaucratic organizational model, a person or small group is acknowledged as being in charge. On the
contrary, a network of leaders and organizations must share power, and be responsible for acting upon
serious public problems if they are to effectively remedy the important issues. This form or structure of
leadership is most suitable for today’s interdependent, interconnected world (Crosby, & Bryson, 2005).
Problem Statement
Youth violence in many American inner cities has reached a crucial point, affecting the quality of
life, economic development, and health of many regions throughout the country. Many juveniles actively
engage in numerous violence-related actions, such as brandishing weapons, physical fighting, stabbing,
threatening, and shooting other people (Puzzanchera, Adams, & Hockenberry, 2011). In 2009, more than
20,000 children and juveniles under the age of 21 were killed or hurt by firearms in the United
States. Furthermore, approximately 80,000 juveniles were arrested in the U.S. for violent crimes and over
30,000 youth were incarcerated for weapons offenses (Children’s Defense Fund, 2012). Countless other
young people are damaged by the consequences of violence in their homes, schools, or communities
(Puzzanchera, Adams & Hockenberry, 2011). Violent youth perpetrators and victims of violence have
identical personal characteristics. Both offenders and victims are disproportionately male, black, and from
low income, single-parent families (Reed, 2009).

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Studies indicate that youth violence is a complicated issue, determined by psychological,
economical, and environmental circumstances. The basic causes of youth violence may be found in the
early learning experiences within the family. They involve lack of familial bonding, inadequate attention
and supervision; witnessing violence at home; and acquiring attitudes which encourage or tolerate the use
of violence (Reed, 2009). Many communities afford opportunities for learning and participating in
violence. The presence of gangs and illegal drug distribution systems provide elevated exposure to
violence, as well as negative role models, and tangible rewards for violent activity. It is here in which
violence is molded, fostered, and acknowledged (Ali, Swahn, & Sterling 2011). Living in communities
where violence is common can negatively affect children's development, even if they are not directly
exposed to violent activities. The effects of high levels of violence within a community are similar to
those associated with direct exposure. These include nervousness, sleep problems, intrusive thoughts,
anxiety, stress, loneliness, depression, grief, and antisocial behavior (Zinzow, 2009).
Research literature also indicates that children's susceptibility to media violence plays a crucial
role in the diagnosis of violent behavior. As with firsthand exposure to violence, the onslaught of media
violence in television, and motion pictures may provoke many juveniles to carry out violent
acts. Television and motion picture violence can perhaps influence subsequent acts of aggression by
glorifying and molding violence, provoking destructive inclinations in some youth, and a decline in
feelings of compassion for victims (Kaplan, 2012). Another type of mainstream media entertainment for
young people is violent video games. Many studies have determined that juveniles who play violent video
games are more inclined to participate in destructive behavior and violence than are youth who play
nonviolent video games (Ferguson, 2011). Risk factors related to youth violence are varied, inter-related,
and evolve over time. The greater the sum of risk factors to which a young person is exposed, the higher
the probability that he or she will partake in violent behavior or become a victim of violence (Estrada-
Martínez, Padilla, Caldwell, & Schulz, 2011).

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The Systems theory framework can supply today’s leaders with valuable information to examine
the linkages between the causes and solutions to the youth violence epidemic. A system is generally
defined as a group of corresponding parts or elements which are interrelated and have common goals. The
system as a whole collects inputs from outside sources, processes these inputs within the system, and
transforms the outputs of these processes to outside of the system (Lauffer, 2011). Systems have
boundaries that distinguish them from their environment. A system is impacted by its environment and
also may be influenced by it, but a system does not have definite control over the operations of its
environment (Anderson, Carter, & Lowe, 1999). Systems are commonly classified as open and closed
systems. An open system interacts with its environment through distribution and acquisition of
information. In comparison, closed systems are not open to the outside environment and the interaction or
energy is disseminated within the closed system only.
Closed systems can restrict growth since the information flow which stays within the system
has no opportunity to interact with or develop information or energy from the outside environment. The
closed system versus open system approaches do not represent a difference, but rather an interrelationship
in which systems are more or less open to their environments (Ishtai-Zee, personal communication,
2013). An Open systems approach to the issue of youth violence is critical. There needs to be a more
combined effort to diminish gun violence or young people will continue to be killed and injured by
firearms. Reaching across disciplines which often exist in silos can bring a wealth of perspectives,
increasing the success rate of youth violence prevention efforts (Corsaro, & McGarrell, 2010).
Action Plan
In order to help solve these pressing challenges, it will required recognition that no one group of
people or institutions has all of the answers or resources needed to address the issue of youth gun violence
(Vivolo, Matjasko, & Massetti, 2011). A diverse group of stakeholders must be called upon which
includes an array of public service professionals and organizations representing diverse sectors.
Subsequently, a project coalition will be formed which will included various stakeholders who work

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either peripherally or directly in the area of youth violence. Whether a coalition in big or small, they have
been found to be most efficient when established at the community level (Zakocs and Edwards 2006). It
is the community level residents who feel the detrimental effects. In order to be successful, leaders must
engage the people who are most affected by important decisions. Subsequently, ensuring their apparent
community voice, leadership, and shared responsibility for decision making is paramount (Zakocs, &
Edwards, 2006).
Community based planning must engage the population in order to make decisions which are
compatible with local resources and needs. A diverse group of public service groups and individuals were
selected initially to participate in this project. A “Power-vs-Interest” Grid was previously formulated to
help identify an array of internal and external stakeholders. The first stakeholder chosen to be a part of the
planning efforts is Newark, NJ Mayor Ras J. Baraka. Mayor Baraka has been a staunch supporter of gun
violence reduction for over a decade. His political power and influence can help tremendously to push
legislation to recognize gun violence as a public health crisis in State of New Jersey. The next stakeholder
selected is civil rights attorney, Shavar D. Jeffries. Shavar has worked diligently to keep much needed
education funding within the City of Newark. He could play an integral part in helping to bring increased
funding for gun violence research and programming.
The next stakeholder selected is Anibal Ramos, a Newark City Councilman. Councilman Ramos
is a widely respected Councilman with strong ties to the Essex County Democratic Machine. He can
possibly influence legislation by becoming a voice in which to help bring more funding for gun violence
prevention and intervention. These choices are followed by the leaders of two very instrumental anti-
violence organizations in Newark. Bashir Akinyele of the Newark Antiviolence Coalition (NAVC), and
Reverend Thomas Ellis of the Enough is Enough Coalition. Both of these community groups are strong
vocal supporters of reducing gun violence in Newark and New Jersey. They are both very influential with
community residents who are most affected by the problem of gun violence.

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The final stakeholder chosen to join the coalition is Clevean Lambert, a former Bloods Gang
Member, and gun-shot survivor. Clevean also served almost 5 years in prison for violent crimes.
Nevertheless, over the last two years, he has redeemed himself by mentoring young people and helping to
provide them with viable alternatives to criminal activities. Clevean’s voice can be important in gaining
the perspective of active and former gang members about how to deal with the issue. There are two
additional context setters who may not be part of the planning coalition, but will be very instrumental.
They include US Senator Cory Booker, and New Jersey Congressman Donald Payne. The former Newark
Mayor, Booker is one of the country’s most powerful and influential Democrats. Respectively,
Congressman Payne is one of the state’s most respected politicians. Both of these individuals have been
considered to assist with formulating and implementing the proposed policy change. They both can assist
by helping to increase federal funding for research for studies into the roots of gun violence, and the
development of prevention strategies
Cultural Diversity Leadership
The ways of doing business in today’s world is constantly evolving. Increased globalization
demands greater interaction among people from diverse backgrounds, beliefs, and cultures than in years
past. Due to the growth of organizations across borders, many challenges exist for today’s
leaders (Armache, 2012). One of the most essential terms affecting the current labor force is constant
increase in diversity. Diversity is typically defined as the acknowledgment, acceptance, and celebrating of
differences among people with respect race, class, age, gender, or ethnicity (Armache, 2012). Cultural
diversity (also known as multiculturalism) is a variety of diverse individuals from different societies or
cultures. Today’s working environments are composed of very diverse populations and people from all
over the globe, which creates progressive multicultural and multiracial organizations (Armache, 2012).
Hence, it is apparent that strategies to enhance the efficient functioning of organizations must be
based on endemic practices that arise from the specific cultural framework of the particular society
(Abdalla, & Al-Homoud, 2001). In an ever-changing world, leaders must be responsive to the varied

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needs among their followers. With these varied cultural ideals and values, there is a need for
acknowledging culturally-linked styles of leadership. Being open to cultural differences which may be
radically opposed is crucial for effective leadership (Abdalla, & Al-Homoud, 2001). Quality of leadership
is a critical factor in developing and implementing cross-sector and cross-cultural collaborations.
Collaborative Leadership Strategies
Clearly, the policy implementation process must be planned, directed, monitored, and evaluated.
Collaborative leadership strategies are needed to guide groups of interdependent entities toward
accomplishing their goals (Crosby, & Bryson, 2005). Leadership methods that include team building can
be typically helpful, while collaborative leadership strategies can help the coalition develop shared vision
(Crosby, & Bryson, 2005). Without commitment from key implementers change is likely to wither on the
vine. Implementation of policy change is usually a very complicated and chaotic process which involves
various actors and organizations that possess a host of competing, complementary, and often conflicting
interests, and goals. Crosby and Bryson (2005) posit that some members of a coalition may eventually
move on to different jobs or begin to focus on other pressing social needs or problems.
Other members of the collaborative may take a more hands-on approach and decide to be directly
involved in the implementation; others may be better suited to becoming political champions or monitors
of the change. It is essential to build and maintain a protective coalition of advocates, implementers, and
interests groups who can safeguard the change as it is institutionalized. Whether or not a formal
collaboration is instituted, the coalition must remain committed to the implementation of change. Power
struggles are almost inevitable as policy change is introduced into a new or existing department, or
organization. Leadership succession could become a problem, since this phase calls for a more institution-
building, type of leadership than in previous stages (Crosby, & Bryson, 2005). Subsequently, it is likely to
that the coalition will experience tension around goals, power, trust, and leadership style phase, since
power may transfer away from initial stakeholders to implementers.

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Policy Recommendations
While there are no conventional approaches to combating youth violence, various approaches to
violence prevention and intervention have been introduced, and more are being evaluated. Many of the
approaches and recommendations which have been proposed include treating gun violence as a public
health problem. Violence prevention and intervention demands a flexible approach that addresses the
extensive, behavioral, environmental, and social causes that contribute to violent behavior (Hemenway, &
Miller, 2013). This may encompass collaborative input from many segments and utilize a wide variety of
approaches—in the government, public health, educational, and criminal justice realms. A public health
approach involves the enlistment of various people and institutions in addressing the issue while
developing coalitions that bolster one another (Cottrell-Boyce, 2013).
Many practical strategies could help reduce firearm violence. Policy makers must enact plans
which propose stricter guidelines and universal background checks for every gun purchaser (Lemieux,
2014). The criminal justice system must play an important role by enforcing innovative policing strategies
that collaborates with the community to help curb gun violence. Furthermore, mental health professionals
can develop and implement intervention strategies which may help youth grapple with youth violence.
Schools can establish and tailor services toward school-children who are possibly at risk of becoming
victims or perpetrators of violence. Finally, parents can intently supervise their children's behavior,
surroundings, and media usage (Knox, & Aspy, 2011).
Public leaders must recognize that unhindered access to firearms poses inherent public health
risks. They must agree to work together to evaluate all strategies and policies, eliminate the ones that are
not feasible, and promote the ones that are. It is critical for key stakeholders to deﬁne their roles and
develop solutions to address the threat effectively. None of the proposed strategies will be easy,
particularly against powerful and uncompromising private interests like the gun lobby. Legal constraints
supported by those who oppose gun control laws have hindered institutions and policy makers from
securing funding for legitimate studies. Given the lack of research funding and sparse data, no concrete

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evidence exists which proves that any particular initiative will reduce youth violence. Subsequently, there
is insufficient evidence on which to establish interventions (Lemieux, 2014). Increased prevention
initiatives in the years to come, must utilize solid and comprehensive data systems, while combining
meticulous evaluations.
As with any public health issue, an increase in federal funding, and the order to resume research
is needed for studies into the roots of gun violence, and the development of prevention strategies (Knox,
& Aspy, 2011). The established project coalition must utilize a systems approach to help with planning,
implementing, documenting, and evaluating the project. One of the most widely utilized tools is the
strategic planning framework. Strategic Planning is the process of defining an organization’s strategy, or
direction, and determines decisions of allocating the resources needed to pursue these strategies. It
involves looking at where an organization or group wants to go, assessing the group’s current situation,
and developing approaches for moving forward (Bryson, 2011). Because strategic planning is embodied
by transactions and exchanges, it is fundamentally an open systems approach to organizational
management (Ishtai- Zee, personal communication, 2013). Creating an effective strategic plan can
provide the project coalition with a road map of the future.
Personal Leadership Profile
It is the hope of this leader that the Doctorate of Public Administration degree will afford him the
resources needed to gain valuable insight and perspective at a critical time for his developing
organization. Most graduate students are faced with grueling demands, disruptions, and distractions (both
internally and externally) while working to develop and maintain effective program research. The aim of
the leader is to become a stellar doctoral student while acquiring the tangible tools, education, and
resources needed which can implemented immediately to improve leadership performance. Balancing his
studies along with career and home life is a skill which must be learned through trial and error. The
opportunity to work through these challenges can provide the necessary experience to do effective
community-focused work. Although the leader has a very busy schedule, he understands that managing

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his time wisely will be of utmost importance. Time management is a necessary skill needed in which to
maintain scholarly productiveness (Topp, 2013).
Although the leader has a very busy schedule, he must understand that managing time wisely will
be of utmost importance. The leader has pledged to strategically commit about three hours per day, six
days a week toward his studies. It is believed that this strategy will be sufficient to help him become a
well-rounded and effective student. Luckily, the leader is blessed with a strong support system which
consists of family and friends who continue to assist him in any way possible. He also has various
mentors who have already obtained advanced degrees and are very supportive. The leader plans to enlist
these allies for help while continuing to navigate through the challenging journey. With this type of
support system, he is poised to stay on track and hopefully be able to graduate on time.
After graduating from Capella University, the hope is to eventually become one of New Jersey’s
most effective public sector leaders. The leader’s organizational talent and pragmatic outlook could be
recognized by those who will place him in key advisory roles within government, or otherwise. The
leader plans to remain vocal about complex issues, while continuing to work for positive change in New
Jersey. He also hopes to focus on becoming a published author, and travel throughout the country as a
renowned motivational speaker. The leader’s overall vision is to remain an active stakeholder within his
community and beyond. Through his professional work, he should continue to partner with a diverse
group of people, institutions, and community organizations, both private and non-profit, in order to
become a more effective change agent.
As a doctoral student and nonprofit leader, he must constantly seek new tools which may help
him communicate more efficiently and become a greater change agent. By utilizing effective leadership
communication, the aim is to implement a bond of trust with partners and followers. By acquiring the
skills and experiences necessary to communicate more effectively as a leader, he will be able to produce
better outcomes because people will be more informed, have a clearer sense of what their roles are, and
become motivated internally. As a leader, he must bring together a considerable mass of diverse

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stakeholders to develop a common understanding of the issues and look for promising solutions. It is
imperative that leaders possess and hone leadership skills which encourage the participation, growth, and
commitment from key organizational stakeholders.
The leader’s personal leadership style is Charismatic Leadership. According to Choi (2006),
Charismatic leadership is believed to have three essential components: empowerment, envisioning, and
empathy. Empowerment is delineated as a process which includes not only sharing or delegating authority
with followers, but also enabling them to influence strategies and outcomes. Charismatic leaders
empower their employees by increasing their awareness of self-efficiency and confidence by utilizing
verbal persuasion, and by acting as role models. The formation and communication of a vision is
probably the most important aspects of charismatic leadership (Choi, 2006). Charismatic leaders create
change by reshaping the status quo in some intrinsic way. They do this by providing people with
a compelling vision that motivates them toward collective change. Subsequently, these leaders
depict a vision that captivates people and increases their self-worth (Sanber, & Moreman, 2011).
Effective leadership within the public sector requires that leaders become familiar with
the framework of Policy Entrepreneurship. Policy entrepreneurship is the development and
implementation of innovative ideas into public practice. Policy Entrepreneurs help mobilize for
systemic transformation. Policy entrepreneurs can be within or out of government, in appointed
or elected posts, research organizations, or interest groups (Crosby, & Bryson, 2005).
Nevertheless, their defining attribute, in congruence with business entrepreneurs, is their
inclination to invest their time, resources, energy, and reputation in hopes of a greater return. In
general, policy entrepreneurs should be able to organize others to assist them in turning
innovative ideas into government policies. They do this by networking in key circles, building
coalitions, and formulating the conditions of policy debates (Crosby, & Bryson, 2005).

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Policy innovation cannot take place without the introduction of compelling new solutions
and additional stakeholders into the process. The essential requirements of public deliberation
are that key stakeholders within a community must agree to center the debate on some issue of
common interests. Making the appropriate contacts allows policy entrepreneurs to decide which
arguments will entice others to back their policy plans. Mintrom and Norman (2009) posit that
there are four principles which are integral to policy entrepreneurship. These principles include
displaying social acuity, defining problems, and building teams. By displaying social acuity,
policy entrepreneurs are highly skilled in the social and political context in which they interact.
Defining problems can encompass the presentation of evidence in ways that implies a crisis is at
hand, identifying ways to highlight failed policies, drawing support and developing a rationale
for intervention. Lastly, Policy entrepreneurs have to be team players, and their strength comes
from recognizing the importance of cultivating and working with coalitions to encourage
changes in policies (Mintrom, & Norman, 2009).
Conclusion and Recommendations
Crosby and Bryson (2005) posit that there are five principles which are integral to successful
policy adoption, and implementation. These principles include drafting a policy plan, revising the
proposed draft, identifying necessary resources, having the necessary coalition, and shared belief among
parties. A draft policy or plan must be prepared for review by legitimate decision makers in the next
phase. Secondly, a revised draft proposal must incorporate plausible modifications, propelled by
stakeholder concerns and interests. Next, it is crucial to identify the needed resources for the
implementation of the proposal. Moreover, clear indication that the essential coalition is in place to ensure
the adoption and implementation of the policy. Lastly, there must be a shared belief among all parties
involved that the policy change is a mutual endeavor, and achieves their mutual objectives (Crosby, &
Bryson, 2005).

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Clearly, the policy implementation process must be planned, directed, monitored, and evaluated.
Without commitment from key implementers change is likely to wither on the vine. Implementation of
policy change is usually a very complicated and chaotic process which involves various actors and
organizations that possess a host of competing, complementary, and often conflicting interests, and goals.
During the implementation and monitoring phase, policy entrepreneurs must be prepared for a change in
the structure of the coalition that supported the adopted policy change initially (Crosby, & Bryson, 2005).
The term organized anarchy is described as the confusion, disorder, randomness, and uncertainty that
guide much of the decision making in large, loosely connected organizations. The term applies to the
policy environments where no one is completely charge, where power is shared, and many are partially in
charge (Crosby, & Bryson, 2005). Among groups, there may be substantial conflict about the direction
and outcomes of the relationships.
The process of decision making often appears chaotic because of disputes among fluctuating
coalitions and interest groups. Decisions progress from the compromising, bargaining, and interaction
among interest groups and coalitions, which indicates that these groups find it imperative to share
power (Crosby, & Bryson, 2005). Crosby and Bryson (2005) posit that some members of the coalition
may eventually move on to different jobs or begin to focus on other pressing social needs or problems.
Other members of the coalition may take a more hands-on approach and decide to be directly involved in
the implementation; others may be better suited to becoming political champions or monitors of the
change. It is essential to build and maintain a protective coalition of advocates, implementers, and
interests groups who can safeguard the change as it is institutionalized. Whether or not a formal
collaboration is instituted, the coalition must remain committed to the implementation of change.
Leadership succession could become a problem, since this phase calls for a more institution-
building, type of leadership than in previous stages (Crosby, & Bryson, 2005). Subsequently, it is likely to
that the coalition will experience tension around goals, power, trust, and leadership style phase, since
power may transfer away from initial stakeholders to implementers. After a policy change has been fully

19
implemented, summative evaluations should occur to determine if or how well it is helping to remedy the
public problem, or social need. This is critical in attempting to determine whether a policy change is
worth the expenditure of effort and time, or to identify new problem or needs. These evaluations must
focus both on immediate outputs, and long term outcomes, as well as on the consequences of policy
change (Crosby, & Bryson, 2005).
Youth violence remains a serious threat to the health and well-being of young people in American
inner cities. It is critical for leaders and other stakeholders to deﬁne their roles and develop the abilities to
address the threat effectively. It is recommended that leaders and other stakeholders use a public health
framework to reduce youth violence (Fagan & Catalano, 2012). This should encompass collaborative
input from many disciplines, including law enforcement, human services, physical and public health,
faith-based/non-profit organizations, parents, youth, and school administrators. It should include
increased prevention initiatives in the years to come, utilizing solid and comprehensive data on juvenile
killings and injury estimates, and combine meticulous evaluations (Fagan & Catalano, 2012).

20
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