Leaders: confident, creative, collaborative. Problem solvers and critical thinkers, who set goals and are motivated by success and failure alike. But what makes a great leader, and can our children be taught to become them?
A study by Goldsmith showed that people who received training showed significant improvement in their leadership quality. Since leadership development is a lifelong process, all children have the potential to develop these crucial skills. Here are some ideas to get you started:
Role-model leadership behaviour. Children learn from seeing how others behave, and as parents are a child’s first teachers, make sure to inform them about what you are doing in challenging situations, as well as why you are doing it.
Give children choices, such as what to wear, or what to have for lunch. As they get older, encouraging them to pursue things that interest them is also key. This will allow them to develop their independence, and take accountability for any potential consequences.
Volunteering. Every great leader is focused on a people or cause, so teach your children to be of service to something other than themselves. Some ideas include: helping out at winter coat drives, community litter picking, or collecting donations for a local food bank.
Classroom opportunities. From “paper monitors” to “line leaders” or “attendance takers,” leadership roles within school should be available for everyone to try out. Offer praise when appropriate to build self-confidence in your kids.
Encourage communication. As screens increasingly dominate our lives, retaining face-to-face communication skills has never been more important. Teach your kids how to listen, provide constructive criticism, and resolve conflict in a healthy way.
Promote teamwork through group projects, sports activities, and summer camps. Children will learn the importance of social leadership through role-playing, games, and activities. Surrounding kids with others the same age also provides them with the support and peer mentorship needed for personal growth.
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