Are leaders born or made? In one of my graduate classes a few years ago, I ended up in a semester long debate with a professor on this question. “The current theory is that leaders are made not born,” he stated. To which I answered, “Apparently you have not spent much time around young kids.” Years of teaching kids ages 6-8 has taught me that they are born with the skills required to lead. There has been one too many six year old who has momentarily derailed a lecture, by getting his tiny peers to follow his lead, for me to put much stock in what the current text book offers by way of theory.
I firmly believe that children are born with leadership skills, and what you actually affect through teaching, is what type of leaders they will grow to be. With that in mind, there are things you can do to help children develop their skills in ways that will be most constructive and effective for them.
Communication Skills:
No matter what leadership skills or trait a child is born with, he or she will not be as effective a leader as they could be, if they are not able to communicate their ideas to others. It’s therefore vital to develop a child’s communication skills. This could be done through such simple things as having them practice their reading. To Read aloud is one type of public speaking that virtually every person will do at some point in their lives. It is a starting point for the type of public speaking that may be required of a person in a leadership role later on in life. A reading exercise can thus be vital to developing good communications skills in a child. Along with this, having the child practice their listening skills can also enhance their communication skills.
Organization Skills:
Leaders who have to direct and motivate others are generally expected to possess good organization skills. The ability to build structure and order into projects is often a skill that a person in a leadership role will some day have to master in order to be effective. By building structure and order, a leader will be able to project a clear vision or goal to those he leads. This skill can be developed a number of different ways. One way is to have the child get into the habit of using a simple checklist. This can be done by the use of a notebook in which the child can write a list of chores or homework assignments. The child can then cross off the items from the list upon completing the task, thereby gaining both a sense of accomplishment and organization.
Problem Solving Skills:
Helping a child develop good problem solving skills can also go a long ways towards helping them develop as leaders. There are various ways to help the child develop this particular skill. One easy way to do it is to role-play with the child. In this role-play, present the child with a difficult situation he might encounter when playing with another child or sibling. Challenge the child to come up with solutions that will resolve the conflict. Encourage and help him come up with as many solutions as possible. Then, discuss the pros and cons of each solution. This will help structure how a child thinks about solving problems he encounters.
Develop Healthy Self-Esteem:
Even a child with good leadership potential can be derailed by a bout with low self esteem. It is essential for the child to be able to develop a healthy view of him self. There are many different ways that you can help a child achieve good self esteem. Medical research has shown that one basic factor that contributes to the development of good self esteem in a child is the presence of an adult who helps the child to feel appreciated and special. To help accomplish this, one should set aside “special time” for the child. During the time that is set aside, it is best to focus on things that the child enjoys doing, or on areas that he displays strengths in. By doing this, you will give the child the needed positive reinforcement that he needs to develop a healthy self esteem.
Setting Realistic Goals:
Equally important is the ability of a leader to set realistic expectations and goals. When this ability is developed within a child, the child will attain a sense of control that is vital to the type of leader he will become. In much the same manner in which you can have a child keep a notebook with a list of, “to dos,” you can get a child to set a few reasonable goals for the week or month. Progress on these goals should be monitored, and problems that a rise may be discussed with them. By guiding the child towards the solutions needed to over come the obstacles along the way, a child can also further his problem solving skills.
These are but a few ways to work with a child to help develop their leadership skills. The basic building blocks are there, yet the work you put in to guide them is will ultimately determine what types of leaders they will turn out to be.
