Can you teach a child to be a leader? Can you instill in her the traits of someone who inspires and motivates others? Can you set him on a path to be a charismatic minister, a dynamic CEO or the president of the United States? As teachers, we say “of course.”
Leadership is a very broad term and can be defined in many different ways. But we define leadership with the children we come in contact with every day as showing respect, having personal ownership of your life and actions, serving those in need and managing the influence you have over others. We can teach these skills in school, at home and in all aspects of life.
Showing respect
How are children to know how to act unless we tell them? How will they know how to be a leader unless we show them? In our society, we have stopped teaching our children how to be respectful. Children may come to school not knowing what respect, for themselves or others, looks like. We consider the No. 1 character trait of a leader as respect – respect that one commands and respect that one gives to others.
We must set rules that are continuously taught and practiced – simple rules of respect such as saying “please” and “thank you” to not only adults, but also to young people and peers. In school, we can teach and model such skills. Actively watching and listening to a fellow student while he or she gives a presentation, learning how to properly have a conversation, not being rude when you are given a gift – these are all skills that may seem small and insignificant. But the knowledge of how to do these things, as natural as they may seem to some, may not have been taught to a child prior to attending school and are the foundation of social acceptance to build upon.
Taking personal ownership
Teaching at a charter middle school in Greenville County, we have the awesome responsibility, and the great opportunity, to be leaders in the eyes of 11- to 14-year-olds. These early teenagers are still very impressionable, which makes it the prime time to teach leadership. It is said that it takes 21 days to form a habit. We just happen to have these children for three years, and in those three years we strive every day to build up leadership skills.
Goals are very important in the development of a leader. Where does direction come from if you do not have a target? In our experience, having a student create a personal mission statement is vital. When they have been led to think about what is important to them and identifying what tangible goals they desire to reach, students can learn to be purposeful in their everyday actions. They learn that they must take personal ownership of their lives and they must work to obtain their own goals.
Serving others
Teaching a child about community service is an integral part of fostering leadership. Taking the focus off themselves and focusing on the needs of the community can inspire and instill a compassionate heart. It is through engagement and involvement – to see a project from beginning to end – where they perceive their impact, which can be very powerful.
Greenville offers many different opportunities to serve and give of one’s time and effort. From running a race that raises money for medical research to Hands on Greenville’s annual family HOG day, we must continue to encourage our youth to find a cause or method of giving that inspires them and uses their talents and skills.
Managing influence
We all have influence over others. You may influence only the few people you come in contact with each day in your office, or you may be in a position where you influence a greater number of individuals because of your job, your contacts in the community or even your gregarious personality or positive energy.
As teachers, we tell our students that you may think you are not a leader, but you are in the way you influence your siblings and your friends. Some people command more attention than others and may demand an audience by the way they act or speak. But what do you do with that attention? Do you inspire greatness or spread negativity? By being the best you can be, not only do you impact your life’s path, but you also influence those around you to do the same.
In our community, we can create awareness in our youth. Make them aware that they are leaders. Each child influences another, and whether they use that influence to display responsibility or not is an essential choice they need to consciously make. Will they set an example by how they contribute to our community? Will they serve those in need? Will they take personal ownership of their lives? Will they step up and become a great leader? By being in an environment where leadership is a philosophy, where it is practiced, taught and modeled by all leaders young and old, we will continue to build a community of amazing growth.
